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ecoregions of california

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PRINCIPAL AUTHORS: Glenn E. Griffith (USGS), James M. Omernik (USGS), David W. Smith (NRCS), Terry D. Cook (NRCS-retired), Ed Tallyn (NRCS), Kendra Moseley (NRCS), and Colleen B. Johnson (Raytheon/SRA). COLLABORATORS AND CONTRIBUTORS: John Rogers (NRCS-retired), Sandra A. Bryce (Dynamac Corporation), James Weigand (BLM), Todd Keeler-Wolf (DFG), Thor Thorson (NRCS), Ben Sleeter (USGS), Julie Evens (CNPS), Robert K. Hall (USEPA), Hazel Gordon (USFS), Earl B. Alexander (Soils and Geoecology), James M. Harrington (DFG), Peter Ode (DFG), James Calzia (USGS), Randy Southard (UC-Davis), Toby O’Geen (UC-Davis), Dick McCleery (NRCS), Greg Suba (CNPS), Hugh Safford (USFS), Joseph Furnish (USFS), Alan J. Woods (Oregon State University), Tad Larsen (Raytheon/SRA), John Hutchinson (USGS), Jack Wittmann (USGS), and Thomas R. Loveland (USGS). CITING THIS POSTER: Griffith, G.E., Omernik, J.M., Smith, D.W., Cook, T.D., Tallyn, E., Moseley, K., and Johnson, C.B., 2011(draft), Ecoregions of California (color poster with map, descriptive text, and photographs): Menlo Park, Californa, U.S. Geological Survey (map scale 1:1,100,000). This project was partially supported by funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX, Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) program. Santa Cruz Island San Clemente Island Santa Miguel Island San Nicolas Island Santa Catalina Island Santa Rosa Island Santa Barbara Island Anacapa Island Farallon Islands Goose Lake Shasta Lake Honey Lake Clear Lake Lake Tahoe Mono Lake Lake Mead Salton Sea Sacramento River Owens Lake Isabella Lake Owens River Mojave River C o l o r a d o R i v e r SAN PABLO BAY MONTEREY BAY SANTA MONICA BAY SAN FRANCISCO BAY Lake Berryessa Pyramid Lake Lake Almanor Eagle Lake Clear Lake Reservoir Lower Klamath Lake Tule Lake Sump Folsom Lake Camanche Reservoir Lake Oroville Don Pedro Reservoir Lake McClure San Luis Reservoir Millerton Lake Pine Flat Reservoir Lake Kaweah Lake Success Lake Crowley Walker Lake SAN PEDRO BAY DRAKES BAY Pi t t R i v e r P i t t R i v e r Kl a m a t h R i v e r K l a m a t h R i v e r T r i n i t y R i v e r M a d Ri v e r E e l R i v e r M a t t o l e R i v e r E e l R i v e r R u s s i a n R i v e r F e a t h e r R i v e r T r u c k e e R i v e r C a r s o n Ri v e r W a l k e r R i v e r A ma r g o s a R i v e r S a n t a M a r g a rita R iver S a n L u is Rey R i v e r S a n D i e g o R iver S a n t a A n a R i v e r Big Bear Lake Lake Arrowhead Lake Cachuma S a n t a Y nez River C u y a m a R i v e r Santa M a r i a R iv e r Twitchell Reservoir Lake Nacimiento Lake San Antonio C a l i f o r n i a A q u e d u c t Sa n J o a q u i n R i v e r K i n g s R i v e r K e r n R i v e r Me rc e d R i v e r M e r c e d Ri v er Tu ol umne R i v e r S t a n i s l a u s R i v e r S a n J o aq ui n Ri v e r M okelu m n e R i v e r C o n s u m n e s R i v e r Am e r i c a n R iv e r B e a r R i v e r Y u b a R i v e r L o s A n g e l e s A q u e d uc t C a l i f o r n i a A q u e d u c t S a n G a b r i el R i v e r L o s A n g e l e s R i v e r Lake Henshaw El Capitan Lake Barrett Lake Morena Reservoir Lake Hodges ESTERO BAY SAN LUIS OBISPO BAY Golden Gate Lake Havasu Lake Mohave C o l o r a d o R i v e r P A C I F I C O C E A N S a n F elipe C r e e k A l a m o R i v e r N e w R iv e r R i v er Aquedu c t C o l o r ado C h e m e h u e v i W a s h Danby Lake Bristol Lake Rogers Lake Searles Lake S a l m o n R i v e r C r e e k C a c he R e d w o o d C r e e k N o y o Ri v e r B i g R i v e r N avarr o R i v e r Suisun Bay E s t r e l l a R i v e r S a l i n a s R i ve r S a n B e n i t o Ri v e r S h a s t a R i v e r T u l e R i v e r F r e s n o S l o u g h S i s q u oc R i v e r Lake Casitas Castaic Lake Santa Clara R iv e r S e s p e C r e e k C a r r i z o W a s h S A N TA B A R B A R A C H A N N E L D E AT H V A L L E Y I M P E R I A L V A L L E Y Point Conception Point Arquello Point Loma Point Sur Point Reyes Bodega Head Point Arena Trinidad Head Point St. George S A N J O A Q U IN V A L L E Y S A C R A M E N T O V A L L E Y A M A R G O S A D E S E R T A N T E L O P E VA L L E Y Dana Point Point Dume Point Lobos WH I T E M O U N T A I N S PA N A M I N T R A N G E P A N A M I N T V A L L E Y COACHEL L A VAL L E Y CHUCKWAL L A VAL L E Y W A RD VA L L E Y LANFAIR VALLEY E U R E K A V A L L E Y A R G U S R A N G E COS O R A N G E S A N J A C I N T O M T S S A N BERNARDI NO MOUNTAI NS S A N GABR I EL MOUNTAI NS S A N T A Y N E Z M O U N T AI N S S A N R A FA E L M O U N T A I N S S I E R R A MA D R E M O U N T A I N S T E H A C H A P I M O U N T A I N S S A N T A L U C I A R A N G E D I A B L O R A N G E S A N TA C R U Z M O U N T A I N S K I N G R A N G E S A N T A M O N I C A M O U NTAI NS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Z Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anaheim San Diego Santa Ana Long Beach Alturas Riverside Los Angeles Las Vegas Fresno San Jose San Francisco Oakland Sacramento Carson City Redding Eureka Crescent City Susanville Red Bluff Chico Ukiah Santa Rosa Napa Fairfield Vallejo Concord Stockton Hayward Modesto Santa Cruz Salinas San Luis Obispo Santa Maria Bakersfield Visalia Lancaster Santa Barbara Oxnard Pasadena San Bernardino Victorville Merced Tijuana El Centro Mexicali Yuma Reno Oceanside Monterey Fallon Hawthorne Bridgeport Tonopah Goldfield Pahrump Henderson Laughlin Yreka Weed Mount Shasta Dunsmuir Yuba City Paradise Quincy Grass Valley Calexico Brawley Arcata Ventura Camarillo Santa Paula Thousand Oaks Burbank Santa Clarita Ontario Palmdale Huntington Beach Escondido Temecula Indio Palm Springs Barstow El Cajon Chula Vista Encinitas Bishop Davis Placerville Auburn Lodi South Lake Tahoe Santa Clara Berkeley Fremont Livermore Los Banos Tracy Lompoc Paso Robles Fort Bragg Needles Blythe San Rafael NEVADA NEVADA OREGON UTAH NEVADA ARIZONA BAJA CALIFORNIA MEXICO Yosemite National Park # Lassen Volcanic National Park # Redwood National Park # Kings Canyon National Park # Sequoia National Park # Death Valley National Park # Joshua Tree National Park # Mojave National Preserve # 78a 9g 9g 9h 9h 9i 9j 9j 5c 5c 13x 13aa 9t 78g 78h 78h 78e 78a 4f 1i 78d 9g 9m 13h 80g 80g 80g 80d 13x 13y 13x 14h 14b 14c 14f 13u 14g 14b 14b 14b 14b 14e 13y 13v 13v 13w 81g 5b 13y 13h 13y 13y 13ac 13y 1h 78b 78b 78f 78f 78b 13j 14-L3 81-L3 80d 80e 80j 80j 80j 80d 80j 80d 80j 13l 13k 13h 13k 13k 13k 13k 13k 80j 13k 13l 13z 13l 13l 13k 13l 80j 80a 80a 13m 80j 80j 80a 80b 13a 80a 80a 13b 13c 13c 13c 13c 13c 13d 13d 13a 13a 13a 13a 13a 13a 13b 13b 13b 13b 13b 13c 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13n 13p 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13a 13e 13a 13a 13b 13b 13d 13d 13e 13p 13e 13e 13a 13a 13e 13e 13e 13c 13c 13g 13e 13e 13e 13a 13e 13a 13e 13e 13e 13e 13p 13e 13h 13a 13e 13e 13e 13b 13k 13k 13g 13l 13r 13l 13l 13s 13t 13s 13h 13s 13s 13s 13h 13s 13t 13s 13s 13s 13h 13k 13g 13y 13x 13w 13w 13w 13w 13w 13s 13v 13w 13w 13h 13t 13h 13u 13w 13w 13v 13u 13h 13w 13w 13e 13q 13p 13a 13d 14a 14c 14d 14c 14e 14d 14b 14a 22d 22 14 14a 14a 14a 14c 14b 14c 13e 80d 80j 80j 80j 80j 80j 80l 80j 80l 80j 80a 80k 80k 80k 80k 80k 80b 80b 80b 13o 13q 13g 13b 13q 13q 13q 13q 13q 13o 13q 13g 13b 13b 13e 13b 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13p 13q 13b 13q 13q 13d 13c 13c 13g 13d 13e 13q 13q 13q 13e 13l 80j 80j 80j 80j 80j 13h 13k 13l 13k 13k 13h 13k 13h 13l 13h 13x 13j 13h 13k 13l 13k 13k 13k 13l 13k 13h 13l 13l 13l 13h 13l 13h 13g 13h 13k 13x 13x 13x 13x 13k 13k 13h 13h 13k 13k 13x 13v 13v 13h 13h 13k 13k 13k 13t 13t 13z 13s 13t 13s 13z 13s 13s 13z 13t 13s 13l 13h 13t 13t 13t 13t 13s 13t 13t 13t 13h 13h 13t 13t 13t 13t 13t 13t 13h 13t 13z 13t 13t 13t 13s 13t 13z 13t 13z 13q 13b 13b 13q 13q 13s 13q 13s 13s 13q 13e 13e 13q 13e 13e 13e 13e 13b 13e 13e 13b 13q 13b 13q 13p 13p 13a 13q 13q 13q 13q 13b 13q 13q 13b 13c 13c 13c 13b 13q 13d 13d 14b 13v 13v 13q 13h 13r 13r 13r 13w 13v 14b 14b 14b 14f 14b 14b 14f 14c 14b 14b 14f 14b 14b 14b 14b 14b 14b 14b 14b 14f 14b 14b 14b 13g 14b 14b 14c 14f 14b 14b 13h 13h 13h 13h 13w 13h 13h 13v 13v 13h 13v 13s 13s 13h 13v 13w 13v 13h 13w 13v 13v 13v 13h 13h 13s 13s 13l 13l 13s 13t 13t 13h 13t 13e 13e 13q 13e 13g 13g 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 13e 80h 80h 80c 1a 13y 13y 22 22 1a 1a 9g 9h 9i 9j 1l 1k 6m 6l 6g 6h 7a 7b 7g 7a 7b 7c 1m 1k 6o 6s 6t 6r 6p 6x 1n 1o 6q 1m 8a 6ap 6aq 85a 6aq 6ai 85i 6i 6j 6k 6g 6l 6k 6g 6k 6q 7j 6n 6p 7h 7h 7c 7a 7l 7k 6d 6b 5h 5c 5g 5b 5a 5c 5f 6a 4h 7a 7f 5e 5c 5c 5d 5b 5b 5c 5f 13ab 13aa 9t 78g 78h 78e 6w 6v 6y 6af 6ah 6ag 6al 6r 6z 6aa 6aa 6aa 6ab 7q 7o 7m 7p 7d 6aj 6u 7n 6c 6am 6ao 6ak 6an 6ac 6ab 1i 78d 1j 9g 9m 78q 78r 6f 6e 7a 7e 13h 80g 80j 80j 80j 80d 9p 5c 5c 5c 5c 9q 9r 9l 4g 4f 4f 4f 4f 4f 4e 4f 4e 4e 4e 4e 4d 78k 80d 9n 9o 9l 9l 9l 4f 4f 78l 4e 4e 4g 9g 9s 78l 4d 4e 4e 4g 9k 78l 78n 78o 78p 78a 78k 78k 78o 78m 78o 78l 78l 78d 78o 78i 78o 78o 78d 78k 78k 78d 78j 78d 78j 78i 78d 78i 78l 78l 78l 78l 78l 78j 78d 78d 5c 5c 13x 13x 14f 5j 14l 14k 14f 14j 14l 14l 14l 14f 14j 14l 14l 14m 14l 14h 14i 14b 14c 14b 14l 13u 14b 14f 14g 14b 14f 14b 14b 14n 14b 14b 14c 14b 14c 14b 14a 14b 14b 14b 14e 14b 14b 14c 14c 14c 14o 14b 14f 14a 14b 14o 14b 14b 14b 14j 14b 14k 14j 14j 14f 14k 14k 14f 14k 14k 14f 14k 14k 14f 14k 14f 14k 14k 14n 14f 14k 14k 8e 8c 8f 85d 85c 85c 85l 85k 8d 8d 14f 14k 14f 85l 85l 8d 8f 8d 14k 14k 14k 14f 81e 14b 14b 14k 14k 14f 14n 14n 14f 14n 14a 14b 14b 14b 14b 14f 14b 14b 14b 14f 14b 14b 14j 14b 14a 14b 14a 14b 14f 14b 85c 85j 85j 85j 85i 14k 14f 6ad 14k 8f 8f 8f 8f 8f 85c 85c 85c 8f 85b 8b 8b 13x 13y 13y 13v 14j 14f 14a 14b 14f 14b 13u 14j 81g 81j 81i 81i 81d 81j 81f 81c 81a 81a 81a 81b 81b 85h 8f 8e 8f 85g 85f 85e 81j 