Nature Notes: Plant Articles

Sierra Nature Notes archived articles --- Plants

Vernal Pools - Ephemeral Oasis of the Foothills

Nestled among the grasses and oaks of the foothills along the Sierra's west slope, vernal pools are an unheralded but vital part of that oak/grassland community. Biologist Alisa Durgarian explains the unique conditions that form their incredible diversity and where to see them.

Sierran Treeline Dynamics in a Changing Climate

Hikers on the John Muir Trail might wonder at the expanses of wind blasted snags far above the present living forest. When did those trees live? How did they die? What does global warming mean for Sierran forests?

Fire Regimes in Sierran Mixed-Conifer Forests

Fire is a vital part of the Sierra forest ecosystem. Tree-ring analyses allows scientists to date the frequency and intensity of natural fires to better understand the role between climate cycles and fire frequency.