Exam 1 - Mountain & Desert Biology

Mountain Zones

• Snow Zone

• Alpine zone

• Subalpine zone

• Montane zone

• Foothill zone

On mountain slopes, vegetation type changes with elevation because:

• temperature decreases

• precipitation increases

• wind speed increases

• soils are less developed

• shorter growing season

Chaparral zone

• Mediterranean climate

• winter: rainy season, cool

• summer: hot, dry

• native shrubs adapted to droughts & frequent fires

• abundant birds/mammals/reptiles/amphibians

Foothill zone

• winter: no snow

• summer: hot & dry

• native plants adapted to droughts and frequent fires

• native grasses overgrown & replaced by non-native invasive grasses

• abundant birds/mammals/reptiles/amphibians

Montane zone

• winter: cold, snow

• summer: warm/cool

• moderate snow/rain

• mature coniferous forests

• abundant birds/mammals/amphibians

  • few reptiles

Subalpine zone

• winter: cold, long, very deep snow

• summer: cool, brief

• evergreen (conifer) trees are short

• poor rocky soil

• various small birds, mice, squirrels, hare, weasels & occasional lynx, coyote, fox

Alpine zone

• winter: long, cold, snowy

• summer: short, cool, sunny

• no trees

  • poor soil, high wind, short summer

• krummholtz - stunted trees, shrub-like

• dwarf plants grow next to warmer soil surface

• marmots, pikas, ptarmigan

Stellar’s Jay

• known for food caching behaviors

  • remember where hidden throughout year but especially winter

Clark’s Nutcracker

• related to jays

• carry seeds in throat pouch

• collect and cache pine seeds for winter

Northern Goshawk

• short, broad wings & rudder-like tail giving agility to navigate through vegetation of conifer forest

Red Crossbill

• unusual bill shape to get into tightly closed conifers

• feeds conifer seeds to young

Piliated Woodpecker

• largest woodpeckers found in montane forest

• provide holes for many other species

• eat carpenter ants in dead/dying trees

  • don’t kill trees

Red-breasted Nuthatch

• cling to trees, moving up, down and around trunk and branches gleaning insects out of bark and cones

• male and female forage together, chatting

• nest in conifer tree cavities

Sooty Grouse

• inhabit forest floor up to treeline

• ear conifer needles and buds in winter, berries and insects in summer

American Dipper

• North America’s only aquatic songbird

• dives underwater to forage for aquatic larvae

• build mossy, domed nests under small waterfalls

Forest Fragmentation

Process during which a large expanse of habitat is transformed into a number of smaller patches, causing population fragmentation and isolation and ecosystem decay

• interior habitat and species decrease

• exterior habitat and species increase

Important symbiotic relationship between trees & fungi

mycorrhizal associations

• symbiosis between plant roots and beneficial fungi

  • plants gain increased water & mineral nutrients due to fungal mycelium

  • fungus obtain energy (photosynthetic carbon/carbohydrates) from plants

Fisher

• second largest member of weasel family in N.A

• diet: variety of foods; fruit to rodents to birds

  • one of few predators of porcupine

• nocturnal

• active year-round

• increasing fires destroying their habitat → dispersal forced

• predators: bobcats & mountain lions

• management strategies:

  • retain diversity of dead/dying woody material including old trees with holes - make dens

  • minimize fragmentation

  • release and maintain wild apple trees - fishers like apples

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

• coniferous montane foest

• diurnal

• diet: fungi, berries, grasses, bulbs, insects

• eat & disperse fungi involved in mycorrhizal associations

State the three observations that led to your research questions, hypotheses, and predictions?

• #1. Temperatures are increasing due to global
  warming.

• #2. Smaller birds experience greater
  evaporative water loss than larger birds.

• #3. Numbers of birds were 3 times higher near
  water in an arid environment.

