Biodiversity Hotspot: California Floristic Province

   Biodiversity is defined as the "variety of different species (species diversity), genetic variability among individuals within each species (genetic diversity), variety of ecosystems (ecological diversity) and functions such as energy flow and matter cycling needed for the survival of species and biological communities." (Miller 2012) Essentially, biodiversity assesses the variety and volume of species found in an area, in addition to the ability of the area to provide for them. Biodiversity is essential for the functions of the earth, as each species has an ecological niche.

Figure 1: A food web from the California Floristic Province (CFP)

   Together, these species allow ecosystems to function properly and provide important natural services to the world. However, some biodiversity-rich areas are in danger from human activities. These areas are called biodiversity hotspots-- areas that can only be found in one place that are rich in plant biodiversity, but face extinction due to serious ecological disruption from rapid human population growth, which puts additional pressure on natural resources (Miller 2012). There are 34 hotspots in the world; however, this post will examine the California Floristic Province (CFP), a region that encompasses 324,000 square kilometers in the state of California and parts of Oregon and Baja California (California Floristic Province 2014) that has been decimated by logging and human expansion.

Figure 2: The California Floristic Province

   Due to its large size, the California Floristic Province is able to sustain a variety of ecosystems, including the Sagebrush steppe, prickly pear shrubland, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, juniper-pine woodland, upper montane-subalpine forest, alpine forest, riparian forest, cypress forests, mixed evergreen forests, Douglas fir forests, sequoia forests, redwood forests, coastal dunes, and salt marshes (California Floristic Province 2014). The Floristic Province’s area and diverse landscape enable it to have a thriving plant population, 61% of which is endemic. Most of the species diversity comes from plants: there are 3,488 species, and the next largest group (mammals) consists of 127 species.

Diversity and Endemism
Taxonomic Group	Species	Endemic Species	Percent Endemism
Plants	3,488	2,124	60.9
Mammals	157	18	11.5
Birds	340	8	2.4
Reptiles	69	4	5.8
Amphibians	46	25	54.3
Freshwater Fishes	73	15	20.5

(Hogan 2009) The flora in the California Floristic Province has been used in a variety of way to support many industries. The Monterey pine, native conifers, and coastal redwoods are all pillars of the wood industry (Monterey pine is used in New Zealand and Australia), and sugar pines and giant sequoias were once widely used.

   The CFP provides many services including climate moderation, protection of watersheds and resources, habitats for rare, endangered, and pollinator species. It also provides recreation in the form of fisheries and game for hunters, as well as “many forms of passive recreation.” (Hogan 2009) Due to the size and geography of the area, there is abundant genetic diversity in the CFP, as seen in this study by the University of California Los Angeles: “Most animal taxa had an obvious genetic split that separated northern and southern populations about the Transverse Ranges in southern California. In addition, ~70% of all animal taxa showed additional east/west differentiation within the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range mountains.”

   Though the CFP is large and provides a multitude of opportunities for profit and recreation, there are several factors that threaten it. Population expansion is just one of these: according to a press release by the California Department of Finance, the population of the state is expected to exceed 50 million by 2049 and will grow to 52.7 million in 2060. This represents a gain of 39% compared to the estimated 2012 population (Palmer 2013). Not only will these people need a place to live, they will also require food for sustenance. “An estimated 1.7 million acres will be converted to agricultural uses and 1 million acres to urban and rural uses between about 1986 and 2000,” (California Floristic Province 2014). The CFP faces degradation from other sources like invasive species. Bromus, Cortaderia, Cytisus, Ilex, Mesymbryanthemum, Carpobrotus and Senecio mikanioides and more invasive plants are outcompeting native plant species (California Floristic Province 2014).

   California has taken note of the destruction it has caused to the CFP and has taken actions to prevent further damage to the area. National parks such as Yosemite serve alongside 107 state parks, near 50 wilderness areas, and 16 national wildlife refuges (Hogan 2009). Specialized conservation programs aim to preserve both the environment and endemic species, like the Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly.