81i 81i 81i 81d 81i 81i 81d 81i 81i 81i 14b 81i 81i 81i 14b 81i 14b 14b 14o 14f 14o 14f 14o 14a 14n 14b 14f 14f 14n 14b 14c 14c 14o 81b 81a 8f 8f 8f 8f 8f 8f 8d 85k 85l 85l 85l 85l 85m 13y 13ad 13aa 13y 5b 5a 5k 5i 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5m 5n 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5k 5a 5l 13aa 13ac 13ae 13ad 13y 13v 13y 5l 5o 5n 5m 5i 5m 5l 5l 6ae 7s 7s 7t 7v 7r 7v 7u 5a 5k 5k 7d 7d 7d 7d 14b 14k 14k 14k 14k 14k 81h 78i 78j 13aa 6l 6h 6f 6t 6aa 6z 6ai 6ap 8a 85c 8g 8c 8e 14j 8e 85k 81g 81j 81j 14h 5j 5n 5i 5k 5l 5l 5i 6k 5c 5c 78d 78m 14a 6b 7a 5f 5f 7e 6ab 6ar 14a 81h 81h 14o 14o 14o 14o 85i 78i 78e 85e 81a 81g 14a 14a 5m 5m 5n 5k 5d 4f 4f 14h 85f 6r 7d 81k 14b 14a 14k 1m 85j 5m 5l 13x 114° 115° 115° 116° 116° 117° 117° 118° 118° 119° 119° 120° 120° 121° 121° 122° 122° 123° 123° 124° 124° 42° 42° 41° 41° 40° 40° 39° 39° 38° 38° 37° 37° 36° 36° 35° 35° 34° 34° 33° 33° 1 Coast Range 1a Coastal Lowlands 1i Northern Franciscan Redwood Forest 1j King Range/Mattole Basin 1k Coastal Franciscan Redwood Forest 1l Fort Bragg/Fort Ross Terraces 1m Point Reyes/Farallon Islands 1n Santa Cruz Mountains 1o San Mateo Coastal Hills 4 Cascades 4d Cascade Subalpine/Alpine 4e High Southern Cascades Montane Forest 4f Low Southern Cascades Mixed Conifer Forest 4g California Cascades Eastside Conifer Forest 4h Southern Cascades Foothills 5 Sierra Nevada 5a Sierran Alpine 5b Northern Sierra Subalpine Forests 5c Northern Sierra Upper Montane Forests 5d Northern Sierra Mid-Montane Forests 5e Northern Sierra Lower Montane Forests 5f Northeastern Sierra Mixed Conifer-Pine Forests 5g Central Sierra Mid-Montane Forests 5h Central Sierra Lower Montane Forests 5i Eastern Sierra Great Basin Slopes 5j Eastern Sierra Mojavean Slopes 5k Southern Sierra Subalpine Forests 5l Southern Sierra Upper Montane Forests 5m Southern Sierra Mid-Montane Forests 5n Southern Sierra Lower Montane Forest and Woodland 5o Tehachapi Mountains 6 Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains 6a Tuscan Flows 6b Northern Sierran Foothills 6c Southern Sierran Foothills 6d Camanche Terraces 6e Tehama Terraces 6f Foothill Ridges and Valleys 6g North Coast Range Eastern Slopes 6h Western Valley Foothills/Dunnigan Hills 6i Clear Lake Hills and Valleys 6j Mayacmas Mountains 6k Napa-Sonoma-Lake Volcanic Highlands 6l Napa-Sonoma-Russian River Valleys 6m Sonoma-Mendocino Mixed Forest 6n Bodega Coastal Hills 6o Marin Hills 6p Bay Flats 6q Suisun Terraces and Low Hills 6r East Bay Hills/Western Diablo Range 6s San Francisco Peninsula 6t Bay Terraces/Lower Santa Clara Valley 6u Livermore Hills and Valleys 6v Upper Santa Clara Valley 6w Monterey Bay Plains and Terraces 6x Leeward Hills/Western Diablo Range 6y Gabilan Range 6z Diablo Range 6aa Eastern Hills 6ab Pleasant Valley/Kettleman Plain 6ac Temblor Range/Elk Hills 6ad Grapevine Transition 6ae Tehachapi Foothills 6af Salinas Valley 6ag Northern Santa Lucia Range 6ah Santa Lucia Coastal Forest and Woodland 6ai Interior Santa Lucia Range 6aj Southern Santa Lucia Range 6ak Paso Robles Hills and Valleys 6al Salinas-Cholame Hills 6am Cuyama Valley 6an Carrizo Plain 6ao Caliente Range 6ap Solomon-Purisima-Santa Ynez Hills 6aq Santa Maria/Santa Ynez Valleys 6ar Upper Sacramento River Alluvium 13 Central Basin and Range 13h Lahontan and Tonapah Playas 13u Tonopah Basin 13v Tonopah Sagebrush Foothills 13x Sierra Nevada-Influenced Ranges 13y Sierra Nevada-Influenced High Elevation Mountains 13aa Sierra Nevada-Influenced Semiarid Hills and Basins 13ab Sierra Valley 13ac Upper Owens Valley 13ad Mono-Adobe Valleys 13ae Bishop Volcanic Tableland 14 Mojave Basin and Range 14a Eastern Mojave Basins 14b Eastern Mojave Low Ranges and Arid Footslopes 14c Eastern Mojave Mountain Woodland and Shrubland 14e Arid Valleys and Canyonlands 14f Mojave Playas 14g Amargosa Desert 14h Death Valley/Mojave Central Trough 14i Mesquite Flat/Badwater Basin 14j Western Mojave Basins 14k Western Mojave Low Ranges and Arid Footslopes 14l Western Mojave Mountain Woodland and Shrubland 14m Western Mojave High Elevation Mountains 14n Mojave Lava Fields 14o Mojave Sand Dunes 78 Klamath Mountains/California High North Coast Range 78a Rogue/Illinois/Scott Valleys 78d Serpentine Siskiyous 78e Inland Siskiyous 78g Klamath River Ridges 78h Border High-Siskiyous 78i Western Klamath Low Elevation Forests 78j Western Klamath Montane Forests 78k Eastern Klamath Low Elevation Forests 78l Eastern Klamath Montane Forests 78m Marble/Salmon Mountains-Trinity Alps 78n Scott Mountains 78o Klamath Subalpine 78p Duzel Rock 78q Outer North Coast Ranges 78r High North Coast Ranges 80 Northern Basin and Range 80d Pluvial Lake Basins 80g High Lava Plains 80j Semiarid Uplands 9 Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills 9g Klamath/Goose Lake Basins 9h Fremont Pine/Fir Forest 9i Southern Cascades Slope 9j Klamath Juniper Woodland/Devils Garden 9k Shasta Valley 9l Pit River Valleys 9m Warner Mountains 9n High Elevation Warner Mountains 9o Likely Tableland 9p Modoc/Lassen Juniper-Shrub Hills and Mountains 9q Adin/Horsehead Mountains Forest and Woodland 9r Adin/Dixie Low Hills 9s Modoc Lava Flows and Buttes 9t Old Cascades 81 Sonoran Basin and Range 81a Western Sonoran Mountains 81b Western Sonoran Mountain Woodland and Shrubland 81c Western Sonoran Basins 81d Sand Hills/Sand Dunes 81e Upper Coachella Valley and Hills 81f Imperial/Lower Coachella Valleys 81g Lower Colorado/Gila River Valleys 81h Sonoran Playas 81i Central Sonoran/Colorado Desert Mountains 81j Central Sonoran/Colorado Desert Basins 81k Arizona Upland/Eastern Sonoran Mountains 85 Southern California/Northern Baja Coast 85a Santa Barbara Coastal Plain and Terraces 85b Oxnard Plain and Valleys 85c Venturan-Angeleno Coastal Hills 85d Los Angeles Plain 85e Diegan Coastal Terraces 85f Diegan Coastal Hills and Valleys 85g Diegan Western Granitic Foothills 85h Morena/Boundary Mountain Chaparral 85i Northern Channel Islands 85j Southern Channel Islands 85k Inland Valleys 85l Inland Hills 85m Santa Ana Mountains 7 Central California Valley 7a Northern Terraces 7b North Valley Alluvium 7c Butte Sink/Sutter and Colusa Basins 7d Southern Hardpan Terraces 7e Sacramento/Feather Riverine Alluvium 7f Sutter Buttes 7g Yolo Alluvial Fans 7h Yolo/American Basin 7j Delta 7k Lodi Alluvium 7l Stockton Basin 7m San Joaquin Basin 7n Manteca/Merced Alluvium 7o Westside Alluvial Fans and Terraces 7p Granitic Alluvial Fans and Terraces 7q Panoche and Cantua Fans and Basins 7r Tulare Basin/Fresno Slough 7s Kern Terraces 7t South Valley Alluvium 7u Antelope Plain 7v Southern Clayey Basins 8 Southern California Mountains 8a Western Transverse Range Lower Montane Shrub and Woodland 8b Western Transverse Range Montane Forest 8c Arid Montane Slopes 8d Southern California Subalpine/Alpine 8e Southern California Lower Montane Shrub and Woodland 8f Southern California Montane Conifer Forest 8g Northern Transverse Range Level III boundary Level IV boundary International boundary State boundary County boundary Photo credits (by ecoregion): (1) National Park Service, (4) Lyn Topinka, US Geological Survey, (5) Phil Gavenda, (6) Glenn Griffith, USGS, (7) Glenn Griffith, USGS, (8) US Forest Service, (9) US Forest Service, (13) Glenn Griffith, USGS, (14) National Park Service, (78) Glenn Griffith, USGS, (80) Mike Benzon, (81) Michael Charters, (85) Bruce Perry, California State University, Long Beach. 1. COAST RANGE Ecoregion 1 covers the coastal mountains of western Washington, western Oregon, and northwestern California. These low mountains are covered by highly productive, rain-drenched evergreen forests. Sitka spruce forests originally dominated the fog-shrouded coast, while a mosaic of western redcedar, western hemlock, and seral Douglas-fir blanketed inland areas. Today, Douglas-fir plantations are prevalent on the intensively logged and managed landscape. In California, redwood forests are a dominant component of the region, along with some hardwoods such as tanoak, madrone, bigleaf maple, California bay, and red alder. Beach pine and Bishop pine occur in many coastal sites. In Oregon and Washington, soils are typically Inceptisols and Andisols, while Alfisols are common in the California portion. Isomesic soil temperatures occur along the coast, and mesic soils occur inland in Oregon and Washington. Landslides and debris slides are common, and lithology influences land management strategies. Coastal headlands, high and low marine terraces, sand dunes, and beaches also characterize the region. 4. CASCADES This mountainous ecoregion stretches from the central portion of western Washington, through the spine of Oregon, and includes a disjunct area in northern California. It is underlain by Cenozoic volcanics and much of the region has been affected by alpine glaciation. Some peaks reach over 14,000 feet. Soils are mostly cryic and frigid temperature regimes, with some mesic at low elevations and in the south. Andisols and Inceptisols are common. The Cascades have a moist, temperate climate that supports an extensive and highly productive coniferous forest, with large areas intensively managed for logging. At lower elevations in Oregon and Washington, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, big leaf maple, and red alder are typical. At higher elevations, Pacific silver fir, mountain hemlock, subalpine fir, noble fir, and lodgepole pine occur. In southern Oregon and California, more incense cedar, white fir, and Shasta red fir occur along with other Sierran species. Jeffrey and ponderosa pines are found at many California Cascades mid-elevations. Subalpine meadows, conifers of whitebark pine and mountain hemlock, and rocky alpine zones occur at highest elevations. 