chaparrelplantsPER8


 * Plants of the Chaparral **

 There are many plants in the chaparral.  ~One of these is the blue oak, pictured above, 2nd from the left. The blue oak has adapted to drought and the arid, dry climates in which it lives. They have learned to survive intense heat temperatures upwards of 100 degrees F. Also, its leaves have developed a waxy coating to help conserve water.

~Another plant in the chaparral is the coyote brush, pictured above on the far right. It can take many shapes and forms, from low to the ground to very tall, depending on where it's growing. An adaptation that helps it to survive are its leaves. They are jagged, fire-resistant, and taste very bad, which all help it not to be eaten. Also, like the blue oak, they have a wax coating that reduces the amount of moisture lost to evaporation into the air. Another important adaptation is its large root system, which helps the plant to obtain any rain there is, which helps it survive.

~One other plant in the chaparral is the mountain mahogany, pictured above in the second row. One very important adaptation in this plant is its ability to dwarf itself, or get smaller. It does this in times of drought, changes of climate, and when there's poor soil. These trees cannot be killed with an axe, drought, or fire. Though fires will kill the top of the trees, they don't burn as quickly as others in the chaparral.

~Yet another plant in the chaparral is the torrey pine, pictured above on the left. This very rare (in the US) pine tree's main adaptation is the way in which its roots grow. They are very long, which make it possible for this tree to grow on cliffs and other places where there is not a lot of soil.

~One other plant in the chaparral is the common sagebrush, pictured above, on the right in the second row. This plant has several adaptations. When there is little rain, its very deep roots are able to find water. When it does rain, its roots become shallow and spread out below the surface to absorb the water. If its dry, the sagebrush may appear to be dead, but it is still living.

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