dlimandri's Journal

Nearly all species I observed for this assignment possess some characteristic that deems them suited to either an evergreen moist forest or chaparral environment. For the moist evergreen forest, the two different species of salamander found under separate logs are to be expected in such an environment. Salamanders breath through their skin, making their entrenchment in moist places paramount. Millipedes live in similar moist conditions due to their susceptibility to water loss through their hard shell.The broad leaf of the stinging nettle may suggest its greater water absorption capabilities, making it more suited to moister environments. Although the lichen has no telling characteristics that I know of, it is commonly found attached to trees with its mossy photosynthetic partner.
For the chaparral environment, the three birds I observed there: the american robin, the dark-eyed junco, and the Stellar's Jay, all possess habitat characteristics encompassed by such an environment. While the American robin is found in both urban and more sparse environments (possibly living in the residences below), the Junco tends to favor chaparral vegetation as it provides suitable cover for their nests. The Stellar's Jay prefers mixed woodlands (like the Junco) and open spaces provided by common sparse chaparral vegetation like the observed California shrub oak and coyote brush. Both plants have small, waxy leaves to conserve water and mitigate transpiration during sunlight hours.

This week I tended to focus most of my observations on flowering plants characteristics. The relevant observations were French Broom, Western Blue-eyed Grass, California Poppy, and a yet-to-be identified plant species with these identified species varying between 4-6 flowering pedals. For the California Poppy, I observed four tangerine-colored pedals with a palmate simple leaf phenology. The Western Blue-eyed Grass shares a similar leaf phenology to the California Poppy, though it has six purple pedals to its flower instead of four orange like the Poppy.The French Broom has simple, alternating oblong leaves with a four pedal yellow flower. The last of my observations that I have to identify appears to have alternating, simple serrated leaves with a spiky stem and a solitary purple flower.