Sage Scrub Lab Report

We visited oak canyon, in which we visited and observed three different communities. The three different communities were costal sage scrubs, oak woodland, and the riparian plant communities. This three communities is located in this area because there is a valley between a north and south facing slope. South, in which sun hits slope directly, which has more heat. and North in which sun hits slope at an angle, which has less heat. We observed many of the plants’ appearance and we touched and smell some of the leaves to know more about its characteristics.

Coastal sage scrub is located on the south facing slope of the oak canyon. The sunlight heats the slope directly in this community. The direct rays of the sun subject to water evaporate quickly in this community. In this areas the leaves were light colors to reflect the direct sun light, very small leaves to reduce surface areas from which water may be lost. Also the leaves were waxy which keeps water from evaporating. Up side curved leaves for less water evaporation. The common coastal sage scrub plants are black sage, buck wheat, elderberry which looks very dry, it is expanded and it almost looks dead. Lemonade berry, laurel sumac, prickly pear, Christmas holly, sagebrush which is little soft which has crown sprouts to adapt from fire. Sugar Bush, which leaves are up side cupped, and hard. It also survives without constant water and stays green with out water. Things are adapted to fire in this area because fire is more frequent in this area.

Oak woodland is facing on north facing slope which means this community does not have direct sun light. In this community, there is less water evaporation because of the less heat.