5. SIERRA NEVADA Ecoregion 5 is a mountainous, deeply dissected, and westerly tilting fault block. The central and southern part of the region is largely composed of granitic rocks that are lithologically distinct from the mixed geology of Ecoregion 78 to west and the volcanic rocks of the Cascades (4) to the north. In the northern Sierra Nevada, however, the lithology has similarities to the Klamath Mountains. A high fault scarp divides the Sierra Nevada (5) from the Northern Basin and Range (80) and Central Basin and Range (13) to the east. Near this eastern fault scarp, the Sierra Nevada reaches its highest elevations. Here, moraines, cirques, and small lakes are common, being products of Pleistocene alpine glaciation. Large areas are above timberline, including the Mt. Whitney summit in California, the highest point in the conterminous United States at nearly 14,500 feet. The Sierra Nevada casts a rain shadow over Ecoregions 13 and 80 to the east. The ecoregion slopes more gently toward the Central California Valley (7) to the west. The vegetation grades from mostly ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir at the lower elevations on the west side, pines and Sierra juniper on the east side, to fir and other conifers at the higher elevations. Alpine conditions exist at the highest elevations. Large areas are publicly-owned federal land, including several national parks. 6. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FOOTHILLS AND COASTAL MOUNTAINS The primary distinguishing characteristic of this ecoregion is its Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers and cool moist winters, and associated vegetative cover comprising mainly chaparral and oak woodlands; grasslands occur in some lower elevations and patches of pine are found at higher elevations. Surrounding the lower and flatter Central California Valley (7), most of the region consists of open low mountains or foothills, but there are some areas of irregular plains and some narrow valleys. Large areas are in ranch lands and grazed by domestic livestock. Relatively little land has been cultivated, although some valleys are major agricultural centers such as the Salinas or the wine vineyard center of Napa and Sonoma. Natural vegetation includes coast live oak woodlands, Coulter pine, and unique native stands of Monterey pine in the west, and blue oak, black oak, and grey pine woodlands to the east. 7. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA VALLEY Flat, intensively farmed plains having long, hot dry summers and mild winters distinguish the Central California Valley from its neighboring ecoregions that are either hilly or mountainous, forest or shrub covered, and generally nonagricultural. It includes the flat valley basins of deep sediments adjacent to the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, as well as the fans and terraces around the edge of the valley. The two major rivers flow from opposite ends of the Central Valley, entering into the Delta and San Pablo Bay. The region once contained extensive prairies, oak savannas, desert grasslands in the south, riparian woodlands, freshwater marshes, and vernal pools. More than half of the region is now in cropland, about three fourths of which is irrigated. Environmental concerns in the region include salinity due to evaporation of irrigation water, groundwater contamination from heavy use of agricultural chemicals, wildlife and flora habitat losses, and urban sprawl. 9. EASTERN CASCADES SLOPES AND FOOTHILLS Ecoregion 9 is in the rainshadow of the Cascade Range. It has a more continental climate than ecoregions to the west, with greater temperature extremes, less precipitation, and frequent fires. Open forests of ponderosa pine, western juniper, and occasionally Jeffrey pine, are abundant at middle elevations. Lodgepole pine and western white pine are often present at highest elevations and distinguish this region from the higher ecoregions to the west where mountain hemlock and fir forests are common, and the lower, drier ecoregions to the east where xeric shrubs and grasslands are predominant. Historically, creeping ground fires consumed accumulated fuel and devastating crown fires were less common in dry forests. Volcanic cones, plateaus, and buttes are common in much of the region. A few areas of cropland and pastureland occur in the lake basins or larger river valleys, which also provide habitat for migrating waterfowl such as sandhill cranes, ducks, and geese. 13. CENTRAL BASIN AND RANGE Ecoregion 13 is composed of northerly trending, fault-block ranges and intervening, drier basins. In the higher mountains, woodland, mountain brush, and scattered open forest are found. Lower elevation basins, slopes, and alluvial fans are either shrub- and grass-covered, shrub-covered, or barren. The potential natural vegetation is, in order of decreasing elevation and ruggedness, scattered western spruce-fir forest, juniper woodland, Great Basin sagebrush, and saltbush-greasewood. The Central Basin and Range (13) is internally-drained by ephemeral streams and once contained ancient Lake Lahontan. In general, Ecoregion 13 is warmer and drier than the Northern Basin and Range (80) and has more shrubland and less grassland than the Snake River Plain (12). Soils grade upslope from mesic Aridisols to frigid Mollisols. The land is primarily used for grazing. In addition, some irrigated cropland is found in valleys near mountain water sources. The region is not as hot as the Mojave (14) and Sonoran Basin and Range (81) ecoregions and it has a greater percent of land that is grazed. 80. NORTHERN BASIN AND RANGE The Northern Basin and Range consists of dissected lava plains, rocky uplands, valleys, alluvial fans, and scattered mountain ranges. Overall, it is cooler and has more available moisture than the Central Basin and Range (13), and is also higher and cooler than the Snake River Plain (12) to the northeast in Idaho. Valleys support sagebrush steppe or saltbush vegetation. Cool season grasses, such as Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass are more common than in Ecoregion 13 to the south. Mollisols are also more common than in the hotter and drier basins of the Central Basin and Range (13) where Aridisols support sagebrush, shadscale, and greasewood. Juniper woodlands occur on rugged, stony uplands. Ranges are covered by mountain brush, grasses (e.g. Idaho fescue), aspen groves, and, at high elevations in Nevada, some forests with subalpine fir. Elevational banding of mountain vegetation is not as apparent as in Ecoregion 13. Most of Ecoregion 80 is used as rangeland. The western part of the ecoregion is internally drained; its eastern stream network drains to the Snake River system. 81. SONORAN BASIN AND RANGE Similar in topography to the Mojave Basin and Range to the north, this ecoregion contains scattered low mountains and has large tracts of federally owned land, a large portion of which is used for military training. However, the Sonoran Basin and Range is slightly hotter than the Mojave and contains large areas of palo verde-cactus shrub and giant saguaro cactus, whereas the potential natural vegetation in the Mojave is largely creosote bush. Other typical Sonoran plants include white bursage, ocotillo, brittlebrush, creosote bush, catclaw acacia, cholla, desert saltbush, pricklypear, and mesquite. Microphyll woodland trees and shrubs such as ironwood, blue palo verde, smoketree, and desert willow are generally unique to this desert, occupying desert washes with occasional moisture flow. Winter rainfall decreases from west to east, while summer rainfall decreases from east to west. Aridisols and Entisols are dominant with hyperthermic soil temperatures and extremely aridic soil moisture regimes, creating harsh environments for plant growth. 14. MOJAVE BASIN AND RANGE Stretching across southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwest Utah, and northwest Arizona, Ecoregion 14 is composed of broad basins and scattered mountains that are generally lower, warmer, and drier than those of the Central Basin and Range (13). Its creosote bush-dominated shrub community is distinct from the saltbush–greasewood and sagebrush–grass associations that occur to the north in the Central Basin and Range (13) and Northern Basin and Range (80); it is also differs from the palo verde–cactus shrub and saguaro cactus that occur in the Sonoran Basin and Range (81) to the south. In the Mojave, creosote bush, white bursage, Joshua-tree and other yuccas, and blackbrush are typical. On alkali flats, saltbush, saltgrass, alkali sacaton, and iodinebush are found. On mountains, sagebrush, juniper, and singleleaf pinyon occur. At high elevations, some ponderosa pine, white fir, limber pine, and some bristlecone pine are found. The basin soils are mostly Entisols and Aridisols that typically have a thermic temperature regime; they are warmer than those of Ecoregion 13. Heavy use of off-road vehicles and motorcycles in some areas has made the soils susceptible to wind and water erosion. Most of Ecoregion 14 is federally owned and grazing is constrained by the lack of water and forage for livestock. 78. KLAMATH MOUNTAINS/CALIFORNIA HIGH NORTH COAST RANGE Ecoregion 78 encompasses the highly dissected ridges, foothills, and valleys of the Klamath and Siskiyou mountains. It extends south into California to include the mixed conifer and montane hardwood forests that occur on mostly mesic soils in the North Coast Range mountains. The region’s mix of granitic, sedimentary, metamorphic, and extrusive rocks contrasts with the predominantly younger volcanic rocks of the Cascades (4) to the east. It includes ultramafic substrates such as serpentinite and mafic lithologies that directly affect vegetation. Most of the region was unglaciated during the Pleistocene epoch, when it likely served as a refuge for northern plant species. The regions diverse flora, a mosaic of both northern Californian and Pacific Northwestern conifers and hardwoods, is rich in endemic and relic species. The mild, subhumid climate of Ecoregion 78 is characterized by a lengthy summer drought. 85. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA/NORTHERN BAJA COAST This ecoregion includes coastal and alluvial plains, marine terraces, and some low hills in the coastal area of Southern California, and it extends over 200 miles south into Baja California. Coastal sage scrub and chaparral vegetation communities with many endemic species were once widespread before overgrazing, clearance for agriculture, and massive urbanization occurred. Coastal sage scrub includes chamise, white sage, black sage, California buckwheat, golden yarrow, and coastal cholla. Small stands of the unique Torrey pine occur near San Diego and on one of the Channel Islands. The chaparral-covered hills include ceanothus, manzanita, scrub oak, and mountain-mahogany. Coast live oak, canyon live oak, poison oak, and California black walnut also occur. 8. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS Similar to other ecoregions in central and southern California, the Southern California Mountains have a Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers and moist cool winters. Although Mediterranean types of vegetation such as chaparral and oak woodlands predominate in this region, the elevations are considerably higher, the summers are slightly cooler, and precipitation amounts are greater than in adjacent ecoregions, resulting in denser vegetation and some large areas of coniferous woodlands. In parts of the Transverse Range, a slope effect causes distinct ecological differences. The south-facing slope of the range has more precipitation (30-40 inches) than the north slope (15-20 inches), but high evaporation rates on the south side contribute to a cover of chaparral. On the north side of parts of the ecoregion, lower evaporation, lower annual temperatures, and slower snow melt allows for a coniferous forest that blends into desert montane habitats as it approaches the Mojave Desert ecoregion boundary. Conifer species such as Jeffrey, Coulter, and ponderosa pines occur, along with sugar pine, white fir, bigcone Douglas-fir, and, at highest elevations, some lodgepole and limber pine. Severe erosion problems are common where the vegetation cover has been removed by fire, overgrazing, or land clearing. Large portions of the region are National Forest public land. INTERIOR—GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, RESTON, VIRGINIA—2011 CA_poster-front_Dec2010_v7.1.ai 12-30-2010 100 0 100 50 Kilometers 0 100 50 Miles Scale 1:1,100,000 NAD 1983 California Teale Albers Projection Cleland, D.T., Freeouf, J.A., Keys, J.E., Jr., Nowacki, G.J., Carpenter, C., and McNab, W.H., 2007, Ecological subregions – sections and subsections of the conterminous United States: Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Agriculture–Forest Service, General Technical Report WO-76, scale 1:3,500,000. Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group, 1997, Ecological regions of North America - toward a common perspective: Montreal, Quebec, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 71 p. (Map updated 2006). Griffith, G.E., Omernik, J.M., Smith, D.W., Cook, T.D., Tallyn, E., Moseley, K., Sleeter, B., and Johnson, C.B., 2011(draft), Ecoregions of California: U.S. Geological Survey, Open File Report 2011-xxxx, xx p. McMahon, G., Gregonis, S.M., Waltman, S.W., Omernik, J.M., Thorson, T.D., Freeouf, J.A., Rorick, A.H., and Keys, J.E., 2001, Developing a spatial framework of common ecological regions for the conterminous United States: Environmental Management, v. 28, no. 3, p. 293-316. Miles, S.R., and Goudy, C.B., compilers, 1997, Ecological subregions of California: San Francisco, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, R5-EM-TP-005, and http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/ecoregions. Omernik, J.M., 1987, Ecoregions of the conterminous United States (map supplement): Annals of the Association of American Geographers, v. 77, no. 1, p. 118-125, scale 1:7,500,000. Omernik, J.M., 1995, Ecoregions - a spatial framework for environmental management, in Davis, W.S., and Simon, T.P., eds., Biological assessment and criteria-tools for water resource planning and decision making: Boca Raton, Florida, Lewis Publishers, p. 49-62. Omernik, J.M., Chapman, S.S., Lillie, R.A., and Dumke, R.T., 2000, Ecoregions of Wisconsin: Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, v. 88, no. 2000, p. 77-103. U.S. Department of Agriculture–Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2006, Land resource regions and major land resource areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin: Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, Agriculture Handbook 296, 669 p. + map. U.S. Department of Agriculture-Soil Conservation Service, 1981, Land resource regions and major land resource areas of the United States: Agriculture Handbook 296, 156 p. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010, Level III ecoregions of the continental United States (revision of Omernik, 1987): Corvallis, Oregon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Map M-1, various scales. Wiken, E., 1986, Terrestrial ecozones of Canada: Ottawa, Environment Canada, Ecological Land Classification Series no. 19, 26 p. Ecoregions denote areas of general similarity in ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. They are designed to serve as a spatial framework for the research, assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems and ecosystem components. By recognizing the spatial differences in the capacities and potentials of ecosystems, ecoregions stratify the environment by its probable response to disturbance (Bryce and others, 1999). These general purpose regions are critical for structuring and implementing ecosystem management strategies across federal agencies, state agencies, and nongovernment organizations that are responsible for different types of resources within the same geographical areas (Omernik and others, 2000). The approach used to compile this map is based on the premise that ecological regions are hierarchical and can be identified through the analysis of the spatial patterns and the composition of biotic and abiotic phenomena that affect or reflect differences in ecosystem quality and integrity (Wiken 1986; Omernik 1987, 1995). These phenomena include geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology. The relative importance of each characteristic varies from one ecological region to another regardless of the hierarchical level. A Roman numeral hierarchical scheme has been adopted for different levels of ecological regions. Level I is the coarsest level, dividing North America into 15 ecological regions. Level II divides the continent into 50 regions (Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group 1997, 2006). At level III, the continental United States contains 104 ecoregions and the conterminous United States has 84 ecoregions (United States Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA] 2003). Level IV, depicted here for the State of California, is a further refinement of level III ecoregions. Explanations of the methods used to define the USEPA’s ecoregions are given in Omernik (1995), Omernik and others (2000), and Griffith and others (2011). Ecological and biological diversity of California is enormous. The state contains offshore islands and coastal lowlands, large alluvial valleys, forested mountain ranges, deserts, and a variety of aquatic habitats. There are 13 level III ecoregions and 177 level IV ecoregions in California and most continue into ecologically similar parts of adjacent states in the U.S. or Mexico. The level III and IV ecoregions on this poster were compiled at a scale of 1:250,000 and depict revisions and subdivisions of earlier level III ecoregions that were originally compiled at a smaller scale (USEPA 2010; Omernik 1987). This poster is part of a collaborative project primarily among USEPA Region IX, USEPA National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (Corvallis, Oregon), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of the Interior-Geological Survey (USGS), and other State of California agencies and universities. The project is associated with interagency efforts to develop a common framework of ecological regions (McMahon and others, 2001). Reaching that objective requires recognition of the differences in the conceptual approaches and mapping methodologies applied to develop the most common ecoregion-type frameworks, including those developed by the USDA-Forest Service (Bailey and others, 1994, Miles and Goudy, 1997, Cleland and others 2007), the USEPA (Omernik 1987, 1995), and the NRCS (USDA-Soil Conservation Service, 1981, USDA–NRCS, 2006). As each of these frameworks is further refined, their differences are becoming less discernible. Regional collaborative projects such as this one in California, where some agreement has been reached among multiple resource management agencies, are a step toward attaining consensus and consistency in ecoregion frameworks for the entire nation. Literature Cited: Bailey, R.G., Avers, P.E., King, T., and McNab, W.H., eds., 1994, Ecoregions and subregions of the United States (map) (supplementary table of map unit descriptions compiled and edited by McNab, W.H., and Bailey, R.G.): Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, scale 1:7,500,000. Bryce, S.A., Omernik, J.M., and Larsen, D.P., 1999, Ecoregions - a geographic framework to guide risk characterization and ecosystem management: Environmental Practice, v. 1, no. 3, p. 141-155. Ecoregions of California DRAFT 4

