Soils and vegetation of Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands National Park, California
Halvorson WL, Fenn DB, Allardice WR. 1988. Soils and vegetation of Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands National Park, California. Environmental Management. 12(1):109-118
This article describes the vegetation and erosion situation on Santa Barbara Island. Previous overgrazing, introduction of alien species and erosion have caused devastation to the landscape. Current attempts to restore the area must contend with the soil's high clay content, salinity and sodium content. The multifaceted development of an erosion surface on Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands National Park, California, has ted to this study of the relationship between soils and vegetation. A dry Mediterranean climate and past attempts at farming and introductions of alien species have led to vegetative degradation accompanied by both gully and surface erosion. Soil and vegetation analyses show this erosion to be in a location of transition. The soils are Typic Chromoxererts (Vertisol Order) with high clay, salinity, and sodium contents. The vegetation is ecotonal in nature, grading from a principally alien annual grassland with Avena fatua and Atriplex semibaccata to a shrub community dominated by the native Suaeda californica. Management toward revegetation and stabilization of this island ecosystem will be difficult with high clay, saline-sodic soils and disturbed vegetation.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Halvorson, William; Fenn, Dennis; Allardice, William
- Units
- CHIS
- Keywords
- Erosion, Exotic Species, Grazing, Plant Studies, Restoration, Santa Barbara Island Channel Islands National Park CA, Vegetation