GEOG/ES&P 330

California Ecosystems

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Woodlands

Woodlands are vegetation associations visually dominated by the tree life form. Unlike a forest, woodland canopies are open, allowing sunlight to reach the woodland floor and support the growth of smaller plants in between the trees and, sometimes, below them. The trees can be evenly spaced or, more commonly, grouped into groves. In California, oaks are the most commonly dominant trees, but there are also woodlands dominated by pines and walnuts. In each locale, there is a particular mix of common tree species, but that mix changes as you move around in California, varying with latitude, distance from the moderating influence of the coast, elevation, slope aspect (with respect to sunlight and with respect to prevailing winds and storm tracks), and evolutionary history. Tree species diversity is typically low, perhaps one to half a dozen species of tree.

Oaks can be subdivided by life form (most are trees, a few are shrubs found in chaparral) and by deciduosity (if that's a word!).

Scrub oaks are the oaks that grow as shrubs. There are quite a few of them, and some of those that normally grow as trees can adopt a shrub form, depending on circumstances. These species are not the dominants of oak woodlands, however; rather they are found as shrubs in shrub-dominated formations, such as chaparral or CSS, or as shrubs within woodlands visually dominated by trees, including other oaks. So, you find them in live oak woodlands and piñon-jupiter and joshua tree woodlands and conifer woodlands and forests.

Oak-dominated woodlands

 

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Document maintained by Dr. Rodrigue
First placed on web: 02/14/16
Last revision: 11/01/21
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