Find Your Chaparral Morale! By: Alisa, Kathryn, and Kyle

Plant Adaptation Blue oaks have adapted to drought and dry climates. They can survive temperatures above 100° F for several weeks at a time. The Average maximum temperatures in July can range from 70° to 100° F. In January, minimum temperatures can range from 10° to 35° F. Annual precipitation averages from 20 to 40 inches and mostly falls in the form of rain.

Animal Adaptation Jackrabbits have adapted to not require much water, and live off of sagebrush and cacti, which are native to the Chaparral Biome. Jackrabbits have huge ears. This regulates their body heat by increasing or decreasing the blood flow through its ears. This helps the jackrabbit absorb heat and cool off.

Tourism Activities Because of the mountainous terrain, hiking is very popular in the Chaparral region Bird watching is a common tourist activity, as there are hundreds of bird species in the Chaparral region, such as the Cactus Wren.

Critical Environmental Issues Because of the hot, dry climate, there is a very high risk of wildfires in the Chaparral biome Forests are supposed to burn naturally every 30-40 years, so tourists should be aware of this when they are spending time in the back country

Location Most commonly found in the West of most continents, around 30-50 degrees North and 30-40 degrees South of the equator

Landscape Flat plains, rocky hills and mountain slopes are found all throughout Natural fires cause loose ground Soil is nutrient poor and vulnerable to erosion

Climate Mild, moist, but not much rain Biome only gets about 10-17 inches of rain all year, and most of it comes in the winter. Hot, dry summers During the summer the only moisture is fog off of the water. The temperature range is between 30° and 100° F annually.

Seasonal Information Chaparral climate caters to tourists year round with hot dry summers and mild winters. However, summers can be hot enough to cause a drought (and fire). With 4 distinct seasons, the time of best time of year to visit is left to personal preference.

Unique Facts High likelihood of fires in the summer  The five main Chaparral regions in the world occupy less than 5% of the earth's surface yet are home to about 20% of the world’s vascular plant species. Most of the vegetation is considered sclerophyll, which means 'hard-leaved' in Greek.

Description of Plants and Animals Varying conditions have led to highly adaptable animals living in the region. Some include: coyotes, jackals, and mule deer. Smaller organisms that dominate the region include the preying mantis, lady bug, and honeybees. Most plants in the region contain leaves with highly flammable substance, making them very fire-prone

Bibliography http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/biomes/biomes.chaparral.soil.html http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.htm http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/ http://blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral_animal_page.htm http://blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral_plant_page.htm http://bioexpedition.com/chaparral-biome/ http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/calif_chaparral.htm