Question

What are two reasons for the increased biodiversity in the chaparral communities compared to other communities we’ve seen?
(Other communities include redwood forest, serpentine, vernal pools, alpine fellfield)

Answer 1

Chaparral communities also called as temperate shrubland occurs in coastal areas with Mediterranean climate.

The reasons for increased biodiversity in the Chaparral communities to other communities are:

i.It is having mild winters, moderate rains, hot and dry summers making it surplus with all kinds of temperature conditions which suits the biorhythms of the flora and fauna, thus flourishing with biodiversity

ii. It is dominated by dense growth of low growing evergreen shrubs with leathery leaves that resist water loss. These serve as primary trophic level in the ecosystem serving the needs of other herbivores and thus maintaining the food chain intact in all the seasons providing favorable thriving conditions for other flora and fauna

iii. The large root system of the dominant shrubs, food reserves in the roots, fire resistant roots make them viable in scorching summers and providing food resources and biodiversity

iv. The chaparal community has summer drought tolerant plants and contrasting soft leaved drought deciduous scrub community which also accounts for ecological niche

v. The plants have seeds that sprout only after a fire, this made the ecosystem thrive even after wild fires.