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Ecology of the Sierra Nevada
The ecology of the Sierra Nevada, located in the U.S. states of California and Nevada, is diverse and complex. The combination of climate, topography, moisture, and soils influences the distribution of ecological communities across an elevation gradient from 500 to 14,500 feet (200 to 4,400 m). Biotic zones range from scrub and chaparral communities at lower elevations, to subalpine forests and alpine meadows at the higher elevations. Particular ecoregions that follow elevation contours are often described as a series of belts that follow the length of the Sierra Nevada. There are many hiking trails, paved and unpaved roads, and vast public lands in the Sierra Nevada for exploring the many different biomes and ecosystems.
The western and eastern Sierra Nevada have substantially different species of plants and animals, because the east lies in the rain shadow of the crest. The plants and animals in the east are thus adapted to much drier conditions.
The altitudes listed for the biotic zones are for the central Sierra Nevada. The climate across the north–south axis of the range varies somewhat: the boundary elevations of the biotic zones move by as much as 1,000 ft (300 m) from the north end to the south end of the range.
The lowest-elevation biotic zone in the Sierra Nevada is found along the boundary with the Central Valley. This zone, stretching in elevation from 500 to 3,500 feet (150 to 1,070 m), is the foothill woodland zone, an area that is hot and dry in the summer with very little or no snow in the winter. The foothills are vegetated with grasslands of mostly non-native grasses, mixed grasslands and woodlands savanna, a foothill woodland community of blue oak and gray pine, and chaparral. Many of the plant communities are similar to those found on the inner California Coast Ranges. Animals typical of this zone include black bear, ringtail cat, coyote, gray squirrel, bobcat, California mule deer, and skunk. In the foothills of the northern portion of the Sierra Nevada, toyon and chamise often co-dominate certain open serpentine chaparral communities.
Beginning near the 3,000 ft (900 m) elevation, the hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters of the Mediterranean climate give rise to the lower montane forest zone. This zone is also known as the yellow pine forest zone. The accumulation of several feet of snow during the winter is not uncommon and can stay on the ground for several months. The diversity of tree species found in this zone make this a beautiful and interesting forest to explore. The indicator species for the lower montane forest are the ponderosa pine and the Jeffrey pine: the ponderosa pine generally occurs on the west side of the Sierra, while the Jeffrey pine occurs on the east. The lower montane forests also include trees such as California black oak, sugar pine, incense-cedar, and white fir. Animals that may be found in this zone include the dark-eyed junco, mountain chickadee, western gray squirrel, mule deer, and American black bear. The endangered Yosemite toad is found in montane forests of the central Sierra Nevada, at elevations of 4,790 to 11,910 ft (1,460 to 3,630 m).
The character of the Lower Montane Forest changes with latitude. North of Grass Valley, the lower montane forest ranges from 2,000 to 4,000 ft (600 to 1,200 m), with less ponderosa pine and more Douglas-fir. In the middle Sierra, south to the Merced River, the lower montane forest has the same elevation, but precipitation decreases and the forest mixes with chaparral. In the southern Sierra, the lower montane forest occurs between 3,000 to 5,000 ft (900 to 1,500 m), but can range as high as 6,000 ft (1,800 m), with ponderosa pine dominating the landscape. Unlike further north, the geology of the southern lower montane forest is dominated by granite.
The mid-montane forest grows on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada at moderate elevations. North of Lake Tahoe, the mid-montane forest occurs from 3,000 to 6,000 feet (900 to 1,800 m). Between Tahoe and Yosemite, the forest ranges from 4,000 to 6,000 ft (1,200 to 1,800 m), while south of Yosemite, it occurs between 5,000 to 7,000 ft (1,500 to 2,100 m). The mid-montane zone has a mixed forest of white fir, coast Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, live oak, black oak, and tanoak, depending on location.
North of Tahoe, the mid-montane forest has more white fir and Douglas-fir, and less ponderosa pine than further south. Jeffrey pine occurs on ultramafic lava soils. In Yosemite and points south, giant sequoia occurs in wetter locations.
