Conservation Biology of California’s Remnant Native Grasslands

摘要: From alpine meadows ravaged by sheep grazing a century ago to desert flats impacted off road vehicles during the past two decades. California bears heavy scars from its relatively short history since first Europeans arrived. But none of California’s landscape has been so irreparably altered as grasslands. These grasslands have undergone habitat conversion including cultivation, grazing, suburbanization and industrialization. They subjected, in addition, somewhat more subtle change that reduced natural grassland vegetation but fraction original extent. Here we discuss this change, near complete replacement flora with European annual grasses forbs. We then assess biogeography pertinent ecology few remaining fragments on serpentine soils maintain some flora, how those remnants might best be conserved.