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4 January 2019
1300 UTC
2019 got off to a good start. On 2 January I was able to visit the Cosumnes River Preserve in the Central Valley of California. The preserve is located about 25 miles (40 km) south of Sacramento, California. I met my friend Mort, who I see once or twice a year these days, at the preserve and we spent the afternoon hiking in some of the less visited portions of the preserve.
A goodly portion of the preserve is still agricultural land (now leased to rice farmers). During the winter months, the agricultural land is kept flooded to provide habitat for wildlife, predominantly migratory waterfowl (i.e. birds). Crowds of people arrive to view the birds. Both Mort and I dislike crowds so we set off to areas of the preserve where there were fewer people.
The local and migratory wildlife are the prime beneficiaries of this preserve. Some past efforts were made to restore some of the native flora. When we first started visiting the preserve decades ago many seedling Valley Oaks (Quercus lobata) were planted in some of the open fields. The smaller trees in the foreground of this photograph are the results of these initial restoration efforts. Unfortunately, they were planted in a straight-line grid, which is still very evident in some locations.
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There are many wetlands and sloughs in the preserve.
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Another view of one of the many wetlands.
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There are also large expansive tracts of open land on the preserve. Sadly the land is still highly degraded from a native floristic perspective. 99% of the plants seen in this photograph are non-native invasive species.
Mort and I had a pleasant hike and we eventually parted ways back to our homes. Now that the holiday season is over, I can get back to my many projects. Today, I will be back on Peavine Ridge getting started with the next phase of one of my projects.
I also have to deal with the U.S. government shut down. At this phase, I am still dependent on government web sites as sources of specific real-time data. As an example, I can still find data concerning direct beam solar radiation (W/m2), however wind shear profiles and soil temperature – soil moisture content data is currently unavailable. Currently, I use this data as an acceptable proxy until I can obtain something better (i.e. buy more data recording instruments).
In addition, now that the holidays are over I have time to better focus my attention to the hemispheric and synoptic weather patterns. At the best, I made some cursory looks at the evolving weather patterns during the holidays. There have been some very interesting weather developments over the past two weeks or so. As I can, I will report on some of the more noteworthy events and how they pertain to our local environment and our Sacramento garden.
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5 January 2019
0500 UTC
I indeed made the trip to Peavine Ridge on Friday, 4 January. It was an extremely mild day in the Sierra Nevada, 56 F (13.3 C). Until a day or two ago, we were finally having some cold winter-like weather in our region. This kept the few traces of snow on the ridge intact until the next storm arrives tomorrow. We certainly need the precipitation. As of 1 January we are running 54% of average at the El Dorado County farm. Some of the earlier storms reached our Sacramento home before they were shunted northeastward. Our Sacramento home has 89% of average precipitation as of 1 January.
The next in a series of storms is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. We will certainly get some precipitation, however exactly how much is a bit questionable in my mind. I have to admit that I am not completely impressed by the dynamics of the storms scheduled to arrive. Here on the eve of the first storms arrival, I still see some mixed signals. If the storm does not completely materialize 100% as expected, I will not be surprised. It will not be the first storm to disappoint this season. I will have another look in the morning and hope that my skepticism is unfounded.
Here are a few statics from the El Dorado County farm that may put our recent cold snap in perspective:
> The coldest night in December occurred on the 31st, 26 F (-3.3 C). The record low for this date is 21 F (-6.1 C), which occurred in 1990. The 30-year mean (1985 to 2015) for this date is 34.11 F (1.17 C), with a standard deviation of 8.845 F. 26 F is at the low end of the spectrum, but this temperature is certainly not unusual.
> The average temperature for December 2018 was 44.50 F (6.94 C). The 30-year mean for December is 44.16 F (6.76 C), almost exactly average.
It was nice to get some cold weather, however the cold snap was nothing out of the ordinary.
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The, more or less, consistent lack of snow in recent years (except 2016-17 was a banner season) at this elevation on the ridge has me concerned, especially in the 2014 King Fire burn areas. The presence or absence of snow highly alters the surface reflectivity, or albedo, of open, burned over sites (such as the one pictured). Obviously, the absence of snow alters heat fluxes, and the surface energy balance (proportion of sensible heat, latent heat, and ground conduction), which in turn alters evapotranspiration rates, soil moisture content, spring runoff and the whole hydrosphere, biosphere. I am easily amused monitoring these things and there are a number of simple methods to measure some of the above variables.
In addition, I have my concerns at how easily invasive plant species have recolonized the burned over sites. With my initial plant surveys I have noted many native plant species recolonizing the burned over areas, however to date, the invasive species (especially grasses) are very dominant.
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The natural regeneration of coniferous species is taking place. Pictured are a few Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi) seedlings that germinated and grew last year.
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The slash piles are numerous and unsightly. It is sad that no use could be found for this timber and it is just left to rot.
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In appropriate areas (away from people), some dead timber is left standing. This provides habitat for wildlife such as woodpeckers and other avian species.
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Some of the smaller slash piles were torched. The black carbon will add long-term fertility to the soil by increasing the cat ion exchange capacity. I will continue to monitor the sites. It is very interesting that after 4 years there is still much bare, exposed mineral earth that has not been recolonized by plants.
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6 January 2019
0300 UTC
For me it was a very interesting weather day. Yesterday, I expressed my skepticism concerning the dynamics of the storm scheduled to arrive today. My subjective assessment was correct; the storm arrived with gusty winds, but very little precipitation in our part of California. Our gauge here at the farm registered 0.11 inches (2.79 mm). When I checked the Northern California rain totals, it was only the northern portion of the state, for the most part, that received notable amounts of precipitation. The next storm, scheduled for tomorrow, looks much more promising at this time. As stated in my last posting we need a goodly amount of precipitation just to get back to average to date. As I write this posting, we are receiving postfrontal showers created from orographic lift. :) 8)
Anyone who knows me knows that I like doing puzzles. For some time now, I have expressed my frustration with long-range (out 192 hours) numerical weather forecast models. A recent project has been to incorporate concepts of the subjective long-range synoptic classification system developed by English climatologist Hubert Lamb with aspects of the numerical forecasting models. With the addition of satellite and radar imaging as well as knowledge of mesoscale and hemispheric patterns, I will have quite the puzzle to assemble. I am a strong believer in subjective WX analysis (i.e. the skills of a competent, experienced WX forecaster) and this is my solution.
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8 January 2019
0500 UTC
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It was a delightful overcast day today. The day was made even better when I visited the canyon of the South Fork of the American River and Rock Creek.
The night before was very stormy and windy. In some location wind gusts were reported to near 50 mph. This storm was much more productive with precipitation, however the brunt of the precipitation fell to our north, south and west.
A few of the reported local 24-hour precipitation totals:
> Folsom 1.26 inches
> Ben Bolt 0.65 inches
> Pilot Hill 0.88 inches
> Sly Park 0.99 inches
> Pacific House 1.28 inches
Morattini Flat, 7,108 feet reported 2.42 inches liquid equivalent (all snow, most likely 2-3 feet).
Here at the farm we recorded 0.98 inches and 0.11 from the previous storm the day before. It would have been nice to receive more. Currently, our precipitation to date at the farm stands at 7.92 inches, which is 57% of average to date (7 January). To put our precipitation totals in perspective, we will need to receive 1.88 inches per week for the next 12 weeks to get back to average to date for 1 April. January, February, and March are our most productive precipitation months in this part of California, so obtaining or even exceeding average precipitation for the rainfall season is completely possible. Unfortunately, the 1.09 inches we received this week will leaves us far short of average if the trend continues.
At our Sacramento home, the precipitation totals are much different. I will be able to tally the amounts tomorrow, but I already know that we are now very close to average precipitation to date in Sacramento.
The good news is that more stormy weather appears to be on it way. The last look I had at the northern hemisphere IR satellite image pictured a series of storms crossing the Pacific in our direction. The storm scheduled for tomorrow and Wednesday looks impressive at this time (about 12 hours ago – yes, I have other things to do than look at the weather). ;D
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The Toyon berries, Heteromeles arbutifolia, were marvelous and everywhere throughout the canyon. I especially enjoyed the raindrops clings to the berries.
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The silvery foliage of Lupinus albifrons var. albifrons is striking. I finally have a number of plants well established in our Sacramento garden. The Bush Lupines are very compatible with a number of our native Castilleja species, both being long lived and free blooming for long periods, when living together. I actually had a successful crop of Castilleja attenuata, Valley Tassel’s, last season. This was my first success with an annual Castilleja species. I have to admit that they were not very impressive, however some of our other annual Castilleja species are dramatic. Something for me to work on.