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Page 1: Ecoregions of California

PRINCIPAL AUTHORS: Glenn E. Griffith (USGS), James M. Omernik (USGS), David W. Smith (NRCS), Terry D. Cook (NRCS-retired), Ed Tallyn (NRCS), Kendra Moseley (NRCS), and Colleen B. Johnson (Raytheon/SRA).

COLLABORATORS AND CONTRIBUTORS: John Rogers (NRCS-retired), Sandra A. Bryce (Dynamac Corporation), James Weigand (BLM), Todd Keeler-Wolf (DFG), Thor Thorson (NRCS), Ben Sleeter (USGS), Julie Evens (CNPS), Robert K. Hall (USEPA), Hazel Gordon (USFS), Earl B. Alexander (Soils and Geoecology), James M. Harrington (DFG), Peter Ode (DFG), James Calzia (USGS), Randy Southard (UC-Davis), Toby O’Geen (UC-Davis), Dick McCleery (NRCS), Greg Suba (CNPS), Hugh Safford (USFS), Joseph Furnish (USFS), Alan J. Woods (Oregon State University), Tad Larsen (Raytheon/SRA), John Hutchinson (USGS), Jack Wittmann (USGS), and Thomas R. Loveland (USGS).

CITING THIS POSTER: Griffith, G.E., Omernik, J.M., Smith, D.W., Cook, T.D., Tallyn, E., Moseley, K., and Johnson, C.B., 2011(draft), Ecoregions of California (color poster with map, descriptive text, and photographs): Menlo Park, Californa, U.S. Geological Survey (map scale 1:1,100,000).

