asiamott's Journal

This spring break I went on a hike at the Jasper Ridge Reserve located on the campus of Stanford University. There, I was able to see the serpentine grassland we discussed in class. The serpentine grassland contains toxic metals in the soil from minerals of the serpentine rock that inhibit the growth of many plants. This was evident as I looked across the field and saw patches of California goldfields, but at some spots noticed an interrupting appearance of a dry, gray, brush-like grass. Also, alongside the goldfields were a few California poppies and tidy tips.

For this assignment, I revisited the chaparral. I visited the chaparral in February for the first time. The environment was very dry and shrub-like. I went back to the chaparral in April and noticed that the plants looked a little less arid and more developed.

I have observed the following 5 most common plants in Alameda County:
Coyote brush
Daisy
Himalayan blackberry
California poppy
Coast live oak