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Good forms of White-leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida, have conspicuous silvery foliage with brilliant red new growth in the spring. The chestnut bark increases in beauty as the plants age. Currently, I have some phenomenal forms of this species growing at our Sacramento home. They are very tight and compact in their growth habit, with foliage that is very silvery and noticeably smaller than the standard species. The new growth on the seedlings is brilliant red. I hope that I can share photographs this season.
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The Goldback Ferns, Pentagramma triangularis, have been dormant all summer and are now in full growth.
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Clumps of Phacelia imbricata ssp. imbricata are very common on open slopes.
A few postings back I wrote about experiments regarding solar radiation, evapotranspiration, etc. One of these experiments demonstrated the need to carefully consider the properties of the soil in which we grow our garden plants. I have had a tendency to avoid clay in my soil mixes, however I found that many of our California native species (especially many annuals, but others too) thrive with some clay (sometimes even a lot) in the soil. At the other end of the spectrum, many of our native Delphinium species thrive in almost pure sand. Many of our California native Delphinium species are incredibly beautiful (at least in my subjective mind). The next crop looks to bloom this spring in our Sacramento garden.
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Dudleya cymosa ssp. cymosa is somewhat common in semi-shaded rock crevices. Our tiny new wall garden at our Sacramento home is planted with a number of our California native Dudleya species. They are thriving. I have wanted to share photographs, but have not had an opportunity – one of the disadvantages of being out-of-town far, far too often.
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With the recent and overnight rainfall the seasonal streams are full of water and the waterfalls are back in action again.
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With the autumn and winter rainfall, Polypodium calirhiza, also is in full growth. This species thrives in our Sacramento garden, providing it is kept bone dry during the summer.
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Sedum spathulifolium enjoys growing on shaded rock faces.
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Micranthes californica shares the same habitat with Sedum spathulifoium, however the Micranthes can also be found growing where there is a bit more soil. I think that I finally have the species established in our Sacramento garden. It needs to be kept dry during the summer and protected from slugs.
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It was nice to see Rock Creek full of water. The seasonal ditch at the base of the property at the farm is barely flowing. With average precipitation it will flow well all winter, and into the spring. With heavy rainfall, it will even over flow its narrow banks and flood the street.
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The lichens look great this time of year. This stone was covered with Xanthoparmelia and Umbilicaria phaea lichens. The Umbilicaria phaea are the brownish colored lichens.
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I will leave this posting with another shot of Heteromeles arbutifolia. With the bright berries, it was the plant of the day. It is another species that thrives in our Sacramento garden –maybe flowers and berries this season.
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Thank you Robert for another series of fascinating posts full of environmental and cultural information I love reading them.
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Hi Ian,
Thank you for the encouraging comments.
I always appreciate your admonition and perspective of gardening through your art and artistic standpoint (the bulb log). I may seem distracted with meteorology, climatology or some simplistic experiment, however I am always observing how the macrocosm plays itself out in the microcosm of our garden. Clay soil is often the bane of gardeners (it can be around our area, with some thick poorly draining soil). Observing how some species germinate, grow and thrive with some degree of clay in the soil seemed the antithesis of rock gardening (sand beds, gritty soils, quick drainage, etc.). If I was not experimenting with different species and differing soils to test various rates of evapotranspiration and thermal conductivity within differing soils, I never would have appreciated the value of clay when cultivating some of our native species.
This morning before readying myself for the day in Sacramento with my wife and family (now 3 flighed cockatiels and a canary), I checked our weather. It appears that the next storm will arrive and bring us some rain. Unfortunately, the frontal band is progressing ahead of the parent low and shifting from being positively tilted to a more vertical orientation. This has been a much too familiar pattern this winter. As the precipitation band approaches our coast one can see the 850 mb moisture transport shunting the precipitation off to the north – northeast. Both the NAM (North American) and GFS indicate that the there will be enough 500 mb (and 300 mb – Jetstream) support and vorticity to bring rain to our area, however like a broken record, it appears that the bulk of the precipitation will once again be shunted off to the northeast. The question is where and how much. Lately, it has been a positively slanted line through the Sacramento area leaving us in El Dorado County to the east with less precipitation.
The position of high pressure south of Mexico (Hadley cell circulation) is at times shunting the southern branch of the Jetstream a bit more to the north-northeast pushing the northern branch of the Jetstream to the north too. Of coarse, there have been other patterns too this autumn-winter, however I wish to see less of this pattern and more precipitation.
The projections beyond day 3 indicate the development of a cut-off low plunging into the Southern California region (another frequent pattern lately) and then a somewhat chaotic pattern, day 7 plus or minus. Huh? ??? I will believe it when I see it.
Anyway, with the help of God, I will have a bit of time out next week and we will receive more precipitation. :)
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Hello Robert,
I recognise myself in your search for rain to come. The last 2 years have been very dry where I live - and it's only 10 years now that since I moved to Herne, but in thos last 10 years we have already had a number of extended periods without any rain here. My place has some kind of micro-climate where often it's raining anywhere else in Belgium but not here, no matter if the rain comes from the South-West, the East, the north, .... The official weather statistics for Herne shows it was the driest place in Belgium in 2018 with only 45 cm of rain last year (60 cm in 2017), where the average for the previous 8 years is about 80 cm. Official weather recording only started in 2008 for my village, so no idea what the long term average is, but for Brussels (30 km away from where I live) it is 85 cm. As soon as it hasn't been raining for a couple of months I start checking the weather forecasts hoping to see rain is on it's way ...
One additional 'stress' for me is that I only use rainwater for my plants and for the garden, so I start to worry about how much water is left in my rainwater tank after 3 months without any rain. Fortunately I had some divine inspiration when I placed these underground tanks, when full they hold 30.000 liter of water, which was a calculation I made to be able to bridge my water consumption for 3 months. Seems now that when you are a bit cautious with water usage you can extend this to 5 months. But several times the idea crossed my mind to increase storage capacity to 50.000 liter by adding one more jumbo sized rainwater tank to the system. So, the longer it has not rained the more I think about rain and water.
in 2018 as well as in 2017 we had in both years 5 consecutive months without rain - each time including June, July & August, and topped with a tropical heat wave during the 2018 summer. Although we had a close to normal quantity of rain since November, ditches where usually water should be running since November are still dry, telling me the soil is still far from being saturated with water.
In both summers I was admiring how the vegetation was still able to find water during the summer after months of rainless days - but last year several trees were showing signs of water stress, and I'm afraid one of the century old ashes that grow on the property may have suffered just too much from the drought.
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Francois,
I read your posting with keen interests! Your local WX (weather) - precipitation issues are fascinating, and very understandably troubling, or of great concern, to you. It appears that you have been able to adjust well to the situation, especially considering the 2018 summer heat wave in parts of Europe.
I very much appreciate your time sharing this information. Thank you. :) 8)
These are our current conditions:
9 January 2019
1345 UTC
I checked the precipitation totals at our Sacramento home yesterday. We received 1.64 inches of precipitation from the recent series of storms through 7 January vs. 1.09 inches at the El Dorado County farm. As of 7 January, our Sacramento home has 101% average precipitation to date vs. 57% to date at the farm. What a difference 45 miles distance can make!
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This is an interesting graph. It compares the Sacramento 500 mb heights and the phase of the Arctic Oscillation (AO or Northern Annular Mode) for December 2018. The 500 mb heights are phase shifted back 7 days. I am using graphs like this (more seasonal than monthly, and other methods of analysis) to find relationships (if any) between the AO / 500 mb heights and our local temperatures, frontal activity, precipitation, upper air patterns, etc. At the beginning and end of the graph, there is a divergence in the pattern (central part of the graph). Understanding the departure in the pattern is also part of the process.
Currently it is 51 F (10.6 C) and raining at the farm. :)
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Here is another interesting graph.
The precipitation totals are from our Sacramento home to Peavine Ridge, 1 July 2018 through December 2018. The elevation scale is in meters x 102, precipitation in inches. The effect of orographic lift on precipitation is clear. Most seasons the trend line between our Sacramento home and the Placerville farm, points 1 and 2, is much steeper.