This project was partially supported by funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX, Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) program.

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San Clemente Island

Santa Miguel Island

San Nicolas Island

Santa Catalina Island

Santa Rosa Island

Santa Barbara Island

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1 Coast Range1a Coastal Lowlands 1i Northern Franciscan Redwood Forest1j King Range/Mattole Basin1k Coastal Franciscan Redwood Forest1l Fort Bragg/Fort Ross Terraces1m Point Reyes/Farallon Islands1n Santa Cruz Mountains1o San Mateo Coastal Hills 4 Cascades4d Cascade Subalpine/Alpine 4e High Southern Cascades Montane Forest 4f Low Southern Cascades Mixed Conifer Forest4g California Cascades Eastside Conifer Forest4h Southern Cascades Foothills5 Sierra Nevada5a Sierran Alpine5b Northern Sierra Subalpine Forests5c Northern Sierra Upper Montane Forests5d Northern Sierra Mid-Montane Forests5e Northern Sierra Lower Montane Forests5f Northeastern Sierra Mixed Conifer-Pine Forests5g Central Sierra Mid-Montane Forests5h Central Sierra Lower Montane Forests5i Eastern Sierra Great Basin Slopes5j Eastern Sierra Mojavean Slopes5k Southern Sierra Subalpine Forests5l Southern Sierra Upper Montane Forests5m Southern Sierra Mid-Montane Forests5n Southern Sierra Lower Montane Forest and Woodland5o Tehachapi Mountains6 Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains6a Tuscan Flows 6b Northern Sierran Foothills6c Southern Sierran Foothills6d Camanche Terraces6e Tehama Terraces6f Foothill Ridges and Valleys 6g North Coast Range Eastern Slopes 6h Western Valley Foothills/Dunnigan Hills 6i Clear Lake Hills and Valleys6j Mayacmas Mountains6k Napa-Sonoma-Lake Volcanic Highlands 6l Napa-Sonoma-Russian River Valleys6m Sonoma-Mendocino Mixed Forest6n Bodega Coastal Hills6o Marin Hills6p Bay Flats6q Suisun Terraces and Low Hills6r East Bay Hills/Western Diablo Range6s San Francisco Peninsula6t Bay Terraces/Lower Santa Clara Valley6u Livermore Hills and Valleys 6v Upper Santa Clara Valley6w Monterey Bay Plains and Terraces6x Leeward Hills/Western Diablo Range 6y Gabilan Range6z Diablo Range6aa Eastern Hills6ab Pleasant Valley/Kettleman Plain6ac Temblor Range/Elk Hills6ad Grapevine Transition 6ae Tehachapi Foothills6af Salinas Valley6ag Northern Santa Lucia Range 6ah Santa Lucia Coastal Forest and Woodland6ai Interior Santa Lucia Range6aj Southern Santa Lucia Range6ak Paso Robles Hills and Valleys6al Salinas-Cholame Hills6am Cuyama Valley6an Carrizo Plain 6ao Caliente Range6ap Solomon-Purisima-Santa Ynez Hills6aq Santa Maria/Santa Ynez Valleys 6ar Upper Sacramento River Alluvium

13 Central Basin and Range13h Lahontan and Tonapah Playas13u Tonopah Basin13v Tonopah Sagebrush Foothills13x Sierra Nevada-Influenced Ranges13y Sierra Nevada-Influenced High Elevation Mountains13aa Sierra Nevada-Influenced Semiarid Hills and Basins13ab Sierra Valley13ac Upper Owens Valley13ad Mono-Adobe Valleys13ae Bishop Volcanic Tableland14 Mojave Basin and Range14a Eastern Mojave Basins 14b Eastern Mojave Low Ranges and Arid Footslopes 14c Eastern Mojave Mountain Woodland and Shrubland 14e Arid Valleys and Canyonlands 14f Mojave Playas 14g Amargosa Desert 14h Death Valley/Mojave Central Trough14i Mesquite Flat/Badwater Basin14j Western Mojave Basins14k Western Mojave Low Ranges and Arid Footslopes14l Western Mojave Mountain Woodland and Shrubland14m Western Mojave High Elevation Mountains14n Mojave Lava Fields14o Mojave Sand Dunes78 Klamath Mountains/California High North Coast Range78a Rogue/Illinois/Scott Valleys 78d Serpentine Siskiyous 78e Inland Siskiyous 78g Klamath River Ridges 78h Border High-Siskiyous78i Western Klamath Low Elevation Forests78j Western Klamath Montane Forests78k Eastern Klamath Low Elevation Forests78l Eastern Klamath Montane Forests78m Marble/Salmon Mountains-Trinity Alps78n Scott Mountains78o Klamath Subalpine78p Duzel Rock78q Outer North Coast Ranges78r High North Coast Ranges80 Northern Basin and Range80d Pluvial Lake Basins80g High Lava Plains80j Semiarid Uplands

9 Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills9g Klamath/Goose Lake Basins 9h Fremont Pine/Fir Forest 9i Southern Cascades Slope 9j Klamath Juniper Woodland/Devils Garden 9k Shasta Valley9l Pit River Valleys 9m Warner Mountains 9n High Elevation Warner Mountains9o Likely Tableland9p Modoc/Lassen Juniper-Shrub Hills and Mountains9q Adin/Horsehead Mountains Forest and Woodland9r Adin/Dixie Low Hills9s Modoc Lava Flows and Buttes9t Old Cascades

81 Sonoran Basin and Range81a Western Sonoran Mountains81b Western Sonoran Mountain Woodland and Shrubland81c Western Sonoran Basins81d Sand Hills/Sand Dunes81e Upper Coachella Valley and Hills81f Imperial/Lower Coachella Valleys81g Lower Colorado/Gila River Valleys81h Sonoran Playas81i Central Sonoran/Colorado Desert Mountains81j Central Sonoran/Colorado Desert Basins81k Arizona Upland/Eastern Sonoran Mountains85 Southern California/Northern Baja Coast85a Santa Barbara Coastal Plain and Terraces85b Oxnard Plain and Valleys85c Venturan-Angeleno Coastal Hills85d Los Angeles Plain85e Diegan Coastal Terraces 85f Diegan Coastal Hills and Valleys85g Diegan Western Granitic Foothills85h Morena/Boundary Mountain Chaparral85i Northern Channel Islands85j Southern Channel Islands85k Inland Valleys85l Inland Hills85m Santa Ana Mountains

7 Central California Valley7a Northern Terraces7b North Valley Alluvium 7c Butte Sink/Sutter and Colusa Basins 7d Southern Hardpan Terraces7e Sacramento/Feather Riverine Alluvium7f Sutter Buttes 7g Yolo Alluvial Fans7h Yolo/American Basin7j Delta7k Lodi Alluvium7l Stockton Basin7m San Joaquin Basin7n Manteca/Merced Alluvium7o Westside Alluvial Fans and Terraces7p Granitic Alluvial Fans and Terraces7q Panoche and Cantua Fans and Basins7r Tulare Basin/Fresno Slough7s Kern Terraces7t South Valley Alluvium7u Antelope Plain 7v Southern Clayey Basins8 Southern California Mountains8a Western Transverse Range Lower Montane Shrub and Woodland8b Western Transverse Range Montane Forest8c Arid Montane Slopes8d Southern California Subalpine/Alpine8e Southern California Lower Montane Shrub and Woodland8f Southern California Montane Conifer Forest8g Northern Transverse Range

Level III boundaryLevel IV boundaryInternational boundaryState boundaryCounty boundary

Photo credits (by ecoregion): (1) National Park Service, (4) Lyn Topinka, US Geological Survey, (5) Phil Gavenda, (6) Glenn Griffith, USGS, (7) Glenn Griffith, USGS, (8) US Forest Service, (9) US Forest Service, (13) Glenn Griffith, USGS, (14) National Park Service, (78) Glenn Griffith, USGS, (80) Mike Benzon, (81) Michael Charters, (85) Bruce Perry, California State University, Long Beach.

1. COAST RANGEEcoregion 1 covers the coastal mountains of western Washington, western Oregon, and northwestern California. These low mountains are covered by highly productive, rain-drenched evergreen forests. Sitka spruce forests originally dominated the fog-shrouded coast, while a mosaic of western redcedar, western hemlock, and seral Douglas-fir blanketed inland areas. Today, Douglas-fir plantations are prevalent on the intensively logged and managed landscape. In California, redwood forests are a dominant component of the region, along with some hardwoods such as tanoak, madrone, bigleaf maple, California bay, and red alder. Beach pine and Bishop pine occur in many coastal sites. In Oregon and Washington, soils are typically Inceptisols and Andisols, while Alfisols are common in the California portion. Isomesic soil temperatures occur along the coast, and mesic soils occur inland in Oregon and Washington. Landslides and debris slides are common, and lithology influences land management strategies. Coastal headlands, high and low marine terraces, sand dunes, and beaches also characterize the region.

