Find Your Chaparral Morale!

By: Alisa, Kathryn, and Kyle

Plant Adaptation

• Blue oaks have adapted to drought and dry climates. They can survive temperatures above 100° F for several weeks at a time. The Average maximum temperatures in July can range from 70° to 100° F. In January, minimum temperatures can range from 10° to 35° F. Annual precipitation averages from 20 to 40 inches and mostly falls in the form of rain.

Animal Adaptation

• Jackrabbits have huge ears. This regulates their body heat by increasing or decreasing the blood flow through its ears. This helps the jackrabbit absorb heat and cool off.

• Jackrabbits have adapted to not require much water, and live off of sagebrush and cacti, which are native to the Chaparral Biome.

Tourism Activities

• Because of the mountainous terrain, hiking is very popular in the Chaparral region

• Bird watching is a common tourist activity, as there are hundreds of bird species in the Chaparral region, such as the Cactus Wren.

Critical Environmental Issues

• Because of the hot, dry climate, there is a very high risk of wildfires in the Chaparral biome

• Forests are supposed to burn naturally every 30-40 years, so tourists should be aware of this when they are spending time in the back country

Location• Most commonly found in the West of most continents, around

30-50 degrees North and 30-40 degrees South of the equator

Landscape

• Flat plains, rocky hills and mountain slopes are found all throughout

• Natural fires cause loose ground• Soil is nutrient poor and vulnerable to erosion

Climate• Mild, moist, but not much rain• Biome only gets about 10-17 inches of rain all

year, and most of it comes in the winter.• Hot, dry summers• During the summer the only moisture is fog off of

the water. • The temperature range• is between 30° • and 100° F annually.

Seasonal Information

• Chaparral climate caters to tourists year round with hot dry summers and mild winters.

• However, summers can be hot enough to cause a drought (and fire).

• With 4 distinct seasons, the time of best time of year to visit is left to personal preference.

Unique Facts

• High likelihood of fires in the summer• The five main Chaparral regions in the world occupy

less than 5% of the earth's surface yet are home to about 20% of the world’s vascular plant species.

• Most of the vegetation is considered sclerophyll, which means 'hard-leaved' in Greek.

Description of Plants and Animals

• Varying conditions have led to highly adaptable animals living in the region.

• Some include: coyotes, jackals, and mule deer. • Smaller organisms that dominate the region include

the preying mantis, lady bug, and honeybees. • Most plants in the region contain leaves with highly

flammable substance, making them very fire-prone

Bibliography• http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/biomes/biomes.chaparral.soil.html• http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.htm• http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/• http://blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral_animal_page.htm• http://blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral_plant_page.htm• http://bioexpedition.com/chaparral-biome/• http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/calif_chaparral.htm