I was able to check on the recent snow on the crest of Peavine Ridge. The last storm was very warm, with snow levels running in the >6,000 foot level. Only 9 cm of wet snow remained on the ground. With one sunny day it will all be gone. The forecasting models are not in agreement with the next storm, however the last trend looks more favorable for precipitation in our area. I certainly hope so. :)
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14 January 2019
1400 UTC
The distribution of precipitation this season has been very uneven through Northern and Central California this season. The following is a comparison of the precipitation totals 1 October 2018, to date 13 January 2019.
> Our Sacramento home, elevation 23 feet.
Precipitation to date: 8.06 inches, 93% of average to date.
> Sacramento Executive Airport, elevation 16 feet.
Precipitation to date: 6.52 inches, 83% of average to date.
Sacramento Executive Airport is 3 or 4 miles from our Sacramento home.
> Peavine Ridge, elevation 5,126 feet.
Precipitation to date: 15.23 inches (Liquid equivalents).
At this time I do not have enough data to provide accurate average to date precipitation totals for this site.
> Blue Canyon Airport, elevation 5,282 feet.
Precipitation to date: 22.66 inches (Liquid equivalents), 81% of average to date.
Blue Canyon Airport is location ≈ 50 miles north of Peavine Ridge.
> A general survey of precipitation totals through out Northern California reveals percent of average precipitation totals to date vary between 54% and 73%, with Redding at the northern end of the Sacramento Valley recording a high of 97% of average to date.
In Central California to totals are similar, ranging from 60% of average to date, to a high of 120% recorded at Stockton ≈ 50 miles south of Sacramento.
Now to shift gears a bit…
There are a number of challenges associated with the study of mountain weather (where the alpine species we cultivate grow). Mountainous regions are often remote and not easily accessible, especially sites above 2,000 meters in our region. Topographical issues need careful consideration. Orientation such as slope, ridge crests, valley bottoms, etc. need to be carefully considered. The standardization of weather observations is also of prime concern. Accurate measurements of precipitation in the form of snow can be challenging. At high elevation sites, the build-up of rime on instruments can lead to spurious readings. My solution to some of these challenges is making frequent manual observations and maintenance of instrumentation.
There is certainly a need for accurate information concerning the cultivation of alpine species in our gardens. A survey of several web sites offering cultural information regarding California native species reveals large listings of species, but with very generalized cultural information. In most cases essential details pertaining to their cultural needs are missing. As an example, one of our local species, Penstemon roezlii is rarely cultivated. In the wild it is an unassuming species, however in cultivation it is highly ornamental – with a compact habit, very floriferous, and attractive lavender-blue flowers. An intimate knowledge of this species cultural needs and cultural potential is essential for its successful cultivation and appreciation.
For me knowledge of the meteorology, climatology, geology, hydrology, field botany, etc. can be very revealing concerning the cultivation of under utilized species, and in my case the cultivation of little used California Native Species. Working through the challenges of studying mountain climates provides me with large amounts of detailed information that is highly relevant to the cultivation our mountainous California native plant species. Please bare with me, precipitation totals, snow cover, temperatures, past, present, and future climatic conditions can be both interesting and very revealing to the cultivation of the alpine species we grow in our gardens.
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Good News. :)
Recent stormy weather has dropped a goodly amount of precipitation in our immediate part of Northern California. When I can I will report the totals. Unfortunately, the heaviest precipitation event was relatively warm with snow levels stated at 6,500 feet. From my perspective the snow level might have been a bit lower and I will investigate this as soon as I can. In our part of California, the trend toward higher snow levels has been quite noticeable over the last 30 to 40 years.
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18 January 2019
15 UTC
The recent series of storms to hit Northern California improved our precipitation totals. Below are some of the totals.
Our Sacramento home, 23 feet, 7 meters
Storm total: 2.46 inches, 62.48 mm
Precipitation total to date: 10.62 inches, 269.75 mm, 121% of average to date, 17 January.
Placerville farm, 1,460 feet, 445 meters
Storm total: 4.08 inches, 103.63 mm
Precipitation total to date: 12.49 inches, 317.25 mm, 80 % of average to date, 17 January.
In addition, these are some local snow totals.
Van Vleck, 6,700 feet, 2,042 meters
% 1 April mean 59%
Current Liquid Equivalent (not current snow depth): 21.2 inches, 538.48 mm
Liquid Equivalent 1 April mean: 35.9 inches, 911.86 mm
Robb’s Saddle, 5,900 feet, 1,798 meters
% 1 April mean 35%
Current Liquid Equivalent: 7.6 inches, 193.04 mm
Liquid Equivalent 1 April mean: 21.4 inches, 543.56 mm
The last set of statistics is more indicative of rising snow levels. Below 5,900 feet, current snow accumulations are much below the 1 April mean. During the recent storms, snow levels were above 6,000 feet, for the most part, when the bulk of the precipitation fell. 30 - 40 years ago this would be considered a high snow level.
Into the future, current forecast suggest that another storm will pass through our region during the Sunday – Monday time period. Beyond this point the models suggest that a Rex or Omega type block may develop off the west coast of North America. If this forecast pans out this could lead to above average temperatures and a prolonged period of dry weather.
Stay tuned. This time of year, run-to-run, the 192 hour numerical models can be very changeable.
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Robert, does the rainfall in Sacramento penetrate the ground very far. What of the snow cover in higher altitudes, does that penetrate the ground or is it subject to quick run-off. In higher elevations in Scotland the snow can linger until summer. I wonder if the snow melt does not have time to penetrate the ground if a cold winter is followed by a sudden warm spell. A quick melt may cause the water held in snow to run-off too suddenly to penetrate the ground very much. This may be a cause of decreasing plant numbers and species in higher ground?
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Ian,
These are great questions. You can see from the following that I am working on answering these questions and others. Give me some time to go over my data (this is a work in progress) and looking into other published material.
I was also giving thought to your other posting regarding the commodification of Nature (Reserves need to pay their way). Needless to say, this approach is too often a disaster for nature. This can be demonstrated to be true, however the ones setting these policies are not interested in data or facts. In addition, Nature is often altered beyond restoration to it's original condition before misguided policies can be stopped. The current state of the planet is a testament to this.
19 January 2019
0000 UTC
I just got back from the western slope of the Sierra Nevada in Eldorado National Forest. There is good news. The precipitation total, to date 18 January, on Peavine Ridge is now at 20.01 inches, 508.25 mm. This is an increase of 4.78 inches, 121.41 mm since the evening of 14 January. Unfortunately, the majority of the precipitation fell as rain. There was only 3.5 cm of snow on the ground with a liquid equivalent 0.36 inches, 9.14 mm.
Snow cover duration, is an important variable in forest vegetation type. Studies in the central Alps have demonstrated the relationship between hydric continentality [ratio of altitude (m) to annual precipitation (mm); the index can be expressed as tan-1 (Z/P)], snow cover duration, and annual temperature range to forest vegetation type. I enjoy using simple modeling to express the climatic and vegetation changes taking place in El Dorado County and Eldordo National Forest.
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Ian,
I got home late last night and now I have time to answer your questions.
To what extent does precipitation penetrate into the ground at our Sacramento home?
The soil around our Sacramento home is a deep alluvial clay-loam. 100 meters down the road it is very sandy loam. During heavy rainfall we get standing water that eventually infiltrates and percolates into the ground. There can be substantial run-off during heavy rain. I have never tested the soil percolation rate at our home (it is very easy-to-do), however from casual observation, despite the clay content of the soil, it appears to be fairly quick. Based on observations while digging in the garden, a goodly portion of the rainfall percolates deeply into the ground. Currently, methods to recharge the ground aquifers are being tested on agricultural land in California’s Central Valley. Fields are flooded and the water is allowed to infiltrate and percolate down to the aquifer. How successful this is I do not know.
The situation in the Sierra Nevada is much more complex. In El Dorado County (where I currently do most of my work) much of the higher terrain is part of the Sierra Nevada granite batholith. At elevations below the granite batholith, the under lying rock is either metamorphic of the Western Jurassaic terrane, Calaveras complex, or Shoo Fly terrane. In addition, there are the volcanic deposits of the Mehreten formation. About the only generalization I can make is that the quartz in the granites tend to break down into sand, the metamorphic rocks tend to break down into clay, and the volcanic rocks can create impenetrable caps that water does not easily penetrate. Depending on many variables peculations rates can vary form zero to extremely quick.
Another run-off variable in the Sierra Nevada is frozen soil. In general, the soil does not freeze deeply in our portion of the Sierra Nevada, however at high elevation when there is little or no snow cover and prolonged low temperatures, rainfall will run-off without percolating into the ground. These are isolated occurrences.
