Mediterranean Vegetation

Works Cited

Conclusion

"Chaparral Biome." Animal Facts and Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.bioexpedition.com/chaparral-biome/>.

"Chaparral (Mediterranean) Biome." Chaparral (Mediterranean) Biome. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. <http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/chaparral.html>.

"Climate: ." The Mediterranean Biome. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/shrub.htm>.

"Fun Cactus Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Cacti." Interesting Information about Cacti. N.p., 06 Feb. 2015. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. <http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/plants/cactus.html>.

K, Evan. "Chaparral Plants." Chaparral Plants. N.p., 2002. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral_plant_page.htm>.

L, Julius. "Mediterranean Chaparral Animals." Mediterranean Chaparral Animals. N.p., 2001. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/med_chap_animal_page.htm>.

"Mediterranean Chaparral Animals." Mediterranean Chaparral Animals. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/med_chap_plant_page.htm>.

"Mediterranean Vegetation." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 03 June 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/372721/Mediterranean-vegetation>.

"Relationships Between Animals." Chaparral AWARENESS Organization. Weebly, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://chaparralawareness.weebly.com/relationships-between-animals.html>.

S, Kevin. "Mediterranean Chaparral." Mediterranean Chaparral. N.p., 2001. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/med_chaparral.htm>.

The Mediterranean Vegetation and Chaparral Biome is a warm, dry climate but cool and wet during the winter. This is located in only some parts of the world.

Many plants have learnt to adapt to the droughts and heat by being able to store and conserve water for a long period of time.

Animals as well have learnt to adapt to this type of habitat. For example, many herbivores regurgitate their food to be able to absorb more water and food, especially during the droughts.

Fauna - Animals

Animals, as well as plants, have learnt to adapt to the sudden changes in climate.

Types of Animals

Typically, many of the animals living in this type of habitat are small in size. This benefits the small animals as the are nocturnal and can burrow to say out of the heat ("Climate").

OMNIVORES

HERBIVORES

CARNIVORES

Symbiosis

Competition

In the Mediterranean Vegetation and the Chaparral the are three different types of plant/animal symbiosis.

Competition in the Chaparral and Mediterranean biomes very standard as it is a competition for food and resources. The two types of competition are Intraspecific and Interspecific ("Relationship").

These three are:

Mutualism example in Chaparral/Mediterranean Vegetation biome:

Harvester Ants and Indian Rice Grass

Due to the fact that Harvester ants dig their homes in the Rice grass, this will provide protection for the Grass. As the Harvester ants protect their territory by attacking their enemies which in return protects the grass ("Relationship").

1. Mutualism- when two organisms work together and are both benefited

This is Mutualism because both organisms are benefiting: the Indian Rice grass receive protection which the Harvester ants receive food.

Intraspecific- this is when the same two animals are competing for the same resource. For example the Mouflon's ramming each other for the same food source.

Commensalism example in Chaparral/Mediterranean Vegetation biome

Red-Winged Blackbird and Chaparral Reeds

As the Red-Winged Blackbird builds it's nest in the Chaparral reeds, the bird is offered protection and a home. This does not benefit the reeds in any special manner, but it is not damaging or weakening the reeds.

2. Commensalism- a relationship between two organisms where one if benefited, by the other is not bothered

This is a commenalistic relationship because only one organisms benefiting, but it is not harming or bothering the other organism ("Relationship").

Interspecific- This is when two different animals are competing for the same resource. For example: a Grey Fox and a Lynx competing for territory ("Relationship").

Parasitism example in Chaparral/Mediterranean Vegetation biome

The Pacific Coast tick and the San Joaquin Kit Fox

Due to the tick latching itself onto the Fox, it receives food and nutrition. As a result, the Fox is being harmed as the tick sucks blood from the Fox and transfers damaging diseased into the Fox's bloodstreams ("Relationship").

3. Parasitism- Where the relationship between two organisms, one being a parasite living off the other organism and harming it.

This is an example of Parasitic relationship because the parasite is benefiting from the relationship, but it is harming the other organism.

Golden Jackal

Canis aureus

Genus: Canis

Species: Aureus

Location: Typically these Jackals can be found throughout the biome

Appearance: Looks like a small wolf with long golden hair. Long pointed ears and a pointed snout, as well as having claws.

Predation: They are predators which keep that population of frogs, rodents, gazelles and birds under control.

Diet: These animals have a diet consisting of about 55% meat and 45% plants ("L. Julius"). Regularly, the Jackals eat: bird, fish, gazelles, hares, insects, fruits and bird eggs.

Adaptations: During the colder season of winter, the Jackals grow a thicker coat containing their heat. This animals is an omnivore meaning it eat both plants and meat. This is beneficial as plants are not avaliable all the time in this particular biome. Also, they have adapted to eating insects as well ("L. Julius").

Mouflon

Ovis orientalis orientalis

Genus: Ovis

Species: Musimon

Location: Enjoy living in mountainous terrain

Appearance: Their hair is normally a brown-red colour, with white legs, muzzle and white circles around their eyes. Also both male and females have horns. These are often used for fighting and ramming one another.

Predation: These animals are not predators, but their predators include: Eagles, occasionally wolves, but also humans as they are hunted for their horns.

Diet: These animals are herbivores which can cause problems considering plants do not grow properly in the Mediterranean Vegetation/Chaparral biome. They typically graze on grass, heather and shrubs ("L. Julius").

Adaptions: By regurgitating the food which the mouflon's eat, they are able to conserve water. This is important because the availability of water in this biome is low. These animals have also learnt to hide from their predators and do not stay in the same place for a long period of time.