4. CASCADESThis mountainous ecoregion stretches from the central portion of western Washington, through the spine of Oregon, and includes a disjunct area in northern California. It is underlain by Cenozoic volcanics and much of the region has been affected by alpine glaciation. Some peaks reach over 14,000 feet. Soils are mostly cryic and frigid temperature regimes, with some mesic at low elevations and in the south. Andisols and Inceptisols are common. The Cascades have a moist, temperate climate that supports an extensive and highly productive coniferous forest, with large areas intensively managed for logging. At lower elevations in Oregon and Washington, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, big leaf maple, and red alder are typical. At higher elevations, Pacific silver fir, mountain hemlock, subalpine fir, noble fir, and lodgepole pine occur. In southern Oregon and California, more incense cedar, white fir, and Shasta red fir occur along with other Sierran species. Jeffrey and ponderosa pines are found at many California Cascades mid-elevations. Subalpine meadows, conifers of whitebark pine and mountain hemlock, and rocky alpine zones occur at highest elevations.

5. SIERRA NEVADAEcoregion 5 is a mountainous, deeply dissected, and westerly tilting fault block. The central and southern part of the region is largely composed of granitic rocks that are lithologically distinct from the mixed geology of Ecoregion 78 to west and the volcanic rocks of the Cascades (4) to the north. In the northern Sierra Nevada, however, the lithology has similarities to the Klamath Mountains. A high fault scarp divides the Sierra Nevada (5) from the Northern Basin and Range (80) and Central Basin and Range (13) to the east. Near this eastern fault scarp, the Sierra Nevada reaches its highest elevations. Here, moraines, cirques, and small lakes are common, being products of Pleistocene alpine glaciation. Large areas are above timberline, including the Mt. Whitney summit in California, the highest point in the conterminous United States at nearly 14,500 feet. The Sierra Nevada casts a rain shadow over Ecoregions 13 and 80 to the east. The ecoregion slopes more gently toward the Central California Valley (7) to the west. The vegetation grades from mostly ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir at the lower elevations on the west side, pines and Sierra juniper on the east side, to fir and other conifers at the higher elevations. Alpine conditions exist at the highest elevations. Large areas are publicly-owned federal land, including several national parks.

6. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FOOTHILLS AND COASTAL MOUNTAINSThe primary distinguishing characteristic of this ecoregion is its Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers and cool moist winters, and associated vegetative cover comprising mainly chaparral and oak woodlands; grasslands occur in some lower elevations and patches of pine are found at higher elevations. Surrounding the lower and flatter Central California Valley (7), most of the region consists of open low mountains or foothills, but there are some areas of irregular plains and some narrow valleys. Large areas are in ranch lands and grazed by domestic livestock. Relatively little land has been cultivated, although some valleys are major agricultural centers such as the Salinas or the wine vineyard center of Napa and Sonoma. Natural vegetation includes coast live oak woodlands, Coulter pine, and unique native stands of Monterey pine in the west, and blue oak, black oak, and grey pine woodlands to the east.

7. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA VALLEYFlat, intensively farmed plains having long, hot dry summers and mild winters distinguish the Central California Valley from its neighboring ecoregions that are either hilly or mountainous, forest or shrub covered, and generally nonagricultural. It includes the flat valley basins of deep sediments adjacent to the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, as well as the fans and terraces around the edge of the valley. The two major rivers flow from opposite ends of the Central Valley, entering into the Delta and San Pablo Bay. The region once contained extensive prairies, oak savannas, desert grasslands in the south, riparian woodlands, freshwater marshes, and vernal pools. More than half of the region is now in cropland, about three fourths of which is irrigated. Environmental concerns in the region include salinity due to evaporation of irrigation water, groundwater contamination from heavy use of agricultural chemicals, wildlife and flora habitat losses, and urban sprawl.

9. EASTERN CASCADES SLOPES AND FOOTHILLSEcoregion 9 is in the rainshadow of the Cascade Range. It has a more continental climate than ecoregions to the west, with greater temperature extremes, less precipitation, and frequent fires. Open forests of ponderosa pine, western juniper, and occasionally Jeffrey pine, are abundant at middle elevations. Lodgepole pine and western white pine are often present at highest elevations and distinguish this region from the higher ecoregions to the west where mountain hemlock and fir forests are common, and the lower, drier ecoregions to the east where xeric shrubs and grasslands are predominant. Historically, creeping ground fires consumed accumulated fuel and devastating crown fires were less common in dry forests. Volcanic cones, plateaus, and buttes are common in much of the region. A few areas of cropland and pastureland occur in the lake basins or larger river valleys, which also provide habitat for migrating waterfowl such as sandhill cranes, ducks, and geese.

13. CENTRAL BASIN AND RANGEEcoregion 13 is composed of northerly trending, fault-block ranges and intervening, drier basins. In the higher mountains, woodland, mountain brush, and scattered open forest are found. Lower elevation basins, slopes, and alluvial fans are either shrub- and grass-covered, shrub-covered, or barren. The potential natural vegetation is, in order of decreasing elevation and ruggedness, scattered western spruce-fir forest, juniper woodland, Great Basin sagebrush, and saltbush-greasewood. The Central Basin and Range (13) is internally-drained by ephemeral streams and once contained ancient Lake Lahontan. In general, Ecoregion 13 is warmer and drier than the Northern Basin and Range (80) and has more shrubland and less grassland than the Snake River Plain (12). Soils grade upslope from mesic Aridisols to frigid Mollisols. The land is primarily used for grazing. In addition, some irrigated cropland is found in valleys near mountain water sources. The region is not as hot as the Mojave (14) and Sonoran Basin and Range (81) ecoregions and it has a greater percent of land that is grazed.

80. NORTHERN BASIN AND RANGE The Northern Basin and Range consists of dissected lava plains, rocky uplands, valleys, alluvial fans, and scattered mountain ranges. Overall, it is cooler and has more available moisture than the Central Basin and Range (13), and is also higher and cooler than the Snake River Plain (12) to the northeast in Idaho. Valleys support sagebrush steppe or saltbush vegetation. Cool season grasses, such as Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass are more common than in Ecoregion 13 to the south. Mollisols are also more common than in the hotter and drier basins of the Central Basin and Range (13) where Aridisols support sagebrush, shadscale, and greasewood. Juniper woodlands occur on rugged, stony uplands. Ranges are covered by mountain brush, grasses (e.g. Idaho fescue), aspen groves, and, at high elevations in Nevada, some forests with subalpine fir. Elevational banding of mountain vegetation is not as apparent as in Ecoregion 13. Most of Ecoregion 80 is used as rangeland. The western part of the ecoregion is internally drained; its eastern stream network drains to the Snake River system.

81. SONORAN BASIN AND RANGESimilar in topography to the Mojave Basin and Range to the north, this ecoregion contains scattered low mountains and has large tracts of federally owned land, a large portion of which is used for military training. However, the Sonoran Basin and Range is slightly hotter than the Mojave and contains large areas of palo verde-cactus shrub and giant saguaro cactus, whereas the potential natural vegetation in the Mojave is largely creosote bush. Other typical Sonoran plants include white bursage, ocotillo, brittlebrush, creosote bush, catclaw acacia, cholla, desert saltbush, pricklypear, and mesquite. Microphyll woodland trees and shrubs such as ironwood, blue palo verde, smoketree, and desert willow are generally unique to this desert, occupying desert washes with occasional moisture flow. Winter rainfall decreases from west to east, while summer rainfall decreases from east to west. Aridisols and Entisols are dominant with hyperthermic soil temperatures and extremely aridic soil moisture regimes, creating harsh environments for plant growth.

14. MOJAVE BASIN AND RANGEStretching across southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwest Utah, and northwest Arizona, Ecoregion 14 is composed of broad basins and scattered mountains that are generally lower, warmer, and drier than those of the Central Basin and Range (13). Its creosote bush-dominated shrub community is distinct from the saltbush–greasewood and sagebrush–grass associations that occur to the north in the Central Basin and Range (13) and Northern Basin and Range (80); it is also differs from the palo verde–cactus shrub and saguaro cactus that occur in the Sonoran Basin and Range (81) to the south. In the Mojave, creosote bush, white bursage, Joshua-tree and other yuccas, and blackbrush are typical. On alkali flats, saltbush, saltgrass, alkali sacaton, and iodinebush are found. On mountains, sagebrush, juniper, and singleleaf pinyon occur. At high elevations, some ponderosa pine, white fir, limber pine, and some bristlecone pine are found. The basin soils are mostly Entisols and Aridisols that typically have a thermic temperature regime; they are warmer than those of Ecoregion 13. Heavy use of off-road vehicles and motorcycles in some areas has made the soils susceptible to wind and water erosion. Most of Ecoregion 14 is federally owned and grazing is constrained by the lack of water and forage for livestock.

