UCI - Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center

05 Apr, 08 PM - 05 Apr, 10 PM

Tom Oberbauer For this endeavor, we will be exploring an area that burned in 2017 in Culp Valley. Culp Valley is a very interesting location because it represents high desert with vegetation that is akin to a form of chaparral, but it also supports species that are obviously desert species. We will be looking for fire following plants and any rare species that might be found. While the rainfall has been very low this year, one characteristic of burned areas is the plants often grow and flower more vigorously than plants in the adjacent unburned areas. San Diego County is known to be one of the most biologically diverse Counties in the United States. One of the reasons for its biodiversity is the variety of habitats that exist here. The reasons that the habitat diversity is so great relates to the highly varied topography that influences the amount of rain that falls, a variety of geologic formations that in turn affect the soil composition, and the movements and migrations of vegetation that must have occurred over the previous thousands and millions of years. The deserts and parts of the Mountains enjoy some summer monsoonal moisture, but the majority falls in winter. This leaves vegetation vulnerable to fires after the long, dry summer months. Chaparral and to some degree sage scrub habitats and even some desert habitats seem to be adapted to periodic fires. In fact, they are so adapted that there are a number of annuals and herbaceous perennial plants that dont appear and flower until the season after a fire has occurred. These species either lay dormant as seed for dozens or even hundreds of years before a fire occurs or they exist as geophytic bulbs and corms that may grow a leaf once in a while but do not flourish and flower until a fire has occurred.

Visit #51642 @UCI - Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center

Approved

Under Project # 35507 | Public Use

2017-18 Anza-Borrego: In Focus Series

professional - Anza-Borrego Foundation

Reservation Members(s)

Briana Puzzo Apr 5, 2018 (1 days)
Group of 22 Volunteer Apr 5, 2018 (1 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Facility Rental 1 Apr 6 (2 hours)