Plants & Vegetation

This subtropical biome is often composed of shrub lands and woodlands, which is also called the Maquis ("S. Kevin").

Maquis means a land covered in dense scrub and trees.

Due to the dry climate, the plants have learnt to adapt to the climate, collect and conserve water from the rainy season. By doing this, the plants will be able to survive the droughts during the summers.

Common Sagebrush

Artemisia tridentata

This brush prefers living in drained soils in sheltered areas. This is a perennial shrub which means it only needs to be planted once and everlasting. The plant is deciduous and do produce seeds.

Genus: Artemisia

Species: Tridentata

Location: This bush can be found throughout the Chaparral and Mediterranean biome. Although, it is often found on dryer plains of the western coast of the USA ("K. Evan").

Appearance: Silvery colour, grows is a circle shape. The plant can survive very dry climate, and therefore often look as if it were dead.

Adaptations: Due to the droughts in summer, the long roots will seek out water under the soil, but during the winter time when it rains more, its roots spread out to a wider surface area as to absorb more water. Also, when the plant dries up, even if it is not dead, it can get uprooted and the seeds will spread through the wind.

Soil

The Mediterranean Vegetation consists of five main types of vegetation: Forest, Woodland, Savanna/Grassland, Shrub land and Scrub land.

Cacti

Cactaceae

Family: Cactaceae

Location: Cactus are often found a bit throught the habitat of the Chaparral and Mediterranean Vegetation

Appearance: Come in all different shapes and sizes. Some with extended "branches". Typically they are green and have exterior spikes used as protection.

Adaptations: These plants can conserve colossal amounts of water for a long period of time. This is done by using large root systems which will collect the water. This is an advantage as the summers in the biome are typically filled with droughts and dry, while the winters are cooler with rain. So during the rainy season, the Cactus collect the water and then preserve it. Another adaptation are the spikes. These are used as a type of "defense" to end off any predators who can damage the plant.

The Mediterranean Vegetation consists of some different types of soil where different plants and animals live.

Olive Tree

Olea europaea

Genus: Olea

Species: Europaea

Location: Located throughout the Mediterranean in countries such as Italy, Portugal and Greece ("Mediterranean Chaparral"). They can also be found in Northern Africa

Appearance: An evergreen tree with grey-green leaves. The fruits are quite small and the bark is typically dark.

Adaptations: These trees can grow in nutrient-poor soils, but need the right climates: warm during the summers, yet cooler during the winters and plenty of sun light ("Mediterranean Chaparral"). Also, the leaves on the tree have little hairs on the back which slow down the transpiration process. This is the process which allows water to move through a plant. By having these hairs, the tree can preserve water for a longer period of time. This is important considering the long, dry and rainless summers.

Soil in the Mediterranean and Chaparral biome's are often poor due to the droughts in the summer. This is why, during the winter when precipitation begins, plants tend to grow better due to the richer and more nutritious soil.

Also, degradation is becoming a problem in this biome due to it being inhabited by humans. Human activities causes the soil to erode. This results in many plants and animals around these regions to become extinct.

Because of the hot and dry climate, the soil, and especially the top layers, are very dry and dusty.

Also, because this biome is not a completely flat land, many plants have learnt to adapt. This also helps when collecting water.

Light and Wind

Light-

During the summers, there are not often many clouds. This means that the sun is set high in the sky creating natural sunlight and heat.

Wind-

Wind in this biome is quite common, and it is often westerly wind ("S. Kevin"). This is especially common for the Scrub lands, which is often located to the coast and the ocean. This also means that a lot of this wind contains salt .

The wind is this biome is quite important as certain plants use the wind to spread their seeds.

Water

Rain-

The average precipitation each year is 25-30 cm ("S. Kevin"). Most of this precipitation occurs during the winter.

On the other hand, because it does not rain much in these areas, this particular biome is not affected much by acid rain.

The location of this biome is typically located around coastal areas of the world. This means that there is quite a lot of ocean near by. This also contributes to the plants as the fog which comes off the ocean gives nutrition to the plants. This is the main water source of plants and animals during the summer ("S. Kevin").

Also, in some regions of this biome, such as Spain, contain land water consisting of rivers and some lakes

Temperature

Temperature changes between the different seasons.

Winter average temperature: 8°c

Summer average temperature: 22-26°c

Spring average temperature: 15°c

Fall average temperature: 18°c

Climate

The Mediterranean Vegetation has four different season which are: spring, summer, fall and winter.

Winters- winters are often cooler and consist of lots of rain. Precipitation increases, creating a better thriving space for plants and animals.

Summers- summers are general very hot, dry and often consist of droughts. Precipitation is very uncommon, and due to the dryness, fires are common to break out. The cause of these are usually lightning striking.

Spring & Fall- These season are typically a mix of both the seasons of summer and winter. Sometimes there is rain, but these seasons can be hot and dry as well.

Location

Mediterranean Vegetation (also known as Chaparral Biome) is located in places such as:

Biome's Geographical Location

Just beyond the Topic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

• USA- Southern California

• Portugal

• Spain

• Southern parts of France

• South-West parts of Chile

• North Africa

• Coastal parts of South Africa

• Southern parts of Australia

It lies at about 30° to 40° North and South latitudes ("Mediterranean Vegetation").

This type of Biome takes up about 5% of the worlds surface ("Chaparral (Mediterranean) Biome").

Mediterranean Vegetation

By: Maya Månsson 8p