Introduction to California chaparral / Ronald D. Quinn, Sterling C. Keeley ; illustrations by Marianne D. Wallace.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-302) and index.

1. The California chaparral -- Fire and chaparral -- Where is chaparral found? -- Chaparral is found with other vegetation types -- Coastal sage scrub is not chaparral -- How organisms are named -- 2. Mediterranean climate -- The Pacific high -- Rainfall, always unpredictable -- Winds that carry water or take it away -- Temperature -- Microclimates -- Convergence -- Rain beetles mate only when there is rain -- 3. Fire -- The fire cycle -- The fire regime -- Sources of ignition -- Aboriginal burning -- Nineteenth-century fire -- Fire patterns in the twentieth century -- Modern fires -- Natural responses of plants and animals to fire -- 4. Plants -- An evergreen, shrubby vegetation -- Common shrubs and shrub families -- The rose family (Roseaceae) -- The buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae) -- The heath family (Ericaceae) -- The oak family (Fagaceae) -- The sumac family (Anacardiaceae) -- Other chaparral shrubs -- Conifers : cypresses, pines, and bigcone Douglas fir -- Common herb and subshrub families -- The waterleaf family (Hydrophyllaceae) -- The poppy family (Papaveraceae) -- The lily family (Liliaceae) -- The legume family (Fabaceae) -- The snapdragon or figwort family (Scrophulariaceae) -- Other chaparral herbs and subshrubs -- Introduced weeds -- 5. Animals -- Mammals -- Rodents (Order Rodentia) -- Rabbits and hares (Order Lagomorpha) -- Deer and bighorn sheep (Order Artiodactyla) -- Carnivorous mammals (Order Carnivora) -- Birds -- Perching birds (Order Passeriformes) -- Hawks (Order Falconiformes) -- Owls (Order Strigiformes) -- Reptiles -- Snakes (Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes) -- Lizards (Order Squamata, Suborder Lacertilia) -- Amphibians -- Insects and arachnids -- Insects (Class Insecta) -- Trap door spiders, ticks, and scorpions (Class Arachnida) -- Other chaparral insects -- 6. Living with the chaparral -- Prescribed fire -- Fuel reduction and fuel breaks -- Artificial seeding of burns -- Fire creates its own weather -- Geographic risk -- Floods -- Threats to chaparral -- Options for wise growth -- The value of chaparral -- Glossary.

Print version record.

The characteristic look of California Chaparral-a soft bluish-green blanket of vegetation gently covering the hills-is known to millions who have seen it as the backdrop in movies and television productions. This complex ecological community of plants and animals is not just a feature of the hills around Hollywood, but is a quintessential part of the entire California landscape. It is a highly resilient community adapted to life with recurring fires and droughts. Written for a wide audience, this concise, engaging, and beautifully illustrated book describes an ancient and exquisitely balanced.

English.

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