Pyrophytic species

plants adapted to fire and some depend on it for their reproduction

Resprouters

shrubs that have stems that regenerate following fire from below ground burls

i.e. Toyon

Obligate seeders

shrubs that produce large amounts of dormant seeds that persist for long periods of time and germinate by heat or chemical processes started by fire

i.e. cypress, ceanothus

“Both” plants

plants that apply resprouter and obligate seeder strategies

i.e. chamise

Lower chaparral

warm chaparral, in the lower slopes of the mountains

Lower chaparral plant characteristics

1. sclerophyllous

2. pubescent

3. woody stems & large root systems

4. evergreen shrubs grow in Winter & Spring (rainy szn)

5. energy goes into chemicals in leaves to discourage herbivory

6. root growth occurs in Summer & Fall (dry szn)

Define sclerophyllous

stiff, hard, evergreen leaves with waxy coatings to resist drying out; highly fibrous often with serrated or spiny margins

Define pubescent

hairy, fuzzy leaves that deter insects and herbivores; prevents water loss

Chamise characteristics

• dominant shrub of lower chaparral

• tiny, resin-coated, drought adapted leaves

• large root system

• resprouter & obligate seeder

  • resprouts from root crown after fire & needs heat to germinate seeds

Ceanothus “buckbrush” characteristics

• another dominant chaparral plant

• obligate seeder

• allelopathic leaves

• nitrogen fixing bacteria in roots

  • shoots & leaves high in protein

Cercocarpus betuloides “mountain mahogany” characteristics

• cercocarpus (cricle/around — seed)

  • curly stem on seed helps drive seed into ground with changes in humidity

• evergreen shrub

• reddish wood used to make indigenous peoples tools

Quercus berberidifolia “scrub oak” characteristic

• dominant chaparral plant on N-facing slope

• leathery leaves with hair on underside, spiny margins

• provides habitat for nesting woodrats & birds

• oak acorns important food to chaparral animals

  • i.e. woodrats, coyotes, mice, acorn woodpeckers, scrub jay

Chaparral soils…

range from deep, weakly developed soils to shallow rocky soils

• dry with little nutrients

• thin, porous, rocky & relatively low in N, K, P

California scrub jay

• very vocal — raspy calls

• rich blue

• stout bill, long tail

California thrasher

• medium size

• elat songs

• long tail, curved beal

• heard, rarely seen

  • deep shrubs or on ground

Wrentit

• voice of the chaparral

• bouncing ball song

• small

  • hear not see

California towhee

• feeds on ground

• not very shy

• appears all brown but has “orange underpants”

Spotted towhee

• dark back, rusty sides, white spots on wings

• long tail

• raspy call — cat meowing

  • often scratching in leaves on ground

California quail

• state bird

• often in groups on the ground in shrubs

• “chicago” call

  • comma crest

Acorn woodpecker

• red cap

• yellow-white face markings

• black back

• white wing patches

  • store acorns in trees

American crow

• highly intelligent

• often live with family members

  • sometimes roost in huge flocks

    • omnivorous

Turkey vulture

• excellent sense of smell

• ID by flight:

  • never flap wings

  • wings in a raised V

  • tilt slightly from side to side as they glide

Allen’s Hummingbird

• compact, stocky

• bill is straight & long as its head

• tail extends past wings when perched

  • coppery sides on belly

Anna’s Hummingbird

• straight, shortish bill

• fairly broad tail

• tail extends beyond the wingtips when perched

• reddish , pink throat

Red-tailed hawk

• reddish tail

• soar high overhead

California Ground Squirrel

• omnivorous

• carry seeds in cheek pouches

• needs very little water

• builds cup-shaped nests of dried vegetation in extensive burrow system

• torpid in burrows during food scarcity & hot temps

Eastern Fox Squirrel

• reddish-brown fur

• tree dwelling

• introduced from eastern states for hunting

• nuts, acorns, insects

Western Gray Squirrel

• gray fur, very large fluffy tail

• live in trees but often forage on ground

• fungi, nuts, acorns, insects & CA Bay Laurel

• native tree squirrel

North American deer mouse & California deer mouse

• nocturnal

• body temp drops during daytime while in the burrow — conserves energy

  • omnivorous

Big-eared Woodrat

• nocturnal

• large ears, large eyes, furry tails

• acorns important in diet

• use prickly pear cactus for water during drought

• keystone species

  • build stick houses that last generations

Kangaroo rats

• nocturnal

• forage for seeds which they store in burrow system

• don’t drink water

• endangered in CA due to habitat loss

• comm. thru foot drumming

• keystone species

  • excavate extensive burrows w/ mult. exits & entrances

  • burrowing aerates soil boosting plant growth

Desert Cottontail

• cathemeral (active @ all hours)