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Ecology of the Sierra Nevada
The ecology of the Sierra Nevada, located in the U.S. states of California and Nevada, is diverse and complex. The combination of climate, topography, moisture, and soils influences the distribution of ecological communities across an elevation gradient from 500 to 14,500 feet (200 to 4,400 m). Biotic zones range from scrub and chaparral communities at lower elevations, to subalpine forests and alpine meadows at the higher elevations. Particular ecoregions that follow elevation contours are often described as a series of belts that follow the length of the Sierra Nevada. There are many hiking trails, paved and unpaved roads, and vast public lands in the Sierra Nevada for exploring the many different biomes and ecosystems.
The western and eastern Sierra Nevada have substantially different species of plants and animals, because the east lies in the rain shadow of the crest. The plants and animals in the east are thus adapted to much drier conditions.
The altitudes listed for the biotic zones are for the central Sierra Nevada. The climate across the north–south axis of the range varies somewhat: the boundary elevations of the biotic zones move by as much as 1,000 ft (300 m) from the north end to the south end of the range.
The lowest-elevation biotic zone in the Sierra Nevada is found along the boundary with the Central Valley. This zone, stretching in elevation from 500 to 3,500 feet (150 to 1,070 m), is the foothill woodland zone, an area that is hot and dry in the summer with very little or no snow in the winter. The foothills are vegetated with grasslands of mostly non-native grasses, mixed grasslands and woodlands savanna, a foothill woodland community of blue oak and gray pine, and chaparral. Many of the plant communities are similar to those found on the inner California Coast Ranges. Animals typical of this zone include black bear, ringtail cat, coyote, gray squirrel, bobcat, California mule deer, and skunk. In the foothills of the northern portion of the Sierra Nevada, toyon and chamise often co-dominate certain open serpentine chaparral communities.
Beginning near the 3,000 ft (900 m) elevation, the hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters of the Mediterranean climate give rise to the lower montane forest zone. This zone is also known as the yellow pine forest zone. The accumulation of several feet of snow during the winter is not uncommon and can stay on the ground for several months. The diversity of tree species found in this zone make this a beautiful and interesting forest to explore. The indicator species for the lower montane forest are the ponderosa pine and the Jeffrey pine: the ponderosa pine generally occurs on the west side of the Sierra, while the Jeffrey pine occurs on the east. The lower montane forests also include trees such as California black oak, sugar pine, incense-cedar, and white fir. Animals that may be found in this zone include the dark-eyed junco, mountain chickadee, western gray squirrel, mule deer, and American black bear. The endangered Yosemite toad is found in montane forests of the central Sierra Nevada, at elevations of 4,790 to 11,910 ft (1,460 to 3,630 m).
The character of the Lower Montane Forest changes with latitude. North of Grass Valley, the lower montane forest ranges from 2,000 to 4,000 ft (600 to 1,200 m), with less ponderosa pine and more Douglas-fir. In the middle Sierra, south to the Merced River, the lower montane forest has the same elevation, but precipitation decreases and the forest mixes with chaparral. In the southern Sierra, the lower montane forest occurs between 3,000 to 5,000 ft (900 to 1,500 m), but can range as high as 6,000 ft (1,800 m), with ponderosa pine dominating the landscape. Unlike further north, the geology of the southern lower montane forest is dominated by granite.
The mid-montane forest grows on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada at moderate elevations. North of Lake Tahoe, the mid-montane forest occurs from 3,000 to 6,000 feet (900 to 1,800 m). Between Tahoe and Yosemite, the forest ranges from 4,000 to 6,000 ft (1,200 to 1,800 m), while south of Yosemite, it occurs between 5,000 to 7,000 ft (1,500 to 2,100 m). The mid-montane zone has a mixed forest of white fir, coast Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, live oak, black oak, and tanoak, depending on location.
North of Tahoe, the mid-montane forest has more white fir and Douglas-fir, and less ponderosa pine than further south. Jeffrey pine occurs on ultramafic lava soils. In Yosemite and points south, giant sequoia occurs in wetter locations.