Diario de tabithahewitt9

1. Mollusk- I found a garden slug (Deroceras reticulatum) under a tarp.
2. Fungi- I found a few nice fungi examples at Joaquin Miller Park. My favorites are the Chicken of the Woods and the Lichen.
3. Amphibian- I found this California Slender Salamander at Joaquin Miller also.
4. Bird- On U.C. Berkeley Campus I got a nice shot of a American Robin.
5. Arachnid- I have a bunch of small spiders in my back yard. I caught one and managed to get a slightly fuzzy picture (They're fast!). I thought they were Grass spiders but there has been a couple comments that say it is a Wolf Spider. I did not realize they hung out in such large groups.

I went to Joaquin Miller Park and found most of the trees already leafing out. I did find a picture of one tree that was leafing out at the top but was still bare at the bottom. Not quite sure what it is, maybe a toyon.

I found a better selection of bare and flowering plants. I have attached two of my favorite examples. The green wattle tree was gorgeous! One picture is it blooming yellow flowers at the tip and the other is a younger one not flowering.

I also saw some French Broom that were in multiple stages between bare and flowering.

1. Genus Raphanus- I had no idea that this was a wild radish when I took the picture. It was quite pretty. The radish is in the Brassicaceae family and is considered a weed in most places. It's ability to change life cycle is extremely advantageous for an environment with varied rainfall. They also easily adapt to many environments.
2. ripgut brome (Bromus diandrus)- "Great Brome" is apparently not native to California and is invasive. It has spikes that help the seeds stick firmly in the ground which would be beneficial in the chaparral in the event of a fire. It prefers disturbed sites and can grow across multiple moisture levels.
3. Muhlenbergia rigens or Nassella- I definitely think this is a bunch grass. Bunch grasses would do well in this environment because they are perennial. They adapt well in almost any environment.
4. California Poppy- Poppies are adapted to many environments and they have some specific adaptations to fire and they like the chaparrals propensity for it. Its ability to self-seed and tolerance to drought would also be useful.
5. Genista monspessulana- "French Broom" is considered an invasive species in California. It produces a large amount of seeds per season and can live for many years. It is drought tolerant and can sprout after a fire, cutting, and even freezing temperatures.

~It seems that many of the organisms in a chaparral ecosystem are highly adaptable to varied environments. They have an ability to resist drought and survive. They also like disturbed areas with makes them easily suited to California's landscape.

1. California Blackberry Rubus ursinus- These vines like moist shady climates best. They thrive in disturbed areas and are able to adapt easily to various climates.
2. Kingdom Fungi- Not sure what kind of mushrooms these are. However, it was interesting that they were growing along the exposed roots of a redwood. The general area was more sunny however these mushrooms were thriving tucked into a shadier side of the tree.
3. Trametes versicolor- "Turkey Tail" was another mushroom I saw living directly on a dead tree branch. They are adapted to moist evergreen forests by their growth from dead hardwood.
4. Lichen- Lichen loves moist and shady areas. Much like the mushrooms lichen tends to live on the shadier side of trees and rocks.
5. Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)- They grow very large which allows them to compete more effectively for sunlight in the forest. The many branches allow for water caching to occur. They are resistant to fire and send out new shoots very quickly after one occurs.
6. Wood Fern- While there are some ferns that can survive drier sunnier locations, most prefer wet and shaded areas. Their extended leaves would be ideal for catching the largest amount of moisture from the overgrowth.

I observed many species interactions, however, there are three that I actually managed to get photos of.

First, I spent quite a while stalking bees in a large patch of Buttercup flowers. There were quite a few Honey Bees out pollinating. There were also quite a few wasps also in the patch which I found interesting. I had not realized they also did some pollinating.

Next, I was walking through a small Eucalyptus grove and noticed a bunch of Chestnut-backed Chickadees bouncing up and down the tall tree trunks looking for grubs of some sort. Apparently, more than half their diet comes from insects. I could not get quite close enough to them to see what they were eating but they were definitely searching for something in the wood.

My third observation is also my most interesting. I managed to capture a shot of two Water Sliders mating. At least, I'm pretty sure that's what is happening. I looked up the habits of Water Sliders and they are also sometimes cannibalistic.