Name:
Artemisia californica - Salvia mellifera - Baccharis pilularis Coastal Scrub Macrogroup
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This is a diverse macrogroup, which ranges from southwestern Oregon, California coast and inner foothills, south into Baja Norte, Mexico; it also occurs on the off-shore islands. It is composed of mixed coastal shrublands dominated by drought-deciduous shrubs in the south or partially drought-deciduous shrubs in the central and northern areas, and at times characteristic (constant and sometimes dominant) obligate-seeding evergreen and resprouting, deep-rooted evergreen shrubs. Cold-deciduous shrubs can be dominant on cool, mesic north-facing slopes in some locations, especially further north. These shrublands are often called "soft" chaparral; while sometimes forming dense thickets, it is possible to navigate through them as the branches are forgiving. Diagnostic shrub species include <i>Artemisia californica, Baccharis pilularis, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Encelia californica, Eriodictyon californicum, Eriogonum cinereum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Eriophyllum stoechadifolium, Gaultheria shallon, Isocoma menziesii, Lotus scoparius, Lupinus</i> spp., <i>Malacothamnus fasciculatus, Malacothamnus fremontii, Opuntia littoralis, Rubus ursinus, Salvia apiana, Salvia leucophylla, Salvia mellifera, Toxicodendron diversilobum</i>, and <i>Vaccinium ovatum</i>. The macrogroup generally occurs where the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean moderates summer drought. The climate is seasonally wet, with most precipitation falling as rain between November and April). Landforms include coastal terraces, low to middle slopes, valley bottoms, coastal bluffs, and rock outcrops. Southern coastal scrub occurs below 1000 m (3300 feet) elevation and extends inland from the maritime zone in hotter, drier conditions than northern (less fog-drenched) shrublands (e.g., areas with 10-60 cm of annual precipitation). The more central and northern scrub extends inland in some areas to over 1500 m (4900 feet). Some of the inland distribution follows the corridors of marine influences of coastal fog or cool marine air where it is pushed inland by prevailing winds and in areas with steep slopes and disturbance. Soils vary from coarse gravels to clays but typically only support plant-available moisture with winter and spring rains. Generally, the shrublands in this macrogroup can become established following fire. However, they do not require fire for regeneration; they also occur on sites denuded by landslides, slumps, debris flows and other mass-wasting events.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40465-{725DCACF-1FB8-42DD-BD0A-6C0525EFE355}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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