So, as you can see, from just the standpoint of soil types, there are many variables involved with soil infiltration rates, percolation rates, and the percentage of runoff/evaporation.
As I stated in my previous post, snow cover and the duration of the snow cover is an extremely important variable in the vegetation type at any given site. I do record many variables to incorporate into my eco-type/vegetation type modeling. The climatic shift toward higher snow levels, less snow cover, and declining duration of snow cover is having a profound affect on our Sierra Nevada ecosystems. Over time, as I record data, a much more precise picture of this will emerge.
Ian, I hope that I have at least partly answered your question. Each site is very distinct with their variables making a generalized answer difficult. Feel free to ask for clarity if necessary.
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Thanks Robert, I did wonder if rainfall, when you get it, has time to penetrate the ground very far or if it evaporates off the ground surface.
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Hi Ian,
I just touched a few of the variables involved concerning our native flora and precipitation, snow cover, runoff, evaporation, etc.
Yes, it is all very pertinent to the vegetation (and changes in vegetation) at any given site. I will be returning to this topic from time-to-time as it pertains to our native California flora.
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21 January 2019
2130 UTC
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The following chart summarizes the snow pack water equivalents for the 2018-2019 season, to date in Eldorado National Forest (where I am most active these days). The recent storms have brought totals up to near average levels, to date. Unfortunately, the trend toward higher snow levels continues. Much of the precipitation from the last set of storms fell as rain below 6,000 feet elevation. The snow totals for Robb’s Power House (5,150 feet) are very indicative of the shift toward higher snow levels. From 27 December 2018 through 4 January there was no snow on the ground. Current snow totals on the ground are much below average to date. This is becoming a more frequent occurrence during the winter snowfall season. In a future posting, I will discuss the impacts this is having on our local ecosystems.
I made a very quick WX forecast for the coming week in our region. Not only do I see no precipitation during this time frame, but in addition, temperatures will rise dramatically. I would not be surprised if we see record or to near record high temperatures in the coming week.
As a last comment, in future postings I will further the discussion of the relationship between hygric continentality, duration of snow cover, temperatures and vegetation types. I have comparative data from both Scotland and Austria, which may help put our situation in perspective based on known sites in Europe.
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I finally had a chance to make a more detailed analysis of the WX for the coming week. The next 3 days appear to be cool with strong gusty north winds on Friday, with a chance of snow showers in the Sierra Nevada Mountains as wave passes southward on the east side of the Sierra.
Saturday will be the start of a warming trend. Record high temperatures are in the low 70’s (21-22 C) at the Placerville farm during this time period. I do not think that any records will be set at this time, however temperatures will be well above average for this time period.
At this point I do not see any meaningful precipitation in our region. With the warm temperatures later in this time period, it will be interesting to see how well the snow pack holds up. As of today, the snow pack in the Sierra Nevada looks near average to date, especially at the higher elevations. The WX is very changeable this time of year, so stay tuned.
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27 January 2019
2300 UTC
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On Thursday, my wife accompanied me on my weekly snow survey in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The storm total results we quite encouraging. Although for the most part snow levels were quite high, temperatures eventually fell before the precipitation ended. Snow levels dropped to 2,800 feet. On Peavine Ridge, 5,146 feet (2,841 meters), I recorded 17 cm of snow on the ground with a water content of 1.73 inches (43.94 mm). In addition, the storm dropped 2.96 inches (75.18 mm) of total precipitation, which brings us very close to average for this date.
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Less encouraging is the trend toward fewer snow cover days in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The above graph is of snow cover days at the Placerville farm from 1988 through 2017. The number of snow cover days has declined by over 40% over the last 30 years. The same trend is playing out in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Fewer snow cover days contributes directly to snow/ice-albedo positive feedback in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. Fewer snow cover days exposes bare ground, with a much lower albedo. The bare ground in turn absorbs solar radiation, raising temperatures (both soil and air). This in turn leads to further losses of snow cover. This in turn creates a cascade of many other events that alters the ecosystem.
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Well we had a busy day and much to do, but not without some fun and a few snowballs.
28 January 2019
1600 UTC
We will see what today brings, temperature wise. Yesterday’s GOES satellite sounding over Sacramento indicated a strong inversion. It was 4 C near the surface and 5 C at 700 mb (≈ 10,000 feet, 3,048 meters)! Yesterday’s high temperature at the farm was 70 F, 21.1 C. This morning there are somewhat overcast skies, which may reduce the maximum temperature, reached today. The high temperatures are still below record levels, but they are close.
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I was out earlier this week doing my weekly snow survey. Right now I am extremely busy, however I hope to follow up as soon as I can. :)
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The government shut-down has affected many of us here in the U.S.A. - even non-governmental employees. There has been much catch-up to do. I will have some stories to tell when the dust settles. :)
In the mean time enjoy a few recent photographs.
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Snow at the farm.
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Snow on Peavine Ridge.
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The first good snow at this elevation in years.
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This is how it was in the past! 78 cm of snow at 5,000 feet. It is all great news for us here in Northern California.
After some meetings, I hope to get up on the Ridge and take some more photographs before the next (SNOW) storm arrives. :) 8) 8) 8) 8)
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Good snowy scenes, Robert. None here yet but there is still time.
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Hi Ian,
The snow in the Sierra Nevada is great! :) I have not seen snow like this in a while. I have a good story to tell about the recent shift in the weather and its impacts. I should be able to get back to reading the forum and writing soon. 8) Until then... :)
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13 February 2019
0600 UTC
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What wild and extreme weather we are having here in Northern California!
The temperatures in January were much above the 30-year mean. In addition, precipitation was above average, bringing us very close to the seasonal average to date. This was very welcome as we were experiencing well below average precipitation before the January storms arrived.
On 30 January, I conducted a snow survey in the northern portion of El Dorado County near Gerle Creek at ≈ 5,500 feet (1,676 meters). The storms in early January were reasonably wet and cold with snow levels running at about 5,000 feet (1,524 meters). The last storm of January, during 20 – 21 January, started with very warm temperatures and snow levels at ≈ 6,500 feet (1,981 meters). Much of the existing snow pack below this elevation was severely eroded by the rain. The remaining snow was saturated with moisture and became frozen, brick hard, as nighttime temperatures dropped to well below freezing behind the exiting weather front.
During the following week daytime temperatures were extremely mild, near record levels. Strong temperature inversions developed. As an example, on 26 January the 1200 UTC Sacramento GOES Skew-T revealed an extremely strong temperature inversion. Surface temperatures were 0 C. At 850 mb (≈ 1,500 meters) the temperature was 10 C! At 700 mb (≈ 3,000 meters) the temperature was 2 C.
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Despite freezing temperatures each night, clear skies and high daytime temperatures were melting the snow pack. As I hiked into the survey site, the sensation was that of spring runoff. Every ditch and gully was running swiftly with snowmelt, and this was early in the morning.
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I measured snow depths, averaging 3 samplings at each location, at several locations at the site. In flat open sites the snow averaged 42 cm in depth. On the north facing slopes, 68 cm was the average depth. Snow cover on south facing slopes was variable; however often there was little or no snow.
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I have been studying the impact of rising snow levels in this region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The snow/ice albedo positive feedback can accelerate the melting of the existing snow cover (it can work in the opposite direction too). Heat conduction in the soil becomes an issue as well as the build up of latent heat as snow/ice turn to liquid (more on this a bit later). These changes can impact the vegetation and other components of an existing ecosystem. These same processes can play out in our gardens and impact the performance of the alpine species we grow.
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I enjoy the peace and quiet of the Sierra Nevada during the snowy winter months. There is also much to keep me busy these days, so the time to hike back to the Outback arrived far too soon.
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A few days after I arrived back in Sacramento the weather reversed completely. The warm mild days with much above average temperatures gave way to snow and record, to near record, low daytime temperatures. On Peavine Ridge, over 78 cm of snow fell during the period of 2 to 5 February. The snow level dropped to below 1,460 feet (445 meters), where only 6 mm fell. The weather remained cold and an additional storm dropped more snow. As of this writing, the snowline is at ≈ 2,500 feet (762 meters).
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Shortly after the storm I visited Peavine Ridge. This scene (pictured) is reminiscent of this part of Peavine Ridge 35 to 40 years ago when deep snow consistently lined the road during the winter. This is an interesting statement! Currently I have proxy data to validate this statement and I am currently analyzing data that will hopefully support this statement. The idea is to identify and quantify the changes and impacts that are taking place in this part of the Sierra Nevada.
