Coastal The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to California - PDF document

The Conservation and Ecology of California's Coastal Prairie May 1, 2003 Coastal “The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to California keep all the pieces” - Aldo Leopold Grassy Ecosystems Coastal Grasslands: Why are they important? 1. Highest Diversity In Coastal Ecosystems Mark Stromberg Paul Kephart 2. Less than 1% Remain Undisturbed Vern Yadon Grey Hayes 3. Management by Humans- Required David Potter August 2003 4. Significant, Real Threats Remain California Coastal Grasslands Fenceline with Very typical cattle above…. California coastal Fire suppression terrace grassland below. habitat. Plowing kills it. - Agriculture - Housing If you leave it alone, it will return to brush- - Roads Some native: (Baccharis- - Fire Suppression coyote brush) - Grazing Removal Some weeds: Teasel Eucalyptus, Hemlock, Reduced to small patches…. French Broom, etc. California Coastal Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 1 of 4 1

The Conservation and Ecology of California's Coastal Prairie May 1, 2003 In the coastal grasslands, staring into a quadrat is like looking into a salad bowl. The longer you look, the more you see… California Coastal Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands Some examples of where Entrance to Tennis, Beach Club, Pebble Beach Co. you can find Coastal Terrace Prairies... San Bruno Mountain California Coastal Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 2 of 4 2

The Conservation and Ecology of California's Coastal Prairie May 1, 2003 Often on Steep Cliffs- Between Ocean, Hwy 1 Laureles Grade, Barker Ranch, Calera Canyon California Coastal Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands Hearst Lands, Piedras Blanco Light House Tom’s Point - Petaluma area California Coastal Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands Diversity of Coastal California Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 3 of 4 3

The Conservation and Ecology of California's Coastal Prairie May 1, 2003 Diversity of Coastal California Grasslands Diversity of Coastal California Grasslands compared to other NA grasslands Number of Species per square meter No. Spp. 1 m 2 Study Count Mean Std. Err. Coastal Grasslands 22.6 (+ 8.9) Coastal Terrace Prairies 32 22.6 1.58 Inland Nassella Grasslands 80 14.7 0.78 Interior Dry Grasslands,CA 14.7 (+ 0.7) Monterey Pine Forests 46 6.17 0.58 Nassella/Annual Coastal Scrub 141 0.69 0.16 (Stromberg, Griffin 1996) Serpentine Meadows, CA 12.3 (+ 2..3) Napa Co. (Harrison, 1999) Comparison of Means (INP, CTP, MPF) Pawnee Buttes, CO 8.5 (+ 0.4) df Mean Square F Value P-value Shortgrass (Stohlgren, 1999a) Category 2 2615.2 62.9 <0.0001 Residual 155 41.6 Tallgrass Prairie, MN 12.2 (+ 0.7) (Stohlgren, 1999a) California Coastal Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands Dominant Forbs - Coastal Grasslands Dominant Grasses/Sedges - Coastal Grasslands 100 Importance Value- log (Freq. x Cover) 100 Deschampsia c. cespitosa Importance Value- log (Freq. x Cover) Plantago lanceolata Viola pedunculata Vulpia myuros myuros Erodium botrys Elymus glaucus Anagalus arvensus Native Native Danthonia californica Hypochaeris glabra Juncus bufonius Sidalcea malvaeflora Non-Native Non-Native Bromus hordeaceus Plantago coronopus Camissonia ovata Lolium multiflorum Baccharis pilularis Trifolium dubium Nassella pulchra Avena barbata Plantago erecta Silene gallica 10 Aira caryophyllea 10 Nassella cernua Acaena pinnatifida californica Geranium dissectum Briza minor Hordeum branchyantherum Geranium molle Rumex acetosella Festuca rubra Deschampsia c. holciformis Eryngium armatum Hypochaeris radicata Avena fatua Bromus carinatus Chlorogallum pomeridian Madia exigua Lolium perenne Hordeum marinum Gnaphalium purpureum Ranunculus californicus 1 Juncus pheocephalus Daucus pusillus 1 Distichlis spicata Sisyrinchium bellum Bromus diandrus Leymus triticoides Lotus corniculatus Briza maxima Nassella lepida 0.1 0.1 Species Importance Order Species Importance Order “Grassy Ecosystem” 82 Species Grasses, Sedges (“Forb”land -258 spp?) California Coastal Grasslands California Coastal Grasslands Grassland Restoration, or “Intelligent Tinkering” -Restoration of major grasses is possible. - Packard Elkhorn Slough properties - Adding the flowers (forbs) is hard. Coastal Terrace Grasslands are Academic researchers in plant ecology are busy studying the basic biology of California grasslands. biologically significant –– parts UC Davis, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz worth keeping. Restorationists are practicing the art…. - California Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration. - Various contractors, consultants. We need to save the models. Goals for intelligent tinkering… Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 4 of 4 4