| Abstract Detail
Evolution, Ecology and Floristics in Northern California - Current Knowledge and Unexplored Realms Shevock, James R. [1]. Moss distribution patterns across northern California: landscapes influenced by the Californian and Great Basin floristic provinces. OVER 600 species of mosses are now documented for California, nearly half of the mosses reported for North America. This species richness is in part a response to the diversity of habitats, geologic substrates, and elevation gradients within the state. The other primary influence on the California bryoflora is its Mediterranean climate defined by winter precipitation and prolonged summer drought. Within northern California, five geographic subdivisions merge between two floristic provinces. It is at these ‘contact zones’ that interesting disjunct taxa can be located and new additions to the California bryoflora documented. These contact zones can also provide insights into past climate change, especially where moss taxa are now restricted to isolated microhabitats far removed geographically from other occurrences of the same species. Several ‘coastal taxa’ have recently been documented to occur inland within northern California near the contact zones of the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada and resemble distribution patterns found in the flowering plants (such as Darlingtonia). Much inventory and floristic bryophyte work in northern California remains to be done at both the subdivision, county, and river basin levels to refine these distribution patterns and determine which species are rare and in need of conservation action in the state.
Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - University of California, 337 Mulford Hall, Mc #3114, Berkeley, California, 94720-3114, USA
Keywords:
bryophytes
floristics
biogeography.
Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: 38-3
Location: 170/Holt
Date: Tuesday, August 1st, 2006
Time: 9:15 AM
Abstract ID:733 |