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The snow on the conifer branches was so very beautiful. Frequently during sunny weather much of this snow vaporizes via sublimation. When I visited the ridge the weather was consistently overcast with daytime temperatures only slightly above freezing. Many of the branches were tipped with long icicles. My camera refused to work in the cold. This was a shame as the icicles were a striking sight.
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Much of the January snow had melted from this portion of Peavine Ridge during late January. There was considerable moisture in and on the soil before the early February snow arrived. Despite over 78 cm of snowfall, the latent heat of the liquid water (and heat conduction of the soil to a lesser degree) prevented the accumulation of snow at this site. This is one of the indicators of snow/ice albedo temperature feedback that I am watching closely.
For clarity and accuracy the heat capacity of water is 4.1855 kJ (kg K)-1, about 4 times that of soil. This too is a major consideration. I apologize for omitting this important detail.
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Now as I write, yet another major weather shift is taking place in our area. Ferocious winds are now blowing as the next storm arrives. The moisture from this storm is subtropical in origin. Temperatures are rising quickly and snow levels are forecast to rise to above 7,000 feet (2,134 meters). Heavy rainfall is forecast. Considerable flooding is possible as the rain erodes the deep snowpack in the Sierra Nevada. It is possible that there will be some cold air advection as the subtropical moisture exits the region. Snow levels could drop once again to the 2,500 - 2,000 foot level (762 to 610 meters).
Stay tuned…
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Hi Robert,
Your weather sounds as bizarre as ours!
At least you are getting more precipitation though there is then the threat of flooding.
Enjoy your time in the hills and getting back to your garden 🙂
And keep us informed!
cheers
fermi
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15 February 2019
1330 UTC
Hi Fermi,
Thank you for taking the time to comment. Lately, I have been extremely busy. Recently, I too often have not had the time to follow the forum, as I like. Despite this, I continue my commitment to this forum diary and factor it in with the proposals I submit. I am making progress in this regard. :) 8)
I was hoping to get out today for some field botany. It has been far too many months since my last outing. Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating. There has been more cold air advection and snow levels have dropped again. There is always the possibility that I can visit a location at a lower elevation, however at this time, the rain is coming down strongly. This is not the best situation for photography. :'(
I hope that I am succeeding in keeping the diary both informative and interesting. A lot of what I do can be extremely relevant to gardening and our gardens. Having an intimate understand of any given species and how they are responding to the changing environment can be relevant to gardening, especially if we wish to succeed with more challenging species. Climate on a macro-scale can apply on the micro-scale of our gardens too. Understanding sublimation or heat conduction in the soil are extremely relevant to the performance of plants in our gardens. How environmental conditions can influence genetic expression is very relevant to gardening. I hope that I am succeeding, at times, in making a clear and easy connection in this diary. Or at the least it is fun and interesting…
The bottom line is that I have every intention of continuing with this diary, despite getting busy at times.
Now to see what today brings. :)
Stay tuned.
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Despite pouring rain, sleet, and snow, I managed to get out and do some field botany.
While under a large tree I managed this photograph in the pouring rain. At the first site, the sleet and then snow blanketed the ground and the roads in less than 5 minutes. Not time for photographs! I needed to leave immediately before getting snowed in. Time to try a new site at a lower elevation. Despite the rain, I did manage to get something done and have some nice photographs.
I will have a report soon. :)
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This was the scene this morning at the Placerville farm.
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This was the second measurable snowfall at the farm this season. The last time there was more snow at the farm was back in December of 2009.
It is nice to finally have some "winter" weather! :)
February of 2019 is shaping up to be the coldest February since 2006. This February, I have recorded 13 snow cover days at the 4,000 ft level in El Dorado County, California (the county where the farm is located). I have not seen lingering snow like this in some time. There is the possibility of more snow on Wednesday.
The snow amounts at higher elevations are very impressive too. In the Van Vleck area of Eldorado National Forest (I visit this location often) there are 45.29 liquid equivalent inches of snow on the ground to date. On 17 February of 2017 (a banner snow season at the higher elevations) there were 56.46 liquid equivalent inches at this site. This is all good news for California.
My next day off is Wednesday. I will start working on the report from my last outing at this time.
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Lovely to look at Robert!
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Hi David,
There was only 3 cm of snow. Later in the day the sun came out and it was mostly gone by evening.
But, I agree it was very pretty while it lasted.
Right now (1400 UTC) it is 26 F. As the Arctic air approaches California it moves over the Pacific Ocean - slightly. If the Arctic air remained 100% continental it would be much colder this morning. At least we are having real "winter" weather. The plants are benefiting from the cold (except the few tender species I grow).
In my last posting I mentioned the snow totals at Van Vleck in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. To put things in perspective, there was only 4.41" liquid equivalent inches of snow at Van Vleck last year on 17 February. Last year winter finally arrived in March and did not hang around very long. Especially in Sacramento, it was very easy to see how heat conduction in the soil was detrimental to species requiring winter chilling and dormancy. This will not be an issue this winter. :)
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Hello Robert,
Your weather is more winterly than ours at the time! As you can see of this graph the temperature this winter has (so far) been well above normal.
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https://www.yr.no/sted/Norge/Rogaland/Karm (https://www.yr.no/sted/Norge/Rogaland/Karm)øy/Førresfjorden/statistikk.html
In fact I haven't seen snow this winter at all! The few days it was snowing, I was not at home.
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SOUTH FORK
of the
AMERICAN RIVER
El Dorado County, California
Friday, 15 February 2019
Weather
Placerville Farm, 1,460 ft. (445 meters)
Weather: Rain Showers with Sleet
Temperature, High: 45 F (7.2 C)
Low: 36 F (2.2 C)
Relative Humidity: 100%
Dew Point: 41 F (5 C)
Wind: SE 3
Precipitation: 1.08 inches (27.4 mm), To date (starting 1 July): 22.16 inches (562.8 mm)
[attachimg=1]
On Friday, 15 February I had an opportunity to get out and do some field botany. The weather during this time period was very unsettled, cold, and with very low snow levels. The unsettled weather began on 5 February with a very cold storm that dropped snow levels down to 1,500 feet (457 meters) in our area. The cold stormy weather has continued through today (20 February). I have to admit that it is encouraging to see low and linger snow levels. As of today, there is 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) of snow at Camino, 3,000 feet (914 meters) and 24 to 30 inches (61 to 76 cm) in Pollock Pines, 4,000 feet (1,219 meters). It has been a while since we last experienced lingering snow accumulations at these elevations.
Given these circumstances, it may have seemed imprudent to choose Traverse Creek as my destination for the day. The Traverse Creek area is at approximately 2,350 feet elevation (716 meters). I was likely to encounter some snow. In addition, the weather was unsettled when I set off for Traverse Creek and I honestly had not planned any alternative sites to visit in case I encountered undesirable weather. This seemed like a recipe for a folly.
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So I set off from the Placerville farm under overcast skies hoping for the best. After a short drive I arrived at the Traverse Creek area. To my surprise there was only a few traces of snow on the ground when I arrived. There was also a brief rain shower as I prepared for the day. The rain ended as I slipped my hiking boots on and I was off to explore the area.
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With all the recent rain and snow Traverse Creek was swollen with water.
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I set off for one of my favorite sites in this area and started botanizing. California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica is a fairly common species in the Traverse Creek area. The rocky serpentine outcroppings and thin soils are to this species liking.
I must have been focusing intently on the plants, as I did not notice the dark rain bearing clouds that had quickly appeared over the neighboring hills to the southwest. A few raindrops caught my attention. I quickly assessed the situation and decided that this looked like trouble. Just as I started back to the Outback, the skies opened up with a deluge of sleet. The frozen pellets quickly covered the ground creating a hazardous hiking situation. At least I did not have far to hike.
The sleet slowed my progress back to the Outback, however I felt fortunate that the precipitation was frozen. If it had been rain I would have been soaked. As I arrived back at the Outback, the sleet turned into an almost whiteout of snow. Hum! A road surface covered with ball baring-like sleet and then snow. And then, where was the road anyway? Snow was quickly covering everything. It was time to retreat down the mountain and try planned “B”, whatever that might be?
