The Chaparral Ecosystem 💜🧡 Flashcards
How do biologists define “Biomes?”
These are major types of ecosystems.
What is the Chaparral?
This is a type of biome often referred to as “shrubland.”
What is the Oak Woodland?
What is the Riparian Woodland?
- The Oak woodland is a “biome” that sometimes borders the chaparral and the riparian woodlands.
- This is the “biome” that borders streams, even if they are dry streams.
How do leaves reduce evaporation?
- Small and tough leaves
- Thick cuticles
- Few Stomata
- Covered in fuzz
- Taco shaped
- Light color
- Contain oil/resin
(Understand-not memorize)
What are three ways roots have adapted to conserve water?
- They are generally deeper in hotter places.
- Surface roots are generally broad to reach light rain.
- Some have “taproots” that store water.
What is a Taproot?
A storage root.
What does it mean for a species to be an Annual?
This mean that the entire plant’s life cycle takes place in a year. They grow, reproduce, and then die in about a year.
What does it mean from a species to be “Summer Deciduous?”
This means that a plant will drop its leaves during summer and then regrow them when water is less scarce.
Prior to human settlements how often do we think fires broke out in the chaparral?
1-3 times a century.
What happens to the chaparral if fires happen too frequently?
This eliminates the chaparral entirely and replaces it with non-native grassland.
(if all the plants die then how are they going to grow back?)
What are the five plants he wants us to be able to name?
- California Buckwheat
- Black Sage
- Laurel Sumac
- Coast Live Oak
- The California Sycamore
What does California Buckwheat look like?
A single stem with tons of budding flowers branching off of it.
What does Black Sage look like?
They kind of look like anal beads?!
Describe what Laurel Sumac looks like.
It has a purple stem and taco shaped leaves.
What is the most common oak in southern california?
The Coast Live Oak.
