Chaparral

= Chaparral Biome =

= = = = = = = Introduction: = Welcome to the Chaparral Biome! The Chapparal Biome is a unique biome that is scattered in many countries and continents across the globe. For example it is located in the West coast of the United States, the West coast of South America, Cape Town in South Africa, the Western tip of Australia, and the coastal areas of the Mediterranean. There is a wide variety of animals here and it any of the three locations we provide on this page would be a great place to vacation for any family. = Climate: =

Chaparral Climate: The Chaparral Climate has a mild and moist climate. In the summer the climate is very hot and dry. The temperature can get extremely high or almost freezing. Temperature range is between 30 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The Chaparral Biome only rains 10-17 inches yearly. It rains in the winter. Since the climate is dry in the summer, only scrub oaks, chamiso shrubs, pines, cork and olive trees survive. Fires are caused because of the hot, dry climate. The Chaparral Biomes are mostly located on the west side of the continents. The Chaparral Climates are located in central and southern coast of California, the coast areas of the Mediterranean Sea, coastal western and southern Australia, the Chilean coast in South America, and the Cape Town region of South Africa.

California/Mediterranean Chaparral Climate: The Chaparral climate/Mediterranean climate is hot and dry in the summer with rainy and cool winters. The summers are full of fires because of the intense heat. These regions have fire-adapted shrubs, like the manzanita and chamise. Shrubs with leaves or needles are common in these areas. Coniferous forests are near the shore and mountains. Chaparral’s on slopes facing south. The fauna living in this type of environment have adapted to the fires and long dry spells. The animals such as invertebrates, birds, reptiles, and mammals such as Bewick’s wren, California quail, snakes, lizards, mice,, deer moose, kangaroo rats, chipmunk, rabbit, fox, deer, coyote, lynx, and the mountain lion all have learned to find water in the strong heat. Chaparral is also in Southern California. Its temperature is from 32-60 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher you go, the cooler it gets. On the coast the temperature is 53-65 degrees Fahrenheit. During the winder it’s freezing, but only for a short period of time. Fall, winter, and spring receive equal amounts of rain, about 12-40 inches per year. The snowfall melts fast. = Plants: =

__Fairy Duster__
The Fairy Duster, also known as the Calliandra,it is a shrub that’s pink with orange puff balls. This plant grows between the months February through May. It’s two inches in diameter, and 8-48 inches tall. The Fairy Duster is a part of the Pea Family including, Mimosas and Acacias. The seeds of this plant look like dry pea pods. Many different animals in the Chaparral Biome feed on this plant. The Fairy Duster is also used in gardens for decoration. This unique plant is found in sandy washes and slopes.

__French Broom__
The French Broom, also known as Montpellier broom, got its name because of the way the branches grow. The branches were cut and used as brooms at one point in time. and it grows in dense stands that crowd native plants. The French Broom is used for erosion control in dunes. This bushy plant grows 5-8 feet tall. It has twisted, green branches on it and the leaves on the plant are ½ an inch, so the branches are almost bare. The French Broom bloomes in twos or threes in April through June. They’re small pea-like yellow flowers. Each small flower, has three green leaves which is the same size as the flower. Each seed grows in hairy green pods. The French Broom belongs in the Pea Family. The seeds and flowers of this plant are toxic which cause stomach cramps and indegestion if digested.

__The Saltmarsh Bird’s Beak__
The Saltmarsh Bird’s Beak has a short life of one year. Its leaves are alternate and narrow, and one inch long. They are pointy and blue/green and hairy. The Saltmarsh Bird’s Beak has white flowers which grow 4-12 inches tall. This plant belongs to the Figwort Family which is related to the Snapdragon. This interesting plant is semi-parasitic. To extend its growing season it uses pickleweed and salt grass. The Saltmarsh Bird’s Beak grows in saltmarshes and it is almost endangered. = Animals/Food Webs: = The animals of the chaparral range from elephants to condors and to kangaroos. They all have the ability to survive in an extreme climates like the chaparral. Some animals live in the chaparral year round, while others travel between the chaparral and other suitable biomes.



This is the Great Grey Kangaroo, which can grow up to 7 feet tall and 9 feet long. It prefers the forest and areas of the biome that get regular rainfall during the winter and rainy seasons. This kangaroo is one of the biggest of its kind. It is mostly found in the Australian chaparral.

kangaroo The Dingoes are wild dogs are wild dogs that live in the chaparral. They eat rats, kangaroos, birds, rabbits, lizards, and some farm animals. They eat meat in large portions. They either hunt alone or in small packs. The Dingo is found in Australia, and can also be found in the grassland biomes.