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For most of my adult life I have owned 4-wheel drive, all-wheel-drive vehicles. Although 4-wheel, all-wheel drive can allow access to sites in difficult terrain and provide a measure of safety that 2-wheel autos cannot deliver, they can also get one into deep trouble quickly if one does not understand the limitations. It was with this in mind that I slowly maneuvered the all-wheel drive Outback onto the road and slowly drove down the mountain.
After some miles I arrived at the small town of Kelsey. Here the falling snow ended and the road became clear of sleet and snow. I was very pleased with this turn of events, as from this point onward the road slopes into the American River Canyon. This section of roadway is very narrow, sinuous and descends steeply into the canyon. I was not relishing driving this section in a snowstorm.
As I began driving down into the canyon, I started to give some thought as to what might be a satisfactory alternative destination. Ah! Rock Creek Road was only a short distant down the road. I would give this a try. At the worst, I would have to deal with more rain or perhaps more snow.
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It did not take long to find a location to stop and investigate the flora. The Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, on the canyon slopes was loaded with red berries. The bright red berries were certainly attention getting. American Robins, Turdus migratorius, had found the Toyon and were feeding on the berries in large flocks.
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As I set off, I noticed the first flowers of White-leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida, starting to open on the slope above me. This blooming sequence is not unusual for this area; however to illustrate how seasonal climatic variation can impact wild plant populations, consider the following. On 1 February 2018 both Arctostaphylos patula and A. mewukka ssp. mewukka were in full bloom on the crest of Peavine Ridge, 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) higher in elevation than this point. High temperatures were running in the 64 F (17.8 C) range with lows in the 44 F (6.7 C) range. In addition, there were 23 cm of snow on the ground. This year the Manzanitas on Peavine Ridge are buried under 1.5 to 1.8 meters of snow with high temperatures ranging from 31 F (-0.6 C) to 46 F (7.7 C) and lows 32 F (0 C) to 5 F (-15 C). The Manzanita species on the crest of Peavine Ridge may not bloom until March this year or even later.
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I was certainly pleased to encounter many of my old plant friends. Small rosettes of Sanicula crassicaulis dotted the grassy slopes under the tree canopy.
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Other than the White-leaf Manzanita, I found nothing in bloom. Many species such as Eriophyllum lanatum (pictured) had formed small mounds ready to move into active growth once the weather turns consistently warm.
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The Gold-back Ferns, Pentagramma triangularis, were sluggish in their growth. This species is summer dormant and is generally in active growth during the winter season. This year much of the growth is likely to take place during the spring.
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At this point a cold rain/snow mix started to fall. I ducked under the canopy of a large tree and watched the precipitation fall. I was a bit concerned that the precipitation would change over to snow, however the shower eventually passed without any sticking snow. At this point I resumed my journey.
On the canyon cliff faces I spotted many rosettes of Dudleya cymosa.
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Each Dudleya rosette is different. Some rosettes remain glaucus blue-green while others discolor with various mixtures of pink and magenta pigmentation suffusing through the foliage during the winter season.
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As I looked closely, the rosettes of many California native annuals could be seen waiting for spring to arrive. Pictured are rosettes of Gilia capitata ssp. pedemontana (lacy foliage).
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Exposed sunny cervices on cliff faces were home to the fern Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata. This tough little fern easily endures extreme heat and drought each season without suffering harm. It is also an evergreen species.
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Coffee Fern, Pellaea andromedifolia, is often found in a similar environment to Pellaea mucronata. This species grows larger and has larger leaves and pinnules. It too is evergreen and can endure extremes in heat and drought.
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Bush Lupine, Lupinus albifrons var. albifrons, is frequently seen growing on sunny, hot, and dry south facing slopes and among rocky outcroppings. This species is appreciated for its striking silvery evergreen foliage and large flowering racemes.
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Lupinus albifrons var. albifrons is easy to cultivate and long lived providing its growing requirements are met. A quickly draining soil and protection from slugs and snails is essential.
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The developing rosettes of many other native annuals were seen. Eschscholzia caespitosa (lacy foliage) is one of two annual Eschscholzia species seen in our region. Both species are very attractive.
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The annual Spider Lupine, Lupinus benthamii, is very easy to identify in the seedling stage. The foliage has a distinctive wagon-wheel appearance with long, narrow leaflets that radiate from a central point at the end of the petiole. Here it is seen growing with a tangle of Gilia capitata seedlings. This will provide a succession of flowers through the spring blooming season.
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I enjoyed a long period without rain while I explored the canyon slopes. Eventually another wave of rain showers moved into the area. Despite the rain I continued my way down the canyon slopes to the South Fork of the American River.
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On the canyon slopes I found Wood Ferns, Dryopteris arguta, growing in well-shaded locations. Eventually I reached the river, 990 feet (302 meters). It was still raining lightly and was getting late in the day, so I started back up the steep slopes to the Outback.
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As I worked my way up the canyon slope there were occasional views of the river below. However, the high point of the hike up out of the canyon was the sighting of a Sooty Grouse, Dendragapus fuliginosus. This species is generally seen at much higher elevations in coniferous forests in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This sighting was a bit unusual at this elevation (≈ 1,300 feet, 396 meters).
This outing was a bit of an adventure with a few twists and turns in the weather. Despite the challenges and less than ideal photography opportunities, this outing turned out well and I was very pleased with the experience.
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Hello Trond,
Great to hear from you. 8)
The graphic is very interesting. Are the temperatures in the 10 C range anomalous for February?
Here we are experiencing well below average temperatures. Only one “soft” record low temperature has been broken on 18 February. At the end of the month I will work out the standard deviation for each day of the month, however a quick look at the data revels nothing out of the ordinary other than the one “soft” broken low temperature record.
In addition, it has been years since we last experienced consistent and linger snow at the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada in our region. Tomorrow I will finally get out to do a manual snow survey. I enjoy doing manual observations as there are frequently important details that remote sensors and data recorders do not reveal. It should be a fun and revealing outing. Most likely everyone will hear about this one. ;D
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Robert, for your information the record Scottish February temperature of 17.9C in Aberdeen on February 22 1897 was broken today at the small town of Aboyne, near Aberdeen, which recorded a temperature of 18.3C.
Here in Devon we struggled on 17C.
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Hello Trond,
Great to hear from you. 8)
The graphic is very interesting. Are the temperatures in the 10 C range anomalous for February?
Temperatures in the 10C range is not uncommon at the south and west coast in February (the record highest is 18.8C from 1990). What is uncommon is the prolonged warm spell. This February seems to be the warmest for decades. Usually one or two mild days are followed by frost and occasionally snow.
Not so this year so far!
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Hi David,
This is extremely interesting! 8)
Are temperatures more or less well above average in the whole region?
I just checked the 21 February 1200 UTC northern hemispheric 300 mb analysis. There is a strong jet originating over the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco and southern Spain flowing directly northward to the central eastern coast of Greenland. Although the UK is not directly in the path of this jet, there is certainly warm air advection occurring that is affecting the UK.
Huh! The 21 February 1500 UTC GOES IR image shows stormy weather being drawn northward by this flow. I am not familiar with weather patterns in the UK. Has warm stormy weather arrived? Or is it forecast to arrive soon?
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On the site today we were counting adders and measured the ground surface temperature at 22C.
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Temperatures in the 10C range is not uncommon at the south and west coast in February (the record highest is 18.8C from 1990). What is uncommon is the prolonged warm spell. This February seems to be the warmest for decades. Usually one or two mild days are followed by frost and occasionally snow.
Not so this year so far!
Trond,
This is all very interesting information. Thank you for sharing.
We have been under a persistent Polar to Arctic North flow for the last 7 days. At times 500 mb temperatures have dropped to -35 C, which is fairly cold for us. The GFS forecast is for the pattern to start shifting, first to the NW, then to zonal, and then eventually we are forecast to get another hit of subtropical moisture. With all the wintertime numerical forecasts, we shall see what actually happens, especially past day 3 to 4. Sometimes they are spot on, at other times the scenario in the 4 to 7 day range change every 6 hours to something very different than expected. The Pacific-North American Pattern index has been negative for the past few days. Generally this leads to a split in the jet stream over the western Pacific Ocean and cold generally dry conditions on the west coast of the U.S.A. The Arctic Oscillation has been strongly positive which is generally indicative of mostly low amplitude planetary waves.
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On the site today we were counting adders and measured the ground surface temperature at 22C.
Hi Ian,
Thank you for sharing this bit of information. 8) I look forward to your next report.
Due to the declination of the sun this time of year and the low elevation of your site, 22 C does not seem like an unreasonable temperature, even if the direct beam solar radiation is not blocked by any cloud cover.
