Bonny Doon Ecological Reserve
Encyclopedia
The Bonny Doon Ecological Reserve is a nature preserve of 552 acres (2.2 km²) in the Santa Cruz Mountains
of California, United States. The reserve protects several rare and endangered plant and animal species within an area known as the Santa Cruz sandhills, an ancient seabed containing fossilized marine animals.
The land was purchased in 1989 by The Nature Conservancy
which deeded the property to the state, and is now managed by the California Department of Fish and Game
.
The Santa Cruz Mountains are the only known location of the Zayante soil derived from the Santa Margarita geologic formation, that occur in three clusters in Santa Cruz County
.
soil from an ancient sea that encompassed California's Central Valley. As the Santa Cruz Mountains were uplifted, the seabed and shoreline terraces was exposed and is known as the Santa Cruz Sandhills.
The soil is almost 90% sand and little organic matter, found in scattered areas covering 8400 acres (34 km²), and is distinct from the volcanic origins of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Evidence of the soil's marine origin include fossil remains of sand dollar
s, bivalves and gastropods.
Botanist Peter Raven calls the Sandhills “the Galapagos Islands of Santa Cruz County.” In describing the area, he added,
) or silverleaf manzanita is the most common species, and is named for the silvery sheen of the leaves and the nearby community of Bonny Doon
where the perennial shrub is most abundant. The Bonny Doon manzanita is also found in Santa Clara County which borders Santa Cruz County to the east.
The Ben Lomond spineflower or Scotts Valley spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens
var. hartwegiana), also called Hartweg's spineflower for Karl Hartweg
who first collected a specimen in 1847, has been federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act
since 1994. A subspecies of the Monterey spineflower
, it is an annual herb mostly restricted to the Zayante soils in the Santa Cruz Mountains, although there are documented specimens from San Mateo, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties as well.
The Santa Cruz wallflower (Erysimum teretifolium
) is a biennial "monocarpic" plant, which means that it dies after flowering and bearing fruit in the second or third year. There are less than 20 known occurrences of the federal and state listed endangered Santa Cruz wallflower. A perennial herb of the Brassicaceae
or mustard family, it blooms from March through July with yellow flowers on terminal spikes.
The Ben Lomond wild buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum
var. decurrens) is a "species of concern" that blooms with white flowers from June through October and is easily confused with its close relative, Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum or naked buckwheat.
Zayante everlasting (Gnaphalium sp. nov.).
Rare trees in the reserve include as least two species of conifer.
The Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) or yellow pine is a common tree in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
above 2000 feet (609.6 m) but not seen this close to the Pacific Ocean. These pines were once considered their own distinct species, Pinus benthamiana, but later were lumped together with Pinus ponderosa, although other botanists still argue whether or not to put them in their own subspecies. "These pines have seven or eight features that are different from those in the Sierra," explained botanist Valerie Haley.
The Santa Cruz cypress (Cupressus abramsiana
) is a conifer endemic to sandy soils on the western slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is found in only five populations covering 350 acres (1.4 km²), about half of which is in the Santa Cruz Sandhills habitat. The Santa Cruz cypress was federally listed as endangered on February 9, 1987. The first plant collection was made by M.E. Jones in 1881. The cypress is a closed-cone conifer that requires fire to open the cones for seed dispersal, although the interval between fires is critical for cypress grove maturity. In 2008, the Martin fire burned more than half of the reserve, which closed until May 2009. The Martin Fire could actually provide benefits to an area that hasn't burned in at least 40 years, and in some parts for nearly a century. "This isn't the way we want to introduce fire, but it's part of a natural process." said Jeannine DeWald, a California Fish and Game wildlife biologist.
and the Mount Hermon June beetle. Also occurring in the sandhills is the Santa Cruz kangaroo rat, also known as the narrow-faced kangaroo rat. The rodent's name comes from the jumping style of movement, resembling the Australian kangaroo. Bird species observed include the Long-eared Owl
, Pileated Woodpecker
and Townsend's Warbler
. Other wildlife are the species common to forested mountain terrains like the coyote, black-tailed deer, mountain lion and raccoon. There are several species of bat, including the big brown bat
, one of several species of bat afflicted with the white nose fungus.
Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a mountain range in central California, United States. They form a ridge along the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco, separating the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley, and continuing south,...
of California, United States. The reserve protects several rare and endangered plant and animal species within an area known as the Santa Cruz sandhills, an ancient seabed containing fossilized marine animals.
The land was purchased in 1989 by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
which deeded the property to the state, and is now managed by the California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
.
The Santa Cruz Mountains are the only known location of the Zayante soil derived from the Santa Margarita geologic formation, that occur in three clusters in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
.
Ancient seabed
The Bonny Doon reserve protects species adapted to a type of soil known as Zayante, a Miocene-aged marine sediment and sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
soil from an ancient sea that encompassed California's Central Valley. As the Santa Cruz Mountains were uplifted, the seabed and shoreline terraces was exposed and is known as the Santa Cruz Sandhills.
The soil is almost 90% sand and little organic matter, found in scattered areas covering 8400 acres (34 km²), and is distinct from the volcanic origins of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Evidence of the soil's marine origin include fossil remains of sand dollar
Sand dollar
The term Sand dollar refers to species of extremely flattened, burrowing echinoids belonging to the order Clypeasteroida. Some species within the order, not quite as flat, are known as sea biscuits...
s, bivalves and gastropods.
Botanist Peter Raven calls the Sandhills “the Galapagos Islands of Santa Cruz County.” In describing the area, he added,
"Dunes left as the ocean receded provide unusual habitats that form a mosaic of openings and unusual vegetation in the dominant forest vegetation of the region. As a model of the complexity of soils and habitats in California, the Sandhills stand out prominently! My early experiences in and around them helped to form my interest in botany and my passion for preserving plants worldwide.
“From a global perspective, the Sandhills are important because of their remarkable concentration of biodiversity. It affords a remarkable example of the persistence of rare species, of species found beyond their normal distributions, and of evolution in action.”
Rare plants
The Zayante soils create a microclimate that is drier and warmer than the surrounding areas which certain species have adapted to. Because of the uniquely adapted flora, the Zayante Sandhills are considered by botanists as a " biological island".Endemic to the sandhills
The rare and endangered Bonny Doon manzanita (Arctostaphylos silvicolaArctostaphylos silvicola
Arctostaphylos silvicola is a species of manzanita known by the common name Bonny Doon manzanita. It is endemic to Santa Cruz County, California, where it is known from only about 20 occurrences in the southern Santa Cruz Mountains.-Description:...
) or silverleaf manzanita is the most common species, and is named for the silvery sheen of the leaves and the nearby community of Bonny Doon
Bonny Doon, California
Bonny Doon is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, California. Bonny Doon sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Bonny Doon's population was 2,678....
where the perennial shrub is most abundant. The Bonny Doon manzanita is also found in Santa Clara County which borders Santa Cruz County to the east.
The Ben Lomond spineflower or Scotts Valley spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens
Chorizanthe pungens
Chorizanthe pungens is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family known by the common name Monterey spineflower. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the San Francisco Bay Area south along the Central Coast.-Description:...
var. hartwegiana), also called Hartweg's spineflower for Karl Hartweg
Karl Theodor Hartweg
Karl Theodor Hartweg was a German botanist. He collected numerous new species of plants in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and California in the United States, collecting for the London Horticultural Society...
who first collected a specimen in 1847, has been federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
since 1994. A subspecies of the Monterey spineflower
Chorizanthe pungens
Chorizanthe pungens is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family known by the common name Monterey spineflower. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the San Francisco Bay Area south along the Central Coast.-Description:...
, it is an annual herb mostly restricted to the Zayante soils in the Santa Cruz Mountains, although there are documented specimens from San Mateo, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties as well.
The Santa Cruz wallflower (Erysimum teretifolium
Erysimum teretifolium
Erysimum teretifolium is a species of wallflower known by the common names Santa Cruz wallflower and Ben Lomond wallflower. It is a very rare plant endemic to Santa Cruz County, California, where it grows on inland sand spits, chaparral, and sandstone deposits in the southern Santa Cruz Mountains...
