Habitat observations Homework #4

I observed the very wet coastal redwood forest habitat found along the Dipsea Trail, which traces through the Muir Woods. It had just rained a few days prior and it was GREEN. There was moss absolutely everywhere, it was the most overwhelmingly green space I had filled my eyes with since I visited a rainforest in Australia. It was that green. There were tons of different types of mushrooms everywhere, a product of a damp environment. I was pretty fascinated with the different ones I saw that I researched them a little when I got home, and they grow crazy fast! And having rained just before, I imagine they had started growing a few days prior. These definitely could not be seen out in the Central Valley and require a damp environment. Once I crossed up and over the mountain to descend down to the coast, the plant life went from giant redwoods to small shrubby bushes, a product of a rain shadow. I saw quite a few banana slugs as well, imagine these things in the desert? Not possible.

The other species I tagged I saw in the Yosemite Valley which gets precipitation but nothing like the amount of constant fog that feeds the coastal old growth forest and its mushrooms. Yosemite had quite a bit of snow in the upper elevations, and you could see it coating the top of Half Dome, but very little on the valley floor. That being said there was very little wildlife to be seen, and instead of voluptuous fungi there were branchy lichens that were bright green and super cool. Most of the bushes or trees looked like they were struggling for water but Yosemite Falls was flowing pretty well all things considered from the previous rains, so this will probably start the plants to green out. Also, I only found one patch of them, but the Pixie Cups I found were so cool! I can't believe I spotted them.

Posted on March 5, 2014 09:24 PM by bburs