blankets4's Journal

1) CA newt: in the aquatic and breeding stages of their lives they like to live in freshwater ponds and lay their gelatinous egg sacs there where they can attach to pond plant roots or rocks
2) sierran tree frog: these frogs also like to lay their eggs in pond environments where the water is relatively still, also they can change color to match the land or water environment they are in!
3) horsehair worm: these worms swim in the water and also the early stages of this worm are parasitic on insects which can easily be found in pond environments
4) water spider: I don't know i'm not sure actually what kind of spider this is so I don't know how to research it but I know that they live near water and can walk on the surface of the water somehow!
5) gastropoda (snail): these guys have hard shells to protect their soft bodies

1) Tanoak: tough, leathery leaves with spikes-->investment in long lasting leaves, fend off herbivory
2) Bracken fern: needs moist environments (i.e. evergreen understory) to avoid dessication
3) CA Bay: tough, small, leathery, pungent leaves for same reason as #1
4) Madrone: small leathery leaves, "
5) Doug Fir: small spindly leaves to reduce water loss

1) Western fence lizard- this reptile likes to get lots of sun which it can get it chaparral, but can also find shade under rocks and stuff, tan color matches arid color scheme of chaparral
2) Chamise- this plant is fire resistant! plus thin hard spindly leaves reduce water loss
3) Coyote brush-waxy coating on leaves reduces water loss, also leaves are fire-retardant
4) Manzanita- small leaves to reduce water loss, seed scarification by fire necessary for reproduction
5) orange bush monkeyflower- hairs help water uptake from air

The Red-flowering currant is in flower and leafed out. The Himalayan blackberry is not in flower, but is leafed out. The plum tree is in flower but not leafed out.

Five Taxa!

1) Fungi: Scarlet waxy cap is a kind of mushroom, seen in Strawberry Canyon on fire trails

2) Insects: water strider bug, seen in Strawberry Creek on campus

3) Plants: a moss is a non-vascular plant, seen in Strawberry Canyon on fire trails

4) Other animals: millipede, an arthropod, seen in Strawberry Canyon on fire trails

5) Amphibian: California slender salamander, seen in Strawberry Canyon on fire trails