• herbivore

  • use abandoned burrows

Coyote

• omnivore

  • forage @ various times of day — crepuscular to nocturnal

Bobcat

• carnivore

• short tail with black tip

• hunt @ various times of day, crepuscular to nocturnal occasionally in the daytime

• solitary

California Mule Deer

• large, mule-like ears & black tipped tail

• herbivores/browsers

• crepuscular

California Black Bear

• omnivore (more herbivore than carnivore)

• hibernate in winter: reduced metabolism saves energy

Cougar

• nocturnal

• specialize on deer

• habitat loss heavily impacts

Grizzly Bear

• state mammal, but extinct in CA due to hunting

• once roamed foothills, omnivore

• persecuted by humans

What are conifers?

• perennial, cone-bearing seed woody plants

• gymnosperms

• most are evergreens — green, functional foliage year round

• many have distinctly scented resin to protect from insect infestation & fungal ingection

Male conifer cones

small yellow cones produce yellowish pollen which is carried by the wind to female cones

Female confier cones

larger, woody and contain the seeds

• seeds are distributed by wind, small mammals & birds

Confiers are adapted for…

high elevation snow

• spire-like shape advantages for shedding snow

• wood is flexible so branches can bend and not break

  • needles are green year-round & have waxy cuticle

Coast Redwood

• earth’s tallest tree

• tiny cones only 1 in long

• small flat needles

Giant Sequoia

• most massive tree — but small cones

• endangered

• needles are scale-like with short- thick sharp points

Tecate Cypress

• endemic to SoCal & Baja

• small tree with multiple trunks

• serotinous cones (need heat/fire to open)

Piute Cypress

• gray-green leaves

• cones often remain closed for years

  • serotinous cones open after parent tree killed in wildfire

• pyrophyte = heavily reliant on wf for regeneration

• endangered

• fire suppression policies limit reproduction

Jeffrey Pine

• needles in bundles of 3

• cones large with spines that point inward

  • “gentle jeffrey”

• vanilla or butterscotch scented bark

Ponderosa Pine

• thick, fire-resistant bark

• needles in clusters of 3

• 3-6 in cones with spines

  • “prickly ponderosa”

Single-leaf Pinyon Pine

• edible seeds/nuts

• influence soil in which they grow by increasing concentrations of macro/micro nutrients

• single needle bunch

California Incense Cedar

• scale-like leaves grow in flat sprays

• tolerate dry conditions

Coulter Pine

• very long 12” needles in bundles of 3

• heavy cones

• “widow maker”

Douglas Fir

• not a true fir

• needles 1 in long, soft

• cones with bracts (mice butts)

• northern species

• moist areas

Northern Flying Squirrels are…

strictly nocturnal

Why are northern flying squirrels important in mature forests?

They are indicator species that the mature forests are healthy as well as being keystone species.

Why are flying squirrels difficult to spot in nature?

They are extremely cryptic and only glide during the night to evade predators.

What are indicator species?

An organism whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition or habitat type.

What is a keystone species?

A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that id it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.

Why are flying squirrels a keystone species?

They gather and move lichen, fungi, and mushrooms, they help spread mycorrhizal spores which are essential for conifer root growth throughout forest ecosystems.

Why can’t flying squirrels be studied in lab settings?

Capture myopathy, they get sick and die if captured due to extreme stress.

Impacts of ALAN on flying squirrels

• artificial light in urban forest enhances suppression of flying squirrel activity in bright moonlight

  • appear to be shifting activity to periods of low moonlight

• may be active in rural forest on bright nights because of nocturnal illumination enhancing their distance vision to accurately glide between distant trees

What are the major predators of flying squirrels?

