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Mediterranean Ultramafic (Serpentine) Chaparrals of California (USA): A Geobotanical Overview

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Vegetation Structure and Function at Multiple Spatial, Temporal and Conceptual Scales

Part of the book series: Geobotany Studies ((GEOBOT))

Abstract

Some original results are presented from almost a decade of intensive fieldwork throughout the vast California ultramafic (serpentine) area. Bioclimatic and biogeographic data were used to gain a general understanding of the specialized vegetation developed on these peculiar sites, and specifically the potential natural vegetation (considered as a xero-edaphic climax). A complete geobotanical overview is presented for one of the most typical ultramafic vegetation types, the ‘serpentine chaparrals’, as they are called, classically, in the literature.

Following standardized phytosociological methods, we assembled over a hundred selected relevés and studied them by numerical analyses. These studies, plus bioclimatic and biogeographical considerations, permitted recognition of five vegetation types, defined as ‘ultramafic chaparrals’ and considered as xero-edaphic climax vegetation. Four of these five types are proposed as new phytosociological associations. For each vegetation type we present its complete characterization, dynamics and distribution, its original phytosociological table, and the obligatory type relevé, in strict compliance with the current International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature. All these phytosociological associations recognized are included in the alliance Quercion duratae (Heteromelo arbutifoliae-Quercetea agrifoliae class). The individual associations are Ceanotho jepsonii-Quercetum duratae, Ceanotho albiflori-Quercetum duratae, Arctostaphylo glaucae-Quercetum duratae, Arctostaphylo viscidae-Quercetum duratae, and Hesperoyucco whipplei-Quercetum duratae.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the “Del Amo” scholarship program of the Complutense University in Madrid (Spain ) for their ample support to Daniel Sánchez-Mata for the field research in California in association with the University of California at Davis in recent years. We are also grateful to Professor Michael Barbour (Plant Sciences Department), Ellen Dean (DAV Herbaria Curator, Center for Plant Diversity) and Jean Shepard (DAV Herbaria Technician, Center for Plant Diversity), all from the University of California at Davis. Thanks also to various US Federal Agencies such as the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and US Geological Survey for their technical and field help and support; to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Native Plant Society for their help in this research. Finally, to Pru Brooke-Turner who revised the English version of the original manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología Vegetal II, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Daniel Sánchez-Mata

  2. Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales (ICAM), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 45071, Toledo, Spain

    María Pilar Rodríguez-Rojo

Authors
  1. Daniel Sánchez-Mata
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  2. María Pilar Rodríguez-Rojo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Sánchez-Mata .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Elgene Owen Box

Appendices

Taxonomic Appendix

  • Abies critchfieldii (Lanner) Rivas-Martínez & Sánchez-Mata in Sánchez-Mata, Ber. d. Reinh.-Tüxen-Ges. 24:147. 2012.

  • Abies shastensis (Lemmon) Lemmon, Gard. & Forest 10:184. 1897.

  • Ceanothus jepsonii subsp. albiflorus (J.T. Howell) comb. nova. Bas.: Ceanothus jepsonii var. albiflours J.T. Howell, Leafl. W. Bot. 3:231. 1943.

  • Pinus austrina (R. J. Mastrog. & J.D. Mastrog.) Rivas-Martínez & Sánchez-Mata in Sánchez-Mata, Ber. d. Reinh.-Tüxen-Ges. 24:147. 2012.

  • Pinus ponderosa subsp. pacifica (J. R. Haller & N. J. Vivrette) Rivas-Martínez & Sánchez-Mata in Sánchez-Mata, Ber. d. Reinh.-Tüxen-Ges. 24:147. 2012.

  • Pteridium aquilinum subsp. pubescens (Underw.) J. A. Thomson, Mickel & Mehltr., Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 157(1):14. 2008.

  • Quercus wislizeni subsp. frutescens (Engelm.) A. E. Murray, Kalmia 13:28. 1983.

  • Quercus breweri Engelm. in S. Watson, Bot. Calif. 2:96. 1880.

Phytosociological Appendix

  • Heteromelo arbutifoliae-Quercetea agrifoliae Rivas-Martínez 1997

    • + Adenostomo fasciculati-Rhamnetalia croceae Rivas-Martínez 1997

      • * Quercion duratae Sánchez-Mata, Barbour & Rodríguez-Rojo [in Rivas-Martínez] 1997

        • Ceanotho jepsonii-Quercetum duratae ass. nova hoc loco

        • Ceanotho albiflori-Quercetum duratae Sánchez-Mata, Barbour & Rodríguez-Rojo [in Rivas-Martínez] 1997

        • Arctostaphylo glaucae-Quercetum duratae ass. nova hoc loco

        • Arctostaphylo viscidae-Quercetum duratae ass. nova hoc loco

        • Hesperoyucco whipplei-Quercetum duratae ass. nova hoc loco

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Sánchez-Mata, D., Rodríguez-Rojo, M.P. (2016). Mediterranean Ultramafic (Serpentine) Chaparrals of California (USA): A Geobotanical Overview. In: Box, E. (eds) Vegetation Structure and Function at Multiple Spatial, Temporal and Conceptual Scales. Geobotany Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21452-8_11

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