CNDDB News Blog

In December 2019, the Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP) updated the “map of vegetation maps” in BIOS that shows footprints of fine-scaled vegetation maps: Vegetation (MCV/NVCS) Mapping Projects – California [ds515]. This dataset can help you discover what vegetation types are in your area of interest. California’s Natural Communities are based in the National Vegetation Classification System (NVCS), which is a hierarchical system; and VegCAMP works together with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) to maintain California’s expression of the system. We publish a list of Natural Communities at the bottom two levels: alliance and association. We also work to rank these communities for rarity, using the same ranking concepts as are used for species in CNDDB. Our published Natural Community lists and other online information were also recently updated. For more information, please see VegCAMP's Natural Communities page (updated November 2019) and CNPS' Online Manual of California Vegetation (updated October 2019).

Where does ds515 come in? If you are working in an area and want to know what vegetation types have been documented there, you can see if there is a mapping project overlapping or near your area of interest. If you click on one of the polygons of ds515 in BIOS, you will see who is responsible for the map, whether it is complete, and how old it is. There are links in ds515 to download the datasets and view the classification and mapping reports. The classification reports have keys that will help you determine vegetation types based on species cover. Since many of the maps are produced at the alliance level, which is coarser than the association level, it is important to know how to identify associations. This is particularly true for those interested in determining whether there are sensitive natural communities present, because there can be sensitive associations within alliances that are broadly distributed that are not considered sensitive. To see ds515, along with other published vegetation datasets, including a newly published, updated map of the Delta (ds2855) and part of the Modoc Plateau (ds2858), please see our BIOS bookmark.

A special opportunity for our subscribers in the San Diego area: we are taking our CNDDB/BIOS training on the road and will be in San Diego on January 21st and 23rd. There are only a few spots available. Please contact Annie Chang if you are interested or have any questions.

If you are interested in taking the training course at a different time, we offer classes in Sacramento every other month. Please see our training website for more details about what the class covers, cost, and where it is located.

The end of the year is often a time of reflection and appreciation and we at the California Natural Diversity Database appreciate all the species detection data we receive throughout the year. We are thankful for contributors like you for helping us conserve California’s many sensitive species. We rarely get the opportunity to get out of the office and do field work ourselves, so we appreciate your awesome photos as a welcome reminder of what makes this job worth doing. We couldn't do it without your continued efforts!

Deinandra minthornii (Hemizonia minthornii) – Santa Susana tarplant

Submitted by Chris Dunn and Patrick Crooks, Padre Associates Inc.

This interesting plant was found at the Boeing Santa Susana Field Laboratory site in Ventura County. The site formerly housed everything needed to test rocket engines, but ten years ago Boeing decided to preserve the site as open space habitat. It has since become a sanctuary for plants and animals alike. Deinandra minthornii is endemic to California and is listed as 1B.2 (rare or endangered in California and elsewhere, fairly endangered in California) in the California Rare Plant Ranking system. It is commonly found in rocky areas of chaparral and coastal scrub. Chris assisted in some interesting work on the conservation of D. minthornii. In a study of the plant, it was determined that D. minthornii was highly pollinator dependent, having a much better seed viability when greater numbers of pollinators visited the plant. Plants found near areas of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory that had been seeded with native forbs were found to have greater numbers of pollinators visiting. This led to the enhanced viability of D. minthornii seeds in those areas. The study concludes by encouraging the use of local forb seed mixes in general restoration practices to help in the conservation of plants that are pollinator dependent. Thank you, Chris and Patrick, for sharing this amazing work that you do!

For those interested in the study: Galea, M., V. Wojcik, and C. Dunn. 2016. Using Pollinator Seed Mixes in Landscape Restoration Boosts Bee Visitation and Reproduction in the Rare Local Endemic Santa Susana Tarweed, Deinandra minthornii. BioOne. Vol. 36 (4).

Taricha torosa – Coast Range newt

Submitted by Peter Gaede

Peter found this Coast Range newt, also commonly known as the California newt, out and about near Las Llagas Canyon in Santa Barbara County. This species is endemic to California and research has shown that coastal populations in Monterey County and south are suffering from habitat loss and because of this, is considered a California Special Species of Concern. Coast Range newts are terrestrial during warmer months and migrate to bodies of water to breed from December through March. Their rough skin gives off a poisonous neurotoxin known as tetrodotoxin to ward off predators. Tetrodotoxin is found throughout their skin, muscles, and blood and is strong enough to kill animals and even people. A study was conducted that showed the neurotoxin found in a single Coast Range newt’s skin is powerful enough to kill around 2,000 mice! Their sticky tongue helps them catch prey like worms, snails, slugs, and even their own eggs and larvae. They are found in chaparral, woodland, and grassland habitat. Currently, the database has 88 mapped occurrences along the southern coast from Monterey county to San Diego county. Thank you, Peter, for catching such a detailed look of this awesome amphibian!

Do you have some great photos of rare plants or wildlife detections? Submit them along with your findings through our Online Field Survey Form and see if your photos get showcased!