In the W - Spotted Owls

In the E - Barred Owls

Sierra Nevada Ensatina Salamander

• brown w/ large orange spots on back

• estivate in summer in holes or under woodrat nests

  • estivate = state of dormancy in hot, dry periods

• found far from water → under rocks & logs (moist)

• activity depends on moisture conditions

Yellow Blotched Salamander

• southern end of Sierra Nevada

• spots range from .25 to .5 cm

• northern species have smaller spots → speckles

Monterey Salamander

• foothill woodland of coast ranges

  • socal → MCF

• solid color species, limited in Sierra foothills

• has solid & spotted versions

  • both versions can be found in same spot at same time

Glibert Skink

• juveniles have iridescent blue tail

• if attacked tail falls off and wiggles as distraction

  • will regrow

• adults lose blue tail & head becomes orange-red

• up to 8 in length (snake-like)

• tiny legs, moves slow, stalks insects on floor

• mainly nocturnal → beneath logs/rocks

• foothill woodland & yosemite valley

Western Skink

• primitive population on Kern Plateau

• juveniles have bright blue tail

  • cause mis ID w/ Glibert’s

• believed to not lived in Sierra Nevada until found

• found in pine forests & yosemite valley

• southern sierran form is significantly smaller than species from coast ranges/socal

Northern Alligator Lizard

• sedentary

• live bearers

• ambush foragers

• occur in forest belt of Sierra Nevada

• replaced in SE and in some foothills by Southern Alligator Lizard

Southern Alligator Lizard

• sedentary

• live bearers

• ambush foragers

• on S part of Kern Plateau & canyons on SE of Sierra

• lives w/o presence of Northern version

California Mountain Kingsnake

• red, black and white bands

• biggest threat is humans → mistake for venomous coral snake (not in CA naturally)

• name form eating other snakes

  • often eats lizards, skinks, fence lizards

• southern populations are protected w/ restrictions on collecting and selling

• venomous snakes are protected in national parks

Northern Rubber Boa

• yellow  belly and green top

• head and tail similarly rounded (large worm)

• tail often full of scars

• don’t travel much

• live bearers

• when attacked form ball and wiggle tail to confuse for head

• very docile

• biggest threat are snake collectors

• eat insects, salamanders, lizards, & small mammals 

• live long lives

• found in S.N

Southern Rubber Boa

• San bernadino & San jancito Mts

• habitat reduction in socal leading to protections

Stellar’s Jay

• brightly colored w/ large dark crest

• omnivorous - acorns, seeds, insects

  • remain active in winter living off stored food

• only crested jay in west

• use raucous alarm calls

Western Scrub Jay

• use alarm calls

• omnivorous: acorns & insects

• brightly colored no crest

• found in foothills

• tolerate higher temps

  • liquid from berries and insects

  • unfeathered feet

Dark-eyed Junco

• most common bird of MCF

• small grey bird with dark head

• seed-eater

• name spanish origin, meaning reed or rush

• when threatened does broken wing act → lead away nest

• move in downslope below snow line

• summer - nests on ground among dwarf bulrushes or grasses

Mountain Chickadee

• common bird of MCF

• small bird with grey bodies and black and white stripes on heads , chin black while head sides white

• Nest in old woodpecker holes

• Same niche as the white breasted nuthatch above the foothills

• gleaner

• people in mountains find them visiting feeders (seeds or nectar)

• rarely seen often heard

• chick a de de sound

Black-headed Grosbeak

• large member of cardinal family

• very thick bill

• rusty colored body with black head and black & whites wings

• eats seeds, buds, fruits, and insects in upper canopy of trees

• Migrates to Mexico in winter

• Jolly sound of Mixed Coniferous Forest

• In spring and summer their melodic song of rising and falling notes is a common sound of the forest

Western Tanager

• bright yellow body and red head

• gleaner in foliage

• song resembles black headed grosbeak

Bullock’s Oriole

• bright yellow body, orange head, black chin

• drinks nectar from same flowers hummingbirds use

American Robin

• brownish back and an orange breast

• ground feeder feeding on worms and grubs it located by sound

• song resembles black headed grosbeak

White-headed Woodpecker

• commonly seen woodpecker in MCF

• works bark of lower portions of trees searching insects