SU0004657 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

4.8.1 Habitat Types The habitat (vegetation) types delineated on Figure 41have been defined using A Guide To Wildlife Habitats of California as the primary literature reference. Four habitat types havelbeen ! r defined for the project area: annual grassland (770 acres) , Blue Oak woodland (32 acres) , developed areas (239 acres) , and lacus- trine (8 acres) . �T Annual Grassland Non-native annual grassland is the dominant habitat type on the project site. Annual grasses are the dominant plant species populating this habitat. Annual grasses such as ripgut grass, soft chess, and wild barley are those which are common to annual grassland. These and other annual grasses included in the plant + species list were identified on the project site. Annual forbs are also a prominent part of the floral landscape. Perhaps the most dominant annual forbs are redstem and whitestem filaree, which seem to reach their highest densities on more mesic, shaded sites. Other common forb associates include several species of clover, miner's lettuce, and a geranium species. < The annual grasslands of the permit area, as the dominant habitat type, provide foraging opportunities and cover fora wide variety of wildlife species. Species observed or expected'; on the t site include the black-tailed jack rabbit, deer mouse, feral cat, American robin, western meadowlark, western fence lizard, and gopher snake. F` Blue Oak Woodland Landscape positions favoring good soil moisture levels often harbor this habitat type. In the project area, this habitat principally occupies drainages of greater significance, as' de- picted on Figure 4 . The dominant species, blue oak, is repre- sented by individuals ranging up to 40 feet high and approximate- ly 150 years of age.. While these individuals are concentrated in drainages, a number are scattered throughout the annual grassland r habitat as well. The herbaceous understory of this type consists of the same species as the annual grassland type, although proportions differ with the environmental setting. The understory is conspicuously devoid of immature blue oaks or other woody species. This, is a common occurrence according to Holland (1976) . He found few areas in California where blue oak recruitment has occurred in ' this century. Competition from vigorous annual grasses and forbs and/or grazing are hypothesized as two important factors. , Both of these conditions - competition from annual vegetation and cattle grazing - are found in the project area. F KRC Aggregate, Inc. - 8 - April 1, 1994 E ,