) is a biennial "monocarpic" plant, which means that it dies after flowering and bearing fruit in the second or third year. There are less than 20 known occurrences of the federal and state listed endangered Santa Cruz wallflower. A perennial herb of the Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
or mustard family, it blooms from March through July with yellow flowers on terminal spikes.
The Ben Lomond wild buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum
Eriogonum nudum
Eriogonum nudum is a perennial shrub of the wild buckwheat genus which is known by the common name Naked buckwheat.-Description:The Eriogonum nudum plant is a tall, bare, leafless stem, bifurcating into more stems, each topped with rounded clusters of white or pale pink or yellow flowers growing up...
var. decurrens) is a "species of concern" that blooms with white flowers from June through October and is easily confused with its close relative, Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum or naked buckwheat.
Other rare plants
Other wildflowers of the reserve are not only rare, they have not yet been officially "described" by botanists. These include tipless tidy tips (Layia platyglossa), the slender gilia (Gilia tenuiflora) and theZayante everlasting (Gnaphalium sp. nov.).
Rare trees in the reserve include as least two species of conifer.
The Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) or yellow pine is a common tree in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
Sierra Nevada (US)
The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the U.S. states of California and Nevada, between the California Central Valley and the Basin and Range Province. The Sierra runs north-to-south, and is approximately across east-to-west...
above 2000 feet (609.6 m) but not seen this close to the Pacific Ocean. These pines were once considered their own distinct species, Pinus benthamiana, but later were lumped together with Pinus ponderosa, although other botanists still argue whether or not to put them in their own subspecies. "These pines have seven or eight features that are different from those in the Sierra," explained botanist Valerie Haley.
The Santa Cruz cypress (Cupressus abramsiana
Cupressus abramsiana
Cupressus abramsiana is a cypress taxon of disputed status, placed in either the genus Cupressus or else Callitropsis...
) is a conifer endemic to sandy soils on the western slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is found in only five populations covering 350 acres (1.4 km²), about half of which is in the Santa Cruz Sandhills habitat. The Santa Cruz cypress was federally listed as endangered on February 9, 1987. The first plant collection was made by M.E. Jones in 1881. The cypress is a closed-cone conifer that requires fire to open the cones for seed dispersal, although the interval between fires is critical for cypress grove maturity. In 2008, the Martin fire burned more than half of the reserve, which closed until May 2009. The Martin Fire could actually provide benefits to an area that hasn't burned in at least 40 years, and in some parts for nearly a century. "This isn't the way we want to introduce fire, but it's part of a natural process." said Jeannine DeWald, a California Fish and Game wildlife biologist.
Wildlife
There are two species endemic to the sandhills that are federally listed as endangered: the Zayante band-winged grasshopperTrimerotropis infantilis
Trimerotropis infantilis is a species of insect in the family Acrididae. It is endemic to California in the United States.-Background and description:...
and the Mount Hermon June beetle. Also occurring in the sandhills is the Santa Cruz kangaroo rat, also known as the narrow-faced kangaroo rat. The rodent's name comes from the jumping style of movement, resembling the Australian kangaroo. Bird species observed include the Long-eared Owl
Long-eared Owl
The Long-eared Owl - Asio otus is a species of owl which breeds in Europe, Asia, and North America. This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, family Strigidae, which contains most species of owl...
, Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow-sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is also the largest woodpecker in America.Adults are long, and weigh...
and Townsend's Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
The Townsend's Warbler, Dendroica townsendi, is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.These birds have a yellow face with a black stripe across their cheeks, a thin pointed bill, white wing bars, olive upperparts with black streaks on their backs and flanks, and a white belly...
. Other wildlife are the species common to forested mountain terrains like the coyote, black-tailed deer, mountain lion and raccoon. There are several species of bat, including the big brown bat
Big brown bat
The Big Brown Bat is larger in size than comparative species of bats, from about 4 to 5 inches in body length, with a 11-13 inch wingspan and weighing 1/2 to 5/8 ounce. The fur is moderately long, and shiny brown...
, one of several species of bat afflicted with the white nose fungus.