Fire Followers
Despite the hiatus, I am posting a brief text-only entry for two events from the past week:
Fire Followers
I was blown away by a group hike along Rattlesnake Canyon and Tunnel Road to view burned areas. The burned shrubbery was mostly black, dead and in stark contrast to the incredible growth along the ground by certain fire followers and other plants. The soil fertility was most certainly enhanced by nutrients released by the fire, the recent decent rains, and the fact that some seeds germinate after fire.
The dominant plant was Morning Glory (Calystegia macrostegia ssp. cyclostegia) covering the hills (and shrubs and other plants) with its grasping, twining growth. However, on a slope at the side of Tunnel Road, Common Eucrypta was the dominant plant – I forgot to check if it was a north-facing slope. Morning Glory seems to tolerate full sun. I noticed that Eucrypta was mostly in shadier areas.
This abundant growth of native flora provides probably the best ground cover to maintain slope stability with root growth. However, I am sure these plants also provide stability above ground by enclosing loose dirt and providing a well ventilated vegetation cover to allow insects and other life to return to the once denuded slopes. What an experience!
Usually, on group visits, time for futzing with photography angles, framing etc is curtailed. I totally blew the Twining Snapdragon photos. However, there were a few good captures, and these are the framed photos in the slide show. (To minimize time, the same frame was used for all pictures.)
Fire Follower Slide Show
- Please click here to view a slide show of Fire Followers. The pictures probably do not do the sights justice; seeing for oneself would be the ultimate experience. (I’ll add scientific names to the photos as time permits.) Also, to hide the lower thumbnail band from view, move the cursor off the page.
Addendum
Tom Chester sent links to fire followers in other areas of California. Quite a difference.
- http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0604g.htm
- http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0604h.htm
- http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0604j.htm
More Mesa
The More Mesa Handbook has won another award. For more details, please see the link below.
these shots are really fine … lizard and bee with blue pollen were nice surprises to see ! lots of morning glory too – i caught a hummer and big bees out at the coal oil point reserve last week all feasting on the m.g.’s
thanks again lynn – beautiful
April 3rd, 2010 | #
Thanks, Mo. It is fun to watch insects and birds use what the flowers produce. I was really taken with the blue pollen on the bee, and followed it for about 8 shots, of which only one was reasonable.
Lynn.
April 4th, 2010 | #
These are the sort of photos that need to be publicly displayed when there is outcry over the “devastation” of wildfires in fire-adapted habitats—especially when people call for some sort of massive “revegetation” program. Ca 1978, after the Marble-Cone Fire in the Santa Lucia, the Forest Service, responding to pressure to “do something” about erosion, seeded vast areas with non-native ryegrass by helicopter. In many places, this choked out the native fire followers and inhibited recovery.
Great images, Lynn, as usual.
April 12th, 2010 | #
I believe that they have stopped seeding with ryegrass, thankfully. The native plant growth was more vigorous than anything I have seen by non-natives. By the way, have you seen this group:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-California-Chaparral-Institute/114672246017
Thankfully, they have all of their postings available to all viewers, because I have no desire to join Facebook.
April 13th, 2010 | #