Botanical Gardens, Research Paper on California Plants
California is a state of enormous diversity. From the coast to the mountains and the forests to the deserts, California is full of a wide array of plant life. California is the third largest state in the United States and thus has a major variation in climate resulting in the many plants found. Not only are there many plants found here, but many of those plants cannot be found anywhere else. There are also many nonnative plants that have become a part of the scenery in California. The best way to understand the state’s vegetation is to first understand the floristic provinces.
In North America there are 12 floristic provinces with four of those found in California (Map #1). California itself has five major biomes, some of which can be found at RSABG. Four of them are in the California floristic province and the fifth is in both the Great Basin and the Sonoran floristic province. Each of which contains many different types of communities in them. The California floristic province has the coniferous forest biome, the oak woodland biome, the grassland and marshland biome, and the chaparral and coastal sage scrub biome. The Great Basin and Sonoran floristic province has the desert scrublands and woodlands biome. All of the five biomes (Map #2) in California have different climates. The Coniferous forest is highland with a cool or warm Mediterranean, while the Oak woodlands is semi-arid, but also has a cool or warm Mediterranean. The Chaparral and coastal sage biome is very similar to the Grasslands and marshland biome in that they both semi-arid, but the chaparral also has a warm Mediterranean. The Desert scrublands and woodlands depending on which province it is found in are either semi-arid or arid. The fan palm oasis (Picture #2) is found within the desert woodlands portion of the desert scrublands and woodlands biome. They are found in areas where springs often bring water to the surface. They are most often seen in areas of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts
In North America there are 12 floristic provinces with four of those found in California (Map #1). California itself has five major biomes, some of which can be found at RSABG. Four of them are in the California floristic province and the fifth is in both the Great Basin and the Sonoran floristic province. Each of which contains many different types of communities in them. The California floristic province has the coniferous forest biome, the oak woodland biome, the grassland and marshland biome, and the chaparral and coastal sage scrub biome. The Great Basin and Sonoran floristic province has the desert scrublands and woodlands biome. All of the five biomes (Map #2) in California have different climates. The Coniferous forest is highland with a cool or warm Mediterranean, while the Oak woodlands is semi-arid, but also has a cool or warm Mediterranean. The Chaparral and coastal sage biome is very similar to the Grasslands and marshland biome in that they both semi-arid, but the chaparral also has a warm Mediterranean. The Desert scrublands and woodlands depending on which province it is found in are either semi-arid or arid. The fan palm oasis (Picture #2) is found within the desert woodlands portion of the desert scrublands and woodlands biome. They are found in areas where springs often bring water to the surface. They are most often seen in areas of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts
Bibliography: Botanical Garden Logistics. (2006). Retrieved from Berkeley.edu: http://ib.berkeley.edu/courses/bio1b/labschedfall07/labexercises/PlantsEnvironments3_4_3.pdf County, San Joaquin. (n.d.). Vernal Pool. Retrieved from CWIS: http://ceres.ca.gov/wetlands/whats_new/vernal_sjq.html Creosote Bush Scrub. (2010). Retrieved from Mojavedesert.net: http://mojavedesert.net/desert-habitats/creosote-bush-scrub.html Fimrite, P. (2009, December 26). Manzanita bush 's discovery excites scientists. Retrieved from SFGate: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/26/BA0L1B57HP.DTL Garver, S. A., Wu, L., & Hyslop, R. S. (2009). California Eclectic. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.