California interior chaparral and woodlands

California interior chaparral and woodlands
Hillside in Sunol Regional Wilderness, April 2004
Ecology
Biome	Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub
Bird species	231
Mammal species	78
Geography
Area	64,600 km2 (24,900 sq mi)
Country	United States
State	California
Conservation
Habitat loss	12.915%
Protected	18.35%

The California interior chaparral and woodlands ecoregion covers 24,900 square miles (64,000 km²) in an elliptical ring around the California Central Valley. It occurs on hills and mountains ranging from 300 feet (91 m) to 3,000 feet (910 m). It is part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Many plant and animal species in this ecoregion are adapted to periodic fire.

These woodlands are varied and rich in plant life. The ecoregion contains areas of grass, chaparral shrublands, savanna dotted with oak, oak woodlands, serpentine soil communities, closed-cone pine forest with small patches of mountain conifers, wetland, marsh, and riverside forest.

Chaparral and oak woodlands are the most widespread plant communities in this ecoregion. The chaparral is composed of diverse shrubs and herbs. These include chamise and several species of manzanita and ceanothus. Gray pine often emerges from the shrubs. Meanwhile, buckeye is extensive and Blue oak is one of the most extensive of the many varieties of oak in the woodlands: scrub oak, coast live oak, canyon live oak, valley oak, and interior live oak.