The California Central Valley grasslands is a temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in California's Central Valley. It a diverse ecoregion containing areas of desert grassland (at the southern end), prairie, savanna, riparian forest, marsh, several types of seasonal vernal pools, and large lakes such as now-dry Tulare Lake (which was the largest freshwater lake in the United States west of the Mississippi), Buena Vista Lake, and Kern Lake.
The Central Valley has been greatly altered by human activity. Most of the land has been converted to farms, pastureland, or cities. Most of the valley's wetlands have been drained. The introduction of exotic plants, especially grasses, has altered the region's ecology.
Geography
thumb|right|Central Valley seen from space.
The ecoregion covers an area of 46,275 km. It extends north–south through California's Central Valley. The valley is ringed with mountains – the Sierra Nevada to the east, and the Coast Ranges to the west.
The grasslands ecoregion occupies the valley floor, which is mostly flat or gently rolling. The oak woodlands and chaparral that fringe the valley constitute the California interior chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. Native species were adapted to cool-season growth during the wet winter months. Introduced annual grasses, which germinate at the onset of the rainy season and set seed then die during the summer drought, now dominate most valley grasslands. Grassland wildflowers include California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), lupines, and purple owl's clover (Castilleja exserta), which can still be seen, especially in the Tehachapi Mountains and Antelope Valley south of the valley, and the Carrizo Plain southwest of the valley, where they create colorful springtime blooms.
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External links
- California Central Valley grasslands (DOPA Explorer)
- California Central Valley grasslands (Encyclopedia of Earth)