Torrey Pines High School Canyon Field Study

1
Torrey Pines High School Canyon Field Study

• An Inquiry Lesson in the Ecology of the
• Coastal Sage
• Chaparral
• Communities
• Of San Diego County

2
PURPOSE of STUDY

• San Diego County has a unique range of ecological
  communities that begin at the coast line and
  progress westward across the coastal plain, into
  foothills, mountains, and a desert region.
• The rain shadow effect created by this
  geographical transect provides a unique set of
  micro climates that define these communities.

3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
Purpose cont.

• East and West Facing canyons along the coastal
  belt show similar plant transitions and
  microclimates
• Students analyze these slopes and then compare
  and contrast their findings to the larger
  geographic distributions

7
Class Objectives

• To collect data to demonstrate plant
• distribution by microclimate using
• Temperature,
• Soil Conditions,
• Moisture
• Animal or human interference)
• To document seasonal changes from Fall to
• Spring

8
Procedure

• Students collect field data on biotic and abiotic
  factors of the canyon.
• And then match the microclimate features to the
  key index plants

9
Key Terms

• Coastal Sage and Chaparral-
• a scrub land biome
• of dense shrubs
• found along the coast
• characterized by mild, rainy winters
• and long, hot, dry summers

10
Key Terms . . . . . . . .

• Humus-The product of decaying matter from plants,
  animals, and decomposers
• Index Plant-A main plant found in abundance in a
  particular community

11
Key Terms . . . . . . . .

• Transect Line-A line of vegetation selected for
  charting plants.
• Microclimate-A climate of an area with important
  factors such as precipitation and temperature.

12
(No Transcript)
13
Canyon Overview

• Climax Areas have
• stable plant
• Communities
• West Facing Slope(III)
• East Facing Slope(I)
• Riparian Area (Stream bed-I)

14
(No Transcript)
15
Plant Adaptations . . . . .

• In order to survive harsh
• conditions plants must
• have special features to
• utilize the available
• moisture
• sunlight
• nutrients
• and protect them from animals

16
Highly Adapted Plants . . . . . .

• Prickly Pear Cactus
• Leaves are ?
• Needles for ?
• Stem is green for?
• Thick Soft to store?

17
(No Transcript)
18
(No Transcript)
19
(No Transcript)
20
Key Difference between

• Adaptations that help a plant to survive a hot,
  dry climate by
• preventing water loss
• versus
• allowing for water storage

21
(No Transcript)
22
Adaptations . . . . . . . .

• Too much light or heat
• can be as damaging as
• too little require
• long narrow or tiny leaves
• thick hard stems
• thick waxy cuticle on leaves
• to reduce water loss.

23
Plant Adaptations of the West Facing Slope Top
areas . . . .

• Chamise
• hard woody stem
• small leaves to prevent water loss.
• most highly adapted of the shrubs
• for a hot, dry climate.

24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
Mid slope regions . . . . . .

• Lemonade Berry
• Thick waxy cuticle on leaves
• Thick stems to prevent water loss
• BUT broad leaf is not as able to survive extreme
  conditions, so it is a mid slope belt

28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
(No Transcript)
31
Plants in the lower slope regions

• Black Sage
• Strong aroma
• Moderately large leaves
• Turned upward to catch moisture
• Silver backing to reflect the hot light

32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
Mid Slope Plants cont. . . . . . .

• Baccharis or
• Chaparral Broom
• Small light green leaves
• Green top stems
• Hard woody bottom stems
• Stiff bushybroom!

35
(No Transcript)
36
(No Transcript)
37
Questions to ponder?

• Flattop Buckwheat
• How does it get its name?
• Why so many leaves?
• What function does the swirl clustering of
  these leaves provide?

38
(No Transcript)
39
Mid Slope Plants.

• Ceanotheus
• What shape is the leaf?
• What advantage in a hot, dry climate
• What type of stem adaptation

40
(No Transcript)
41
Riparian Plants . . . . . .

• Riparian Stream Bed
• Undergoes succession
• because of stream erosion
• Rushes are round
• Sedges have edges
• Cattails
• Large deep rooted trees

42
(No Transcript)
43
Plant Adaptations of the Riparian

• Laurel Sumac-
• long, broad leaves are NOT well adapted
• curled leaves
• help gather water
• reduce the amount of surface area exposed to the
  hot sun
• thick woody stem
• to prevent water loss

44
(No Transcript)
45
The Succession Study Area IV

• Succession Area
• South slope adjacent to the football field
• Cleared filled for the stadium
• Grasses, small shrubs, and opportunistic species
  first colonize these areas.
• This secondary succession area once had
• living organism but was destroyed is now
• recovering.

46
Plants in the Succession area . . .

• California Sage
• Strong aroma
• Very narrow, long leaves
• Light gray coloration
• Reflects hot intense sun light
• Green stem
• Increases photosynthesis area

47
(No Transcript)
48
(No Transcript)
49
(No Transcript)
50
Plant Adaptations of the East Facing Slope

• Scrub Oak-
• relatively large tree-like structure
• dark, cupped oval leaves
• for gathering water
• with prickles for protection
• This plant is an index plant of the foothills
• community at higher, cooler, elevations.

51
(No Transcript)
52
East Facing Slope..

• Mazanita-
• large tree
• long broad leaves
• large surface, but are curled downward
• red, woody stem prevents water loss.

53
(No Transcript)
54
References

• Http//bio.lmu.edu/socal_nat_hist/nathist.htm
• Ancinec, G. et al. 1979. Natural History of
  Southern California, A laboratory guide, Peek
  Publications, Palo Alto, CA.