California Prairie & Grassland
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$10.00 (Free to Members) VOL. 39, NO. 2 AND VOL. 39, NO. 3 • MAY 2011 AND SEPTEMBER 2011 FREMONTIA JOURNAL OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY CALIFORNIA’S PRAIRIES VOLUME 39:2/39:3, MAY/SEPTEMBER 2011 ANDAND GRASSLANDSGRASSLANDS FREMONTIA CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY CNPS, 2707 K Street, Suite 1; Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 FREMONTIA Phone: (916) 447-CNPS (2677) Fax: (916) 447-2727 Web site: www.cnps.org Email: [email protected] VOL. 39, NO. 2, MAY 2011 AND VOL 39, NO. 3, SEPTEMBER 2011 MEMBERSHIP Membership form located on inside back cover; Copyright © 2011 dues include subscriptions to Fremontia and the CNPS Bulletin California Native Plant Society Mariposa Lily . $1,500 Family or Group . $75 Bob Hass, Editor Benefactor . $600 International or Library . $75 Glen Holstein, Contributing Editor Patron . $300 Individual . $45 Beth Hansen-Winter, Designer Plant Lover . $100 Student/Retired/Limited Income . $25 Brad Jenkins and Cynthia Roye, CORPORATE/ORGANIZATIONAL Proofreaders 10+ Employees . $2,500 4-6 Employees . $500 7-10 Employees . $1,000 1-3 Employees . $150 CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY STAFF (SACRAMENTO) CHAPTER COUNCIL Executive Director . Dan Gluesenkamp David Magney (Chair); Larry Levine Dedicated to the Preservation of Finance & Administration Manager . (Vice Chair); Marty Foltyn (Secretary) the California Native Flora Cari Porter Alta Peak (Tulare) . Joan Stewart Membership & Development Coor- Bristlecone (Inyo-Mono) . The California Native Plant Society dinator . Stacey Flowerdew Steve McLaughlin (CNPS) is a statewide nonprofit organi- Conservation Program Director . Channel Islands . David Magney zation dedicated to increasing the Greg Suba Dorothy King Young (Mendocino/ understanding and appreciation of Rare Plant Botanist . Aaron Sims Sonoma Coast) . Nancy Morin California’s native plants, and to pre- Vegetation Program Director . Julie East Bay . Bill J. Hunt serving them and their natural habitats Evens El Dorado . Susan Britting for future generations. Vegetation Ecologists . Jennifer Kern County . Dorie Giragosian CNPS carries out its mission through Buck-Diaz, Kendra Sikes Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mtns . Education Program Director . Josie science, conservation advocacy, educa- Betsey Landis Crawford Marin County . Carolyn Longstreth tion, and horticulture at the local, state, Administrative Asst. Marcy Millett Milo Baker (Sonoma County) . and federal levels. It monitors rare and Office Asst. Caroline Garland endangered plants and habitats; acts to Liz Parsons save endangered areas through public- STAFF (AT LARGE) Mojave Desert . Tim Thomas ity, persuasion, and on occasion, legal Fremontia and CNPS Bulletin Editor . Monterey Bay . Rosemary Foster Mount Lassen . Catie Bishop action; provides expert testimony to Bob Hass Napa Valley . Gerald Tomboc government bodies; supports the estab- Legislative Consultant .Vern Goehring East Bay Conservation Analyst . North Coast . Larry Levine lishment of native plant preserves; spon- North San Joaquin . Alan Miller Mack Casterman sors workdays to remove invasive plants; Orange County . Nancy Heuler Website Coordinator . Mark Naftzger and offers a range of educational activi- Redbud (Grass Valley/Auburn) . ties including speaker programs, field PROGRAM ADVISORS Joan A. Jernegan trips, native plant sales, horticultural Rare Plant Program Senior Advisor . Riverside/San Bernardino counties . workshops, and demonstration gardens. Jim Andre Katie Barrows Since its founding in 1965, the tradi- Sacramento Valley . Glen Holstein Vegetation Program Senior Advisor . San Diego . David Varner tional strength of CNPS has been its Todd Keeler-Wolf San Gabriel Mtns . Orchid Black dedicated volunteers. CNPS activities Horticulture Committee Chair . San Luis Obispo . Kristie Haydu are organized at the local chapter level Laura Camp where members’ varied interests influ- Sanhedrin (Ukiah) . Geri CNPS Press Director . Nancy Morin Hulse-Stephens ence what is done. Volunteers from the Poster Program . Bertha McKinley, 33 CNPS chapters annually contribute Santa Clara Valley . Judy Fenerty Wilma Follette Santa Cruz County . Deanna Giuliano in excess of 97,000 hours (equivalent BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sequoia (Fresno) . Paul Mitchell to 46.5 full-time employees). Shasta . Ken S. Kilborn CNPS membership is open to all. Brett Hall (President); Lauren Brown Sierra Foothills (Tuolumne, Cala- Members receive the quarterly journal, (Vice President); Carol Witham (Trea- veras, Mariposa) . Robert W. Brown Fremontia, the quarterly statewide Bul- surer); Laura Camp (Secretary); At South Coast (Palos Verdes) . letin, and newsletters from their local Large: Ellen