I think that those that grow true high elevation alpine species would be interested to know that ground temperatures can soar to very high levels during the summer at high elevations when the direct beam solar radiation is not blocked by cloud cover. Water vapor, aerosols, etc. absorb a fair amount of IR radiation as it passes through the lower portions of the troposphere.
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Thanks Robert, the temperature in this area at this time of year would be in the region of 12C-18C. The forecast is for the warmest weekend February temperatures for many years. Last Spring was cold and wet.
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23 February 2019
1300 UTC
Yesterday was my first opportunity to observe snow conditions on Peavine Ridge in about 2 weeks. The snow totals are very impressive. I measured 117 cm of snow on the ground on the crest of Peavine Ridge, 5,146 feet (1,569 meters). The water content of the snow was also very high, ≈ 12.00 inches. Both my wife and I commented that we have not seen conditions like this, at this elevation, for decades. I am working on quantifying this idea. There have certainly been perceptible changes in the snowfall and other climatic patterns in the Sierra Nevada over the past 40 years or so. I currently have proxy data suggesting a considerable upward shift in snow levels over the past 35 years. In addition, there are indications that the duration of snow cover each season has been declining over this same time period. The climatic pattern shifts (and other variables) are certainly impacting the ecosystems in this region and by extension of this idea, our gardens.
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Down the mountain near Riverton, 3,625 feet (1,105 meters) there was 29.5 cm of snow on the ground with a liquid equivalent of 2.23 inches. The snow amounts at this elevation are not impressive, however the persistence of the snow cover is. To date, there have been 18 snow cover days during February at this site. This number is impressive!
Now it will be interesting to see how much longer the snow cover at these two sites persists. Current weather forecasts suggest that we will be impacted by moisture of a tropical/subtropical origin over the next week. If this scenario holds, this will be a heavy rainfall event for all locations except for the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. The snow at the Riverton site will not persist long under these conditions. On the crest of Peavine Ridge, the snow will likely be eroded to a certain extent and become compacted by the rain event. Generally under these conditions a hard layer of ice develops in the upper layers of the snow, but all of this depends on what actually occurs. I will be monitoring the snow and storm conditions and will keep you posted.
As a side note, last year on 1 February there were 2 species of Arctostaphylos, Manzanita, in bloom on the crest of Peavine Ridge. This year they are buried under 117 cm of snow. Snow cover and temperatures (and certainly other variables) will dictate their blooming period this season.
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2 March 2019
2123 UTC
My wife and I did the weekly snow survey yesterday, however before posting the results from this outing I will revisit the odd site where snow does not accumulate despite abundant snowfall. After further investigation yesterday this site remains quite the mystery.
[attachimg=1]
This is the site as it appeared on 8 February 2019 after >78 cm of snowfall. Since this time there has been an additional >39 cm of snow accumulation, which has now been reduced to 83 cm of snow as of 1 March.
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This is the site, as it appeared yesterday, 1 March.
Yesterday, my approach was to survey the area to see if there were similar sites where snow does not accumulate.
I am not sure what I was thinking when I made my first evaluation of this phenomena. Latent heat (fusion – liquid to ice) may be a minor factor in slowing snow accumulation at this location, but is not the primary factor involved. The high heat holding capacity of water seems the logical answer, however the whole area is water logged during the winter with standing water, which slowly oozes and seeps down the slope. This site does not seem any different from many other locations on this slope. It seems logical to assume that there would be additional locations where snow accumulation is inhibited by the heat holding capacity of a large amount of water. This is not what I observed. In addition, this is not the ocean. I do not have any clear indication how extensive water accumulation might be below the surface of the ground. In the summer the site is xeric.
Another factor might be the albedo of the soil. The andesite based soil at this site is a medium gray color when dry. When wet the same soil can be very dark, almost black in color. Certainly this would enhance the absorption of solar radiation providing the ground is not covered with snow. Without snow cover, the moist soil would certainly absorb a fair amount of heat. Whether this would be enough to consistently inhibit the accumulation of snow at this site I am uncertain.
Yet another factor may be the large rocks and boulders throughout the area. Some of the larger boulders are large enough to protrude above the ground shortly after deep snowfall. They would absorb some solar radiation and accelerate the melting of snow very close to the rock surface for a period of time. There are no large boulders near the site. Some other form of heat sink is possible as well as a combination of all the factors above.
I guess this is one of those things I never learned, forgot, or who knows. Anyway, if anyone has a good hypothesis on the lack of snow accumulation at this site, please share it with me.
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Robert, I am used to see such spots were snow doesn't accumulate and the water doesn't freeze during winter. They are all connected to water seeping up from underground. Such holes can occur in the middle of a bog or at the foot of hills etc. A similar kind of "holes" can occur along a creek or similar where some spots do not freeze or are covered by snow unless it is very cold for a long time.
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Hi Trond,
My wife keeps telling me that this site stays very moist late into the spring/early summer season. The water does freeze over at this site. During the past week low temperatures fell to 9 F (-12.8 C) at this site and the surface was completely iced over. I did not probe around to see how far the ice penetrated into the ground. Generally the ground does not freeze deeply in this area. I will know much more in the future when I get the soil temperature loggers set up. Not far from this area there are natural springs where the water never freezes even with extreme cold weather. Given all the seepage in the area I am still wondering what exactly is going on at the "site". I'm sure that eventually you and my wife can tell me "I told you so". ;D
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..... I'm sure that eventually you and my wife can tell me "I told you so". ;D
Yes, of course we will ;D
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Yes, of course we will ;D
Ah, Yes! ;D ;D
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5 March 2019
2300 UTC
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I finally crunched the WX numbers for February 2019.
February 2019 turned out to be the coldest February at the El Dorado County, California farm since I started keeping detailed WX records at this site in 1983.
The mean temperature for February 2019 was 42.54 F (5.86 C), 5.52 F (3.07 C) below the 30-year mean of 48.06 F (8.92 C).
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February 2019 was also a very snowy month. Although the farm only recorded 3.80 cm of snow during the month, the higher elevations in our area recorded much more. As an example, a short distance from the farm at Pollock Pines, California, 4,000 feet (1,219 meters), > 3 feet (91 cm) of snow was recorded. Not only were there copious amounts of snow but it also lingered. 24 snow cover days were recorded at Pollock Pines during the month of February, and this snow lingered until 4 March.
It has been many years since we have seen abundant low elevation snow accumulations. It has also been many years since such snow accumulations have lingered at and below the 4,000-foot (1,219 meters) level. February of 1990 was one of our previous banner snow months. During this snow event 19 cm of snow fell at the farm, 1,460 feet (445 meters), with much more in Pollock Pines and the higher Sierra Nevada.
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There are also large accumulations of snow in the Sierra Nevada.
Higher in the Crystal Range:
At 8,600 feet (2,621 meters) there are ≈15 feet (457 cm) of snow on the ground at this time. The liquid equivalent is 58.41 inches (148.36 cm).
At 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) there are 12.50 feet (381 cm) of snow on the ground with a liquid equivalent of 55.95 inches (142.11 cm).
The above totals are well above average for this time of year and even above the 2016-2017 snow depth totals on this date. 2016-2017 was a banner precipitation season, however snow levels were frequently quite high.
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February 2019 was consistently cold but not extreme. As an example -1 F (-18.3 C) was the coldest low temperature recorded at 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) in the Crystal Range.
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Currently the rainy and stormy weather have returned. Snow levels are high, above 5,500 feet (1,676meters), due to the subtropical origin of this air mass. The numerical models are having difficulty forecasting the next 7 days. Currently, it appears that much of the moisture from the current storm will move south of our area. The forecast models are having more difficulty with the following storm. This storm will be dropping southward from the Gulf of Alaska. This system will bring us much cooler temperatures, but precipitation amounts are contingent on its trajectory. It now appears that we will have a period of dry weather once this storm system exits the region.
Now it is time for me to make a guess at our WX beyond this time frame.
Currently we are experiencing El Niño teleconnection conditions. The Walker Circulation pattern has shifted eastward and is currently centered ≈ 170 W longitude. In addition, SST (Surface Sea Temperatures) remain well above average in this area as well as farther to the east, centered ≈ 140 W longitude. The downwelling Oceanic Kelvin wave currently moving eastward across the equatorial Pacific will likely sustain the warm SST in the equatorial eastern Pacific for the short term. This pattern increases the possibilities of additional AR (Atmospheric River) directed into our portion of California. Whether this will indeed happen is something else.