78. KLAMATH MOUNTAINS/CALIFORNIA HIGH NORTH COAST RANGEEcoregion 78 encompasses the highly dissected ridges, foothills, and valleys of the Klamath and Siskiyou mountains. It extends south into California to include the mixed conifer and montane hardwood forests that occur on mostly mesic soils in the North Coast Range mountains. The region’s mix of granitic, sedimentary, metamorphic, and extrusive rocks contrasts with the predominantly younger volcanic rocks of the Cascades (4) to the east. It includes ultramafic substrates such as serpentinite and mafic lithologies that directly affect vegetation. Most of the region was unglaciated during the Pleistocene epoch, when it likely served as a refuge for northern plant species. The regions diverse flora, a mosaic of both northern Californian and Pacific Northwestern conifers and hardwoods, is rich in endemic and relic species. The mild, subhumid climate of Ecoregion 78 is characterized by a lengthy summer drought.

85. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA/NORTHERN BAJA COASTThis ecoregion includes coastal and alluvial plains, marine terraces, and some low hills in the coastal area of Southern California, and it extends over 200 miles south into Baja California. Coastal sage scrub and chaparral vegetation communities with many endemic species were once widespread before overgrazing, clearance for agriculture, and massive urbanization occurred. Coastal sage scrub includes chamise, white sage, black sage, California buckwheat, golden yarrow, and coastal cholla. Small stands of the unique Torrey pine occur near San Diego and on one of the Channel Islands. The chaparral-covered hills include ceanothus, manzanita, scrub oak, and mountain-mahogany. Coast live oak, canyon live oak, poison oak, and California black walnut also occur.

8. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINSSimilar to other ecoregions in central and southern California, the Southern California Mountains have a Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers and moist cool winters. Although Mediterranean types of vegetation such as chaparral and oak woodlands predominate in this region, the elevations are considerably higher, the summers are slightly cooler, and precipitation amounts are greater than in adjacent ecoregions, resulting in denser vegetation and some large areas of coniferous woodlands. In parts of the Transverse Range, a slope effect causes distinct ecological differences. The south-facing slope of the range has more precipitation (30-40 inches) than the north slope (15-20 inches), but high evaporation rates on the south side contribute to a cover of chaparral. On the north side of parts of the ecoregion, lower evaporation, lower annual temperatures, and slower snow melt allows for a coniferous forest that blends into desert montane habitats as it approaches the Mojave Desert ecoregion boundary. Conifer species such as Jeffrey, Coulter, and ponderosa pines occur, along with sugar pine, white fir, bigcone Douglas-fir, and, at highest elevations, some lodgepole and limber pine. Severe erosion problems are common where the vegetation cover has been removed by fire, overgrazing, or land clearing. Large portions of the region are National Forest public land.

INTERIOR—GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, RESTON, VIRGINIA—2011

CA_poster-front_Dec2010_v7.1.ai 12-30-2010

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0 10050 Miles

Scale 1:1,100,000NAD 1983 California Teale Albers Projection

Cleland, D.T., Freeouf, J.A., Keys, J.E., Jr., Nowacki, G.J., Carpenter, C., and McNab, W.H., 2007, Ecological subregions – sections and subsections of the conterminous United States: Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Agriculture–Forest Service, General Technical Report WO-76, scale 1:3,500,000.

Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group, 1997, Ecological regions of North America - toward a common perspective: Montreal, Quebec, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 71 p. (Map updated 2006).

Griffith, G.E., Omernik, J.M., Smith, D.W., Cook, T.D., Tallyn, E., Moseley, K., Sleeter, B., and Johnson, C.B., 2011(draft), Ecoregions of California: U.S. Geological Survey, Open File Report 2011-xxxx, xx p.

McMahon, G., Gregonis, S.M., Waltman, S.W., Omernik, J.M., Thorson, T.D., Freeouf, J.A., Rorick, A.H., and Keys, J.E., 2001, Developing a spatial framework of common ecological regions for the conterminous United States: Environmental Management, v. 28, no. 3, p. 293-316.

Miles, S.R., and Goudy, C.B., compilers, 1997, Ecological subregions of California: San Francisco, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, R5-EM-TP-005, and http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/ecoregions.

Omernik, J.M., 1987, Ecoregions of the conterminous United States (map supplement): Annals of the Association of American Geographers, v. 77, no. 1, p. 118-125, scale 1:7,500,000.

Omernik, J.M., 1995, Ecoregions - a spatial framework for environmental management, in Davis, W.S., and Simon, T.P., eds., Biological assessment and criteria-tools for water resource planning and decision making: Boca Raton, Florida, Lewis Publishers, p. 49-62.

Omernik, J.M., Chapman, S.S., Lillie, R.A., and Dumke, R.T., 2000, Ecoregions of Wisconsin: Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, v. 88, no. 2000, p. 77-103.

U.S. Department of Agriculture–Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2006, Land resource regions and major land resource areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin: Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, Agriculture Handbook 296, 669 p. + map.

U.S. Department of Agriculture-Soil Conservation Service, 1981, Land resource regions and major land resource areas of the United States: Agriculture Handbook 296, 156 p.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010, Level III ecoregions of the continental United States (revision of Omernik, 1987): Corvallis, Oregon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Map M-1, various scales.

Wiken, E., 1986, Terrestrial ecozones of Canada: Ottawa, Environment Canada, Ecological Land Classification Series no. 19, 26 p.

Ecoregions denote areas of general similarity in ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. They are designed to serve as a spatial framework for the research, assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems and ecosystem components. By recognizing the spatial differences in the capacities and potentials of ecosystems, ecoregions stratify the environment by its probable response to disturbance (Bryce and others, 1999). These general purpose regions are critical for structuring and implementing ecosystem management strategies across federal agencies, state agencies, and nongovernment organizations that are responsible for different types of resources within the same geographical areas (Omernik and others, 2000).

The approach used to compile this map is based on the premise that ecological regions are hierarchical and can be identified through the analysis of the spatial patterns and the composition of biotic and abiotic phenomena that affect or reflect differences in ecosystem quality and integrity (Wiken 1986; Omernik 1987, 1995). These phenomena include geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology. The relative importance of each characteristic varies from one ecological region to another regardless of the hierarchical level. A Roman numeral hierarchical scheme has been adopted for different levels of ecological regions. Level I is the coarsest level, dividing North America into 15 ecological regions. Level II divides the continent into 50 regions (Commission for Environmental Cooperation Working Group 1997, 2006). At level III, the continental United States contains 104 ecoregions and the conterminous United States has 84 ecoregions (United States Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA] 2003). Level IV, depicted here for the State of California, is a further refinement of level III ecoregions. Explanations of the methods used to define the USEPA’s ecoregions are given in Omernik (1995), Omernik and others (2000), and Griffith and others (2011).

Ecological and biological diversity of California is enormous. The state contains offshore islands and coastal lowlands, large alluvial valleys, forested mountain ranges, deserts, and a variety of aquatic habitats. There are 13 level III ecoregions

and 177 level IV ecoregions in California and most continue into ecologically similar parts of adjacent states in the U.S. or Mexico.

The level III and IV ecoregions on this poster were compiled at a scale of 1:250,000 and depict revisions and subdivisions of earlier level III ecoregions that were originally compiled at a smaller scale (USEPA 2010; Omernik 1987). This poster is part of a collaborative project primarily among USEPA Region IX, USEPA National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (Corvallis, Oregon), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of the Interior-Geological Survey (USGS), and other State of California agencies and universities.

The project is associated with interagency efforts to develop a common framework of ecological regions (McMahon and others, 2001). Reaching that objective requires recognition of the differences in the conceptual approaches and mapping methodologies applied to develop the most common ecoregion-type frameworks, including those developed by the USDA-Forest Service (Bailey and others, 1994, Miles and Goudy, 1997, Cleland and others 2007), the USEPA (Omernik 1987, 1995), and the NRCS (USDA-Soil Conservation Service, 1981, USDA–NRCS, 2006). As each of these frameworks is further refined, their differences are becoming less discernible. Regional collaborative projects such as this one in California, where some agreement has been reached among multiple resource management agencies, are a step toward attaining consensus and consistency in ecoregion frameworks for the entire nation. Literature Cited:

Bailey, R.G., Avers, P.E., King, T., and McNab, W.H., eds., 1994, Ecoregions and subregions of the United States (map) (supplementary table of map unit descriptions compiled and edited by McNab, W.H., and Bailey, R.G.): Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, scale 1:7,500,000.

Bryce, S.A., Omernik, J.M., and Larsen, D.P., 1999, Ecoregions - a geographic framework to guide risk characterization and ecosystem management: Environmental Practice, v. 1, no. 3, p. 141-155.

E c o r e g i o n s o f C a l i f o r n i aDRAFT 4

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