Figure 3: Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly

The Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly is a small endemic butterfly that was put on the endangered species list in 1980. At that time, it was only known in three locations, all in Palos Verdes, California. Urban development in the area caused the belief that the species had gone extinct by 1984. However, in 1994 it was discovered in an area managed by the Department of Defense. It was found that a Chevron oil pipeline had disturbed the 1.98 acres of land in which the butterfly was found, resulting in a 10-acre restoration project to mitigate the effects. The DoD put in these goals for their conservation efforts: " Minimize or eliminate impacts to existing populations of the California gnatcatcher and the Palos Verdes blue butterfly and their habitat by reducing the overall disturbance to existing populations and habitat, and avoiding sensitive seasonal periods

• Increase habitat availability for listed species at DFSP through the use of restoration procedures

• Develop a long-term management plan for each listed species that includes the monitoring of populations and habitats

• Increase the awareness of DFSP staff to the requirements of listed species at DFSP"

Overall, California has set aside the most land and spent the most money for conservation out of any U.S. state, and 37% of the land in the CFP is under federal protection. (Hogan 2009)

Figure 3: The Majestic Giant Sequoia

   

Recovery for this area is hindered by its important to the U.S. and international logging, wine, and medicine industries. The province’s exceptional soil quality and water availability allow it to be the primary agricultural and lumber producer in the U.S. (California Floristic Province 2014). Its grapes provide a genetic base for those used in the flourishing wine industry, and native plants have long been used by Native Americans in their medicine. Additionally, pressures from countries like New Zealand and Australia promote the unsustainable yet lucrative logging industry (Hogan 2009).

   While the CFP is an economically and socially valuable area, it is also the home of noteworthy endangered species, including the California condor, the desert tortoise, the elf owl, and the green sea turtle. (State & Federally Listed Endangered & Threatened Animals of California 2014).

   The California Floristic Province is a biodiversity-rich area that houses many endemic and endangered species. Its unique array of ecosystems and its unmatched soil quality help California to be the most productive agricultural state in the U.S. and support industries in other countries as well. Though there has been serious degradation, there  is hope for restoration, and California is taking steps in the right direction to preserve its biodiversity hotspot.

Works Cited

Figure 1: "We're All in This Together." Redwood National and State Parks. Redwood National

   and State Parks, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

   <http://redwoodnationalandstateparks.weebly.com/food.html>.

Figure 2: California Floristic Province. Point Reyes National Seashore Association. Point

    Reyes National Seashore Association, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

    <http://www.ptreyes.org/activities/california-floristic-province>.

Figure 3: Majestic Giant Sequoia." California State Parks. California Department of Parks

    and Recreation, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.150.parks.ca.gov/

    ?page_id=27588>.

"California Floristic Province." Department of Botany. Smithsonian Institution,

   n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014. <http://botany.si.edu/projects/cpd/na/

   na16.htm>.

Hogan, C Michael. "Biological Diversity in the California Floristic Province."

   The Encyclopedia of Earth. Encyclopedia of Earth, 16 Dec. 2009. Web. 8

   Dec. 2014. <http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150634/>.

"State & Federally Listed Endangered & Threatened Animals of California."

   California Department of Fish and Wildlife. California Department of

   Fish and Wildlife, Oct. 2014. Web. 8 Dec. 2014. <http://www.dfg.ca.gov/

   biogeodata/cnddb/pdfs/TEAnimals.pdf>.

Miller, Tyler G. and Spoolman Scott E. Living in the Environment (17th Edition). Belmont, California: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

Palmer, H.D, and Bill Schooling. "New Population Projections: California to

    Surpass 50 Million in 2049." California Department of Finance. N.p., 31

    Jan. 2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2014. <http://www.dof.ca.gov/research/demographic/

    reports/projections/P-1/documents/Projections_Press_Release_2010-2060.pdf>.

"Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly." The Butterfly Conservation Initiative. Butterfly

    Conservation Initiative, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

    <http://butterflyrecovery.org/species_profiles/

    palos-verdes-blue-butterfly/>.

"Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat Development Project at the Defense Fuel Support Point

    (DFSP), San pedro, California in Support of the Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly

    (Glaucopsyche Lygdamus Palosverdensis)." Soil Ecology and Research Group.

    Soil Ecology and Research Group, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

    <http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/SERG/restorationproj/chaparraland/palosverdes/

    habrest.htm>.