Currently the Pacific North American Pattern index is -0.75. This is suggestive of much cooler and drier conditions and a spilt Jet Stream in the western Pacific. The Arctic Oscillation Index is currently 2.25. This suggests a much more zonal jet stream pattern. The PNA and AO were at the same levels during our last AR event, however this time around I believe conditions will be drier. So my big guess is that the mid-portion of March will be cooler and drier than what we have experienced during the past week. Beyond this point my guess is that another AR MIGHT impact our portion of California.
Currently this is the best I can do with my very crude statistical model (using current conditions and past patterns). For me this is a fun and challenging endeavor. I learn a great deal too even (and especially) if I make mistakes. For me the best way to learn something is to do it.
Soon I will be able to get back to field botany. :)
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Robert,
The mean February temperature here was 5.0C, one of the warmest ever! The 30 year average (1960-90) is 0.6C.
Here is what Yr says about your weather the next week:
https://www.yr.no/place/United_States/California/Placerville/long.html?spr=eng (https://www.yr.no/place/United_States/California/Placerville/long.html?spr=eng)
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Robert,
The mean February temperature here was 5.0C, one of the warmest ever! The 30 year average (1960-90) is 0.6C.
Here is what Yr says about your weather the next week:
https://www.yr.no/place/United_States/California/Placerville/long.html?spr=eng (https://www.yr.no/place/United_States/California/Placerville/long.html?spr=eng)
Hi Trond,
Currently I calculate the 30-year temperature mean at the farm from 1985-2015.
Do you know what the extreme high mean temperature is in your area during the 1960-1990 time period?
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19 March 2019
0500 UTC
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Today was snow survey day. I traveled to Peavine Ridge to check the snow depth, snow water content, and precipitation totals. Despite the warm spring-like weather over the past few days the snow pack is hold up extremely well, even on exposed sites (such as pictured above).
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I recorded 50 cm of snow on the ground. The snow cover is holding up well despite solar radiation peaking at ≈ 900 W / m2 each day over the past 6 days.
Last year, on 18 March, I recorded 65 cm of snow at my usual site, but then winter did not arrive until March last year. The water content of the snow pack last year was 8.00 inches (203.2 mm), vs. 8.60 inches (218.4 mm) this year. The total snow cover days this year are 99 days as of 18 March. I do not have a complete number of snow cover days for last year.
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I get to eat crow on this one! ;D
My wife and Trond were correct there was a seasonal spring where the snow did not accumulate. My wife has such a great memory; I wish she could accompany me more often. :)
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It is hard to detect with this photograph, but there is a good head of water flowing from the spring. Come summer the whole area will be bone dry.
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It is great to see abundant snow in the Sierra Nevada. I checked one of several high elevation sites that I monitor. As of 18 March, the current snow pack has a water equivalent of 61.15 inches. This compares favorably to the banner snow season of 2016-2017 when there was 65.07 inches at the same site on the same date. Unfortunately I do not have exact numbers, but this is somewhere ≈ 150% of average to date. I do know that the totals are ≈ 200% the 5 year average, however this includes some of the drought years. Soon I will have more comprehensive figures.
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While I was on the Ridge a few clouds started to form. I calculated a surface based LCL, ≈ 760 mb. I also checked the 2200 UTC Sacramento and Carson City GOES Skew-T charts and found 760 mb to be a reasonable number. Clearly a bit of moisture from the next advancing storm system is starting to trickle into our region. This morning when I check the 850 mb precipitable water transport it was 0.3 inches (0.76 mm) By this afternoon it was 0.4 inches (1.0 mm), I guess just enough moisture for a few clouds to form as the air parcels were lifted by the mountains. The clouds are beautiful and I like watching them.
About 10 days ago, my primitive/crude statistical model forecasted rain for our region about now. With rain forecasted to arrive in a day or two, I was a bit surprised that the model might work, especially so far in advance. But then it could have been blind luck. Checking other atmospheric features, the chances of another AR (Atmospheric River) arriving this season have diminished. Well, it will be nice to get some more precipitation over the next 3-5 days, even if the totals are not great (the second storm to arrive looked promising, however if it becomes negatively titled as currently forecast <always changeable>, well this generally does not encourage large precipitations totals). We shall see.
I hope to have another field botany day soon. The wildflowers at the lower elevations are starting to bloom.
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Robert, I have heard that crow meat isn't that bad ;D
Interesting if your meteorological modell can predict the weather!
Yr says you will get rain this evening :)
Although we have gotten a fair amount of snow the last days (inland) it is less than average for the season. I wonder if the snow at our cabin lasts till Easter when we usually go skiing.
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19 March 2019
1330 UTC
Hi Trond,
A statistical model is generally (or can be) very simple compared to the dynamic models used today to make long-range WX forecasts. My model is extremely simple and still has many gaps. The basic idea is to match current conditions to a pattern that has a high statistically probability of a future out come. As many Forumist must certainly know by now, I record all sorts of statistics. A number of months ago I posted a tiny section of a graph showing the relationship between one set of statistics with another set of statistics. Where the relationship departs, I look for the reason why. This is part of the process of creating my statistical model.
While recording statistics last week I recognized a specific pattern. Currently, I can still use a spreadsheet for this model. I just looked up the statistical out come. Very simple, but the model could easily become complex (for me very quickly). I have thought about adding a dynamic element (very simple trigonometric functions). It is so nice to be a hobbyist. I can play around with things however I wish.
For me this is a fun and interesting learning experience. I tend to be chatty. I guess that I wish to encourage general creativity. “Eating Crow” (taking chances and/or not being afraid of making dumb mistakes at times) goes with the territory. Having said all of this, I think that you can understand that I discuss generalities and keep most of the details to myself.
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[attachimg=1]
Despite some rain showers, I had a good outing today, 20 March 2019. :)
There are the usual photographs to sort through, however I should have something together in a few days.
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19 March 2019
1330 UTC
Hi Trond,
....
For me this is a fun and interesting learning experience. I tend to be chatty. I guess that I wish to encourage general creativity. “Eating Crow” (taking chances and/or not being afraid of making dumb mistakes at times) goes with the territory. Having said all of this, I think that you can understand that I discuss generalities and keep most of the details to myself.
Robert,
It is interesting to see how good your model will be!
I do not bother making models but I look at previous weather patterns and try to guess what the next weeks wil bring :)
(Attachment Link)
Despite some rain showers, I had a good outing today, 20 March 2019. :)
There are the usual photographs to sort through, however I should have something together in a few days.
Looking forward to that. The spring here evolves very slow so not much will happen the next week!
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Robert,
It is interesting to see how good your model will be!
I do not bother making models but I look at previous weather patterns and try to guess what the next weeks wil bring :)
Looking forward to that. The spring here evolves very slow so not much will happen the next week!
Hi Trond,
Yes, why would anyone want to go through the effort to make some sort of model. :) This is very understandable. :)
As for the recent outing...
Locally, I thought that the spring blooming cycle would be far more advanced. Basically I have not missed anything, but then February was relatively cold for us. There will now be plenty to write about concerning the latest outing and future outings. Weather and other topics not directly related to plants will take a "back seat". With my recent outing, there are a good number satisfactory photographs and a good story to tell. With a full schedule, getting it written and posted will occupy my Forum attention. :)
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South Fork
of the
American River
El Dorado County, California
Part I
Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Weather for selected location:
0000 UTC, 21 March 2019:
Placerville Farm, 1,460 ft., 445 meters
Weather: Rain Showers
Temperature, High: 58 F, 14.4 C
Low: 45 F, 7.2 C
Relative Humidity: 89%
Dew Point: 47 F, 8.3 C
Wind: SE 2G3
Precipitation: 0.42 inches (10.67 mm), To date (starting 1 July): 28.47 (723.14 mm), 100% average to date
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Wednesday, 20 March, started as an overcast and rainy day. My opportunities for outings are at times limited these days, so I was not going to let the rain scratch this opportunity.
While driving to and from Placerville - Sacramento I noticed that the early wildflowers had started to bloom in the Sacramento Valley. It was an easy choice to visit a long time favorite low elevation site near the South Fork of the American River. Here I would likely see some of the early spring blooming wildflowers. I set out for the Salmon Falls area, a location I have been visiting since the early 1970’s.
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At the staging area there are two old Western Redbud trees/shrubs, Cercis occidentalis. The flower buds were well advanced, but there were still very few open flowers. It was a