Chaparral
Mrs. Samsa
0 period
The chaparral biome is found in a little bit of most of the continents - the west coast of the
United States, the west coast of South America, the Cape Town area of South Africa, the western
tip of Australia and the coastal areas of the Mediterranean.
Lay of the land: The chaparral biome has many different types of terrain. Some examples are flat
plains, rocky hills and mountain slopes. It is sometimes used in movies for the "Wild West".
Chaparral is characterized as being very hot and dry. As for the temperature, the winter is very mild
and is usually about 10 °C. Then there is the summer. It is so hot and dry at 40 °C that fires and
droughts are very common.
Fortunately, the plants and animals are adapted to these conditions. Most of the plants have small,
hard leaves which hold moisture. Some of these plants are poison oak, scrub oak, Yucca Wiple and
other shrubs, trees and cacti.
The animals are all mainly
grassland and desert types
adapted to hot, dry weather.
A few examples: coyotes, jack
rabbits, mule deer, alligator lizards,
horned toads, praying mantis,
honey bee and ladybugs.
So, if you ever go somewhere t
hat is like chaparral, make sure to
bring some sunscreen and lots of
water!
The chaparral biome is found in a little bit of most of the continents - the west coast of the
United States, the west coast of South America, the Cape Town area of South Africa, the
western tip of Australia and the coastal areas of the Mediterranean.
These areas are highlighted in green.
Climate and Weather
The summer season is very dry and can lasts up to five months.
The dry summer makes the chaparral biome sensitive to fires.
Occasional fires in the chaparral biome are helpful because they
help balance out the living organisms and nonliving organisms.
The average rainfall is 10 to 17 inches a year.
During the winter, the temperature can get as low as 30° F and the
summers can get up to 100° F.
The average temperature
in the chaparral biome is 64° F.
Biotic Factors
Common Sagebrush
Fairy Duster
Black Tailed
Jackrabbit
Blue Oak
Golden Jackal
Abiotic Factors
Sunlight
& temperature
Soil & little yearly water
Grey Fox –
consumer (omnivore)
Black Tailed Jackrabbit –
consumer (omnivore)
Cactus Wren –
consumer (omnivore)
Praying Mantis –
consumer (omnivore)
Manzanita - producer
Fairy Duster - producer
Torrey Pine - producer
Do NOT use a pre-made food web!
Predator – Prey Relationship
Bezoar Goat
A special adaptation of a
goat is its wool which
helps it survive the harsh
mountain climate.
Another adaptation is its
horns, which it uses to
defend itself and fight for
females.
Golden Jackal
The Jackal is a predator and it helps the
environment by keeping the rodent,
goat, bird, and frog population down. In
the winter it gets colder and the Jackal
grows a thick coat of hair in preparation
to this season. The Jackal has also
adapted to eating insects.
The chaparral biome has many problems. Lumberjacks are cutting down trees
and destroying the vegetation. Humans kill animals in the chaparral, which
disrupts the food chain. The most devastating problem is wild fires. These
wildfires happen often to the land, or are started by humans. In nature some
plants need fire to survive in the chaparral. It helps them to grow. These
accidental or natural fires however can cause many houses to burn down.
Some of the possible solutions that might help to save the chaparral include
penalties for humans who start fires. Scientist have been conducting test in
selected areas of the chaparral. They burned parts of the chaparral, to
determine how to manage the fire and might what happen if it gets worse. They
also live fire department equipment nearby so they can be prepared. Scientist
are still trying to balance humans and nature so they can coexists in a way that
is possible foe both of them.
Invasive Species
Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum)
This invasive plant is a perennial shrub with cylindrical rush-like branches that are
green when young and then turn brown as they mature. In addition, it is about 10-15
feet high. In California Spanish brooms are found in North Coast counties, the San
Francisco Bay region, the Sacramento Valley, through South Coast counties to the
Mexican border, in the western Transverse Ranges, and the Channel Islands. These
species were planted along mountain highways in southern California. Following this, the
Spanish broom spread rapidly therefore, producing seeds that are transported by any
type of erosion or by rain wash. Spanish broom quickly colonizes disturbed habitats and
develops thick shrub communities that prevent colonization by native soft or hard
chaparral species. Plants grow to above the human head height and form a tangle
containing a large amount of dead wood.
Mature strands of Spanish broom should be
considered a fire hazard during the dry season.
The Spanish Broom creates a struggle for native
wildlife.