= Distinct Location: =

Location 1: Southern Africa
This plant is called the King Protea. The King Protea is the national flower in South Africa, and was originated from the Cape Town area of S.A. The flower of the plant can grow to be twelve inches long. It also has the appearance of a cup because on the outside it has many stiff,pointed,narrow bracts of petals. The bottom half of the flower starts out as a yellowy cream color and blossoms to a rich and beautiful pink color. It is said that you can use the petals for making tea. (King Protea) This animal is called an Aardwolf. The Aardwolf is a furry hyena that looks like a dog, but has long front legs and short hind legs. These "dogs" live in underground burrows.The Aardwolf can be found in the Fynbos of Southern Africa. This animal is very small and shy. (Aardwolf) This chart's temperature is in the degree of Celcius.
 * A Special Plant in Southern Africa are:
 * A very adorable animal in Southern Africa
 * The climate in the Chaparral area of Southern Africa:

(Cape town weather (july 17, 2009))

Location 2: The Mediterranean Chapparal


The climate in this area is unique with the wet season occurring in winter. Many plants that do well in other European areas are unable to thrive in this Mediterranean biome due to the summer drought, with annual rainfall of only 15-40 inches. Temperatures are affected by cold ocean currents and fog, limiting the growing season.(Kevin S.) [] It is hot but there are many days when they get thunder/lightning storms.

There are a variety of animals in the Chaparral biome of the Mediterranean including,

‍‍ ‍‍- A mouflon, which is a type of ram, it []

- A lynx, which is a catlike creature. []

The lynx was so scarce in 2000, therfore it was listed as a threatened species. Today, many funraisers and charity evnts prevent the killing of lynx, but the species continues to be jeopardized by shrinking habitat from climate change.

There are also many other animals in the Chaparral such as wild goats, sheep, cattle, horses, wild boar, vultures, rabbits, and 3 types of eagles.

Terrain Descriptions:
====The chaparral biome contains a variety of different terrains including flat plains, rocky hills, and mountain slopes. In these different terrains only certain plants are able to thrive. Because the biome only gets 10-17 inches of rain per year, there is a lot of dryness in the summer, so only vegetation that have hard leaves and that are able to withstand droughts survive. Some of these plants include chamiso, evergreens, fruit trees, cacti, scrub oaks, pines, shrubs, cork and olive trees. The chaparral is made up of mostly shrubs and other low growing vegetation, but in a few scattered areas there are larger trees and aromatic plants. Some of the aromatic plants and herbs that thrive in this biome are thyme, sage, rosemary, and oregano. All of the vegetation and plant community grow close together and are very densely packed. On the terrain most of the vegetation consists of plants with hard needles and leathery leaves in order to hold moisture. The chaparral biome is known for its fires because of heat and tropical storms, but many of the plants on the terrain have adapted to the fires and are able to grow well in that atmosphere. The plants have taproots that go deep into the surface of the soil and are able to capture water.====

Works Cited Team Members:
 * //Biomes of North America //. L.H. Bailey Hortorium, n.d. Web. 17 May 2000. .
 * //California Chaparral Institute //. Richard W. Halsey, 4 Mar. 2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. .
 * Deems. “Cape Town Weather.” //Deem’s Weblog//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. .
 * Marshal cavendish corporation, Edward Ricciuti. “chapparal.” //Blue Planet Biomes//. the world book encyclopedia, May-June 2000. Web. 9 Mar. 2012. .
 * None. “Chaparral Animals.” //chaparral//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. .
 * //Presidio of San Francisco //. Will Elder, 2 Jan. 2008. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nps.gov/‌prsf/‌naturescience/‌french-broom.htm>.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">S, Ben. “King Protea.” //Blue Planet Bioes//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/‌chaparral_plant_page.htm>.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">S., Kevin. “Mediterranean Chaparral.” //Mediterranean Chaparral//. DK Publishing, 2 Jan. 2001. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/‌med_chaparral.htm>.
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">US botanic garden //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">. U.S. Botanic Garden, Spring 2008. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. <http://www.usbg.gov/‌your-visit/‌Whats-In-Bloom-Spring-2008.cfm>.
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">U.S. department of agriculture //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">. William & Wilma Follette. USDA NRCS, 13 Mar. 2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. <http://plants.usda.gov/‌java/‌profile?symbol=COMA5>.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">V, Taza. “Aardwolf.” //Blue Planet Biomes//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/‌chaparral_animal_page.htm>.
 * Gilbert, Briahna ||
 * Kazazian, Kristina ||
 * O'Hara, Joey ||
 * Roselli, Ray ||
 * Murray, Ashleigh ||
 * Taddeo, Dan ||