Mediterranean California Lower Montane Black Oak-Conifer Forest
Encyclopedia
Mediterranean California Lower Montane Black Oak-Conifer Forest is a major forest association and ecosystem
of the California mixed evergreen forest
bioregion in certain mountain range
s in California
and southern Oregon
in the Western United States
; and Baja California
in Northwest Mexico
(between 365 and 1675 m), in the western Sierra Nevada (between 600 and 2290 m), and in the Southern California
Transverse
and Peninsular Ranges
(between 1525 and 2450 m).
Average annual precipitation in the Lower Montane Black Oak-Conifer Forest zones is between 65 and 200 cm, with a growing season that is between four to seven months.
Trees
Shrubs
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
of the California mixed evergreen forest
California mixed evergreen forest
California mixed evergreen forest is an ecoregion, of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome, that occurs in the Pacific Coast Ranges of southwestern Oregon and California, and in the Coast, Transverse, and Peninsular Ranges in California...
bioregion in certain mountain range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
s in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the Western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
; and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
in Northwest Mexico
Northwest Mexico
Northwest Mexico is a region of the United Mexican States, formed by the states of Durango, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Sonora, Baja California and Baja California Sur...
Geography
From north to south, it is found in: the Klamath Range and inner North California Coast Ranges (between 915 and 1825 m); and continuing into the, in northern CaliforniaNorthern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
(between 365 and 1675 m), in the western Sierra Nevada (between 600 and 2290 m), and in the Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
Transverse
Transverse Ranges
The Transverse Ranges are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region that runs along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico in North America. The Transverse Ranges begin at the southern end of the California Coast Ranges and lie between...
and Peninsular Ranges
Peninsular Ranges
The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, which stretch from southern California in the United States to the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska...
(between 1525 and 2450 m).
Average annual precipitation in the Lower Montane Black Oak-Conifer Forest zones is between 65 and 200 cm, with a growing season that is between four to seven months.
Flora
The Lower Montane Black Oak-Conifer Forest can have:Trees
- California Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii)
- Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri)Coulter PineThe Coulter Pine or Big-cone Pine is a native of the coastal mountains of southern California and northern Baja California . Isolated groves are found as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area in Mt. Diablo State Park and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve...
or 'Big-cone Pine' - Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi)Jeffrey PineThe Jeffrey Pine, Pinus jeffreyi, named in honor of its botanist documenter John Jeffrey, is a North American pine related to Ponderosa Pine.-Distribution and habitat:...
or 'Western Yellow Pine' - Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)
- Sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana)
- White Fir (Abies concolor)
- Bigcone Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa)
- Incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens)Calocedrus decurrensCalocedrus decurrens is a species of conifer native to western North America, with the bulk of the range in the United States, from central western Oregon through most of California and the extreme west of Nevada, and also a short distance into northwest Mexico in northern Baja California...
- Canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis)Quercus chrysolepisQuercus chrysolepis, commonly termed Canyon Live Oak, or Golden Cup Oak, is a species of evergreen oak that is found in the southwestern part of North America, notably in the California Coast Ranges. This tree is often found near creeks and drainage swales growing in moist cool microhabitats...
- Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia)
- Knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata)Knobcone PineThe Knobcone Pine, Pinus attenuata, is a tree that grows in mild climates on poor soils. It ranges from the mountains of southern Oregon to Baja California with the greatest concentration in northern California and the Oregon-California border....
- unique species occurrences - Tecate cypress (Cypressus forbesii)Cupressus forbesiiCupressus forbesii is a species of cypressin western North America. -Distribution:Cupressus forbesii is native to chaparral and woodlands habitats and grows at...
- unique species occurrences
Shrubs
- ManzanitaManzanitaManzanita is a common name for many species of the genus Arctostaphylos. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia, Washington to California, Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, and...
species - CeanothusCeanothusCeanothus L. is a genus of about 50–60 species of shrubs or small trees in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. The genus is confined to North America, the center of its distribution in California, with some species in the eastern United States and southeast Canada, and others extending as far south...
species - ie: Deer brush (Ceanothus integerrimus)Ceanothus integerrimusCeanothus integerrimus is a woody shrub in the family Rhamnaceae, native to the western United States, in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Oregon, and Washington... - Yerba santa (Eriodictyon trichocalyx)Eriodictyon trichocalyxEriodictyon trichocalyx is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common name hairy yerba santa.-Distribution:...
- ChrysolepisChrysolepisChrysolepis is a small genus in the beech family Fagaceae, endemic to the western United States. Its two species have the common name chinquapin...
species - Chinquapin (ie: Chrysolepis sempervirens)]] - Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)
- Silk tassel bush (Garrya flavescens)Garrya flavescensGarrya flavescens is a species of flowering shrub known by the common name ashy silktassel. It is native to the southwestern United States, and Baja California and Chihuahua in Mexico, where it grows in many habitats, including dry forest, desert, and chaparral. This is a shrub reaching a maximum...
- & arrya flavescens grape soda lupine (Lupinus excubitus), lupine (L. formosus), - PrunusPrunusPrunus is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes the plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds. There are around 430 species spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for fruit and ornament.-Botany:Members of the genus...
species - native cherry - California coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica)Rhamnus californicaRhamnus californica , is called coffeeberry because its berries contain seeds which look like coffee beans—it is also called California buckthorn...
- RibesRibesRibes is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae. Seven subgenera are recognized....
species - currants and gooseberries
See also
- List of California native plants
- Plant communities of California