Dean, Arvind Kumar, Brian David Berman CNPS chapter. LeNeve, Nancy Morin, Vince Scheidt, Tahoe . Michael Hogan Alison Shilling; Chapter Council Willis L. Jepson (Solano) . Representatives: Orchid Black, Steve Mary Frances Kelly Poh Disclaimer: Hartman Yerba Buena (San Francisco) . The views expressed by authors published Ellen Edelson in this journal do not necessarily reflect established policy or procedure of CNPS, MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION and their publication in this journal should CNPS members and others are welcome to contribute materials for publication not be interpreted as an organizational in Fremontia. See the inside back cover for submission instructions. endorsement—in part or in whole—of their Staff and board listings are as of October 2012. ideas, statements, or opinions. Printed by Premier Graphics: www.premiergraphics.biz FREMONTIA VOLUME 39:2/39:3, MAY/SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE DATE: MAY 2011 AND SEPTEMBER 2011. PUBLICATION DATE: OCTOBER 2012 CONTENTS PRAIRIES AND GRASSLANDS: WHAT’S IN A NAME? by Glen Holstein ............................................................. 2 The accepted name for California’s prairie/grassland landscapes has changed back and forth and may significantly impact its conservation. IS THERE STILL NATIVE DIVERSITY IN CALIFORNIA GRASSLANDS? by Megan E. Lulow and Truman P. Young ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 Surveys of valley and south coastal grasslands support claims for placing a greater emphasis on native wildflowers when referring to the composition of native grasslands. UNDERSTANDING CALIFORNIA GRASSLAND ECOLOGY by Paula M. Schiffman .......................................... 12 Species composition of California grasslands is, to a great extent, influenced by two natural factors: variable rainfall and soil disturbance produced by native animals. BETWEEN THE BLADES: THE EVOLUTION OF PLANT DIVERSITY IN CALIFORNIA’S PRAIRIES AND GRASSLANDS by Ellen Dean ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Our assemblages of native prairie wildflowers have come together over millions of years of geologic time to enchant us with their colorful displays. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE, AND CALIFORNIA PRAIRIE DISTRIBUTION by Glen Holstein ...................................... 22 Rediscovering California prairie’s lost landscapes and reexamining why they’re there. VERTEBRATES OF CALIFORNIA GRASSLANDS by Gene R. Trapp ...................................................................... 31 To what degree do California’s native vertebrates depend on grasslands for their survival? Is it complete dependence for a given species, or less than that? INVERTEBRATES OF CALIFORNIA’S PRAIRIES by Glen Holstein .......................................................................... 36 California’s vast prairie landscapes have been virtually ignored and so has their rich invertebrate fauna. That greatly impedes conservation of both. NATIVE BEES AND FLOWERS IN CALIFORNIA PRAIRIES AND GRASSLANDS by Robbin Thorp ................ 40 Remnants of once extensive California grasslands and embedded vernal pool ecosystems are home for many species of important pollinators, our native bees. RESTORING CALIFORNIA’S INLAND GRASSLANDS: DON’T FORGET THE FORBS! by Paul A. Aigner, Kristin B. Hulvey, Catherine E. Koehler, and Leslie E. Scott .......................................................................................... 41 Forbs probably once dominated many of the state’s inland grasslands. Including forb species in restoration projects can enhance pollination and resistance to invasion by non-native species. THE CNPS GRASSLAND INITIATIVE: DOCUMENTING GRASSLAND TYPES ACROSS CALIFORNIA by Jennifer Buck-Diaz and Julie Evens ................................................................................................................................. 45 CNPS’s Grassland Initiative is actively collecting and assessing data to more fully understand the diversity and variation of herbaceous vegetation across California. CONSERVING AND MANAGING PRAIRIE, GRASSLAND, AND VERNAL POOL LANDSCAPES THROUGH COLLABORATION by Pelayo Alvarez..................................................................................................... 49 A partnership of ranchers, environmentalists, government agencies, and researchers is working together to protect California’s grasslands. NEW CNPS FELLOWS ......................................................................................................................... 55, 56 PETER JOSEPH CALLIZO: 1937–2011 .......................................................................................................58 BOOK REVIEWS........................................................................................................................................