Final Team Assessment ESCI 1 Final Group #4 Emilio Palacios, Leeor Carasso-Lev, Kelly Gomez, Hien Ha, Soojung Shin Winter Quarter - March 20, 2012 - Ecosystems An interactive complex of communities and the abiotic environment (non-living physical factors of an environment) affecting them within a particular area. Ex: deserts, grasslands, deciduous forests, tropical rain forests, oceans The Functioning of an Ecosystem Can function under a limited tolerance range: - temperature, salinity, and oxygen level. The existence, distribution, and abundance of a species is determined by the levels of these factors. Components of an Ecosystem Abiotic - nonliving, physical and chemical factors Divided between land ecosystems and aquatic ecosystems Biotic - living; factors that are derived from living things. (1) Producers, (2) Consumers (3) Decomposers (4) Detrivores Land and Aquatic Ecosystems Aquatic- Land Sunlight Temperature Fire Altitude Latitude Soil Nutrients precipitation Wind Water currents dissolved oxygen salinity suspended solid material concentration of dissolved nutrients Producers Organisms that absorb energy from the sun or through chemical reactions to form organic matter. Ex: plants, photosynthetic and chemosynthetic bacteria, single-celled algae, grass, cacti, phytoplankton and many protists Consumers Organisms feed on organic matter to gain energy (include both primary and secondary consumers) -> herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. Ex: homosapiens, lions, tigers, bears, and chipmunks Decomposers Organisms feed on dead organic material to break down waste in the environment, using it as their own source of energy. Ex: Fungi, some bacteria, earthworms. The Diablo Range tourist information Located: Northern California (Contra Costa County), and west of Oakland. Parallels the Pacific Ocean, forming part of the western wall of the Central Valley. Extends southeastward (180 miles) from the solitary 3,849-foot Mount Diablo within Mount Diablo State Park to Kern County. Range average: between 3,000 to 4,000 feet while the highest point (Elevation of 5,241 feet) is at the San Benito Mountain The Diablo Range Ecosystem History Economic activities include: (1) agriculture, (2) Cattle grazing and (3) petroleum mining Animal Life varies, broken into… “rarely seen animals” such as Bobcats, Feral Dogs Mountain lions more common animals: Hoof-tailed Deer Jackrabbits Grey Foxes Badgers Feral cats Midpennisula Open Space: classifies it as a Wildlife Corridor, which allows for habitat connectivity for the surrounding ecosystems The Diablo Mountain Range Location and Geography A segment of the Pacific Coastal Ranges in west-central California Latitude – N 36.369679, longitude – W -120.644336 Borders Northeastern border - San Joaquin River Southeastern border - San Joaquin Valley Southwestern border - Salinas River Northwest - Santa Clara Valley Passes through Contra Costa, Alameda, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Merced, San Benito, Fresno, Monterey and Kings counties and ends in Kern county. The Diablo Mountain Range Climate Temperatures July - hottest month (70F average) January - coolest month (45F average) Highest temp. ever – 111F – 1972. Lowest temp. ever – 14F – 1989, 1990. The Diablo Mountain Range Climate Climate (Cont.) Precipitation Annual precipitation averages 24 inches January and February are the months with the most precipitation Snowfall Annual snowfall averages 1.2 inches Greatest snow depth, 3 inches, in 1972 More common on upper reaches of the mountains The Diablo Mountain Range Topography Mostly smooth and rolling grassland, with some steep and rocky areasPeak elevation (5233ft) Plateaus (2000ft-3000ft) Hills rising out of the valleys (1000ft) Hills rolling around inland plateaus (1500ft-2500ft) Foothills (400ft-1000ft) Canyons (300ft-400ft deep) Creeks in the eastern slopes of the range Alameda creek, Coyote creek, Hospital creek and Ingram Creek. Major peaks - San Benito Mountain (5241ft), San Carlos peak (4845ft) and Center Peak (4536ft). Mammals Mammals on the Diablo range include: Gray Fox Blacked- tailed Deer Coyote Mountain Lion Bobcat Striped Skunk Black-tailed Jackrabbit Cottontail Rabbit Opossum Raccoon California Ground Squirrel Fox Squirrel Little brown bat Mt. Hamilton • Mt. Hamilton is an example of an intact ecosystem. • Intact Ecosystem: A community or ecosystem that is maintaining proper function and has not lost significant species (for communities) or significant communities (for ecosystems). Typically there will also not be a significant amount of invasive weeds. Mt. Hamilton’s Ecology Maintains Proper environmental functions: -- Mt. Hamilton maintains proper functions through its annual rain and snowfall, and regular summer temperatures. (climate slides) •Has not lost significant ecosystem: --The types of ecosystems prevalent in Mt. Hamilton are deciduous forests and grasslands. Common plants found in Mt. Hamilton include: miniature lupine red beardtongue ground iris Mediterranean mustard. Wildlife Corridors • Definition – Linear features that connect at least two habitat areas • Purpose oA means to reduce or moderate adverse ecological effects of habitat fragmentation oAllow long-term genetic interchange oAllow individuals to re-colonize habitat patches from which populations have been locally removed • Reasons for designing corridor oOvercome damaging ecological processes: • Changes in abiotic regimes • Shifts in habitat use • Altered population dynamics Wildlife Corridor Diablo Range and Santa Cruz Mountains • Mountain Ranges o Santa Cruz Mountain Range = The outer range o The Diablo Range = Inner coastal Range • In between o Coyote Valley = A critical wildlife corridor and a habitat for many species • Northern section = the closet geographical point between the two mountain ranges • Coyote Creek Country Park = Core area of the corridor Coyote Valley Wildlife Significant Wildlife lives in the east hills - the Coyote Ridge and Mount Hamilton of the Diablo Range Wildlife accesses the Coyote Creek County Park into the Coyote Valley and the surrounding hills of the Santa Cruz Mountains Wildlife travels under highway 101 Importance • Dispersal area between the Diablo Range and the Santa Cruz Range, thus area for animal survival • Enables wildlife to sustain their existence in the last remaining large open space of the SC county • Corridors can facilitate the movement of species (to find mates and resources, and to enable the young to disperse out of the parental home range) through habitat patches by providing connectivity • Maintain genetic viability and maintain viable populations • Different species utilize the highway 101 culverts to travel underneath it o Mountain lions (used one of the 101 culvert), Bobcats, Coyotes, Deer, Raccoons Critical to Consider • If this area is considered a critical corridor by state and local authorities, how do you think urban development will impact the habitat? • Remember: Coyote Valley Ecological Area consists of highly suitable habitat for many wildlife species AB 2785 Wildlife Corridors • Background o Knowledge about wildlife and migration patterns is needed in order to protect them • Goal o The Department of Fish and Game is required to develop and maintain a standardized spatial data system on vegetation and land cover, identifying those areas that are most essential for habitat connectivity, including wildlife corridors and habitat linkages, and to make that data available to the public • Signed by the CA governor in 2008 Wildlife Corridors in Santa Clara County Coyotes (Canis lantrans) Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Bobcat (Lynx rufus) Wild Boar (Sus srofa) White-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemoinus) Why is Wildlife Corridor important to those large mammal species? Human habitat is the stumbling block to the connection It is the responsibility of humans who has the power and ability to ACT upon the troubles with the wildlife. • Wildlife Corridor :Providing that last tube connecting the different wildlife habitats together Benefits of Wildlife Corridor? • Large gene pool engaging many interconnected species • Less interactions with the humans & developmental areas => Survival of the Wild (food, shelter, place of escape, refuge, migratory area etc.) Sources • Philips, Julie, Environmental Science (ESC 1) STUDENT PACKET, 2012-2013 • Wright, R.T & D.F. Boorse 2010. Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future. Prentice Hall. De Anza Custom Edition, 2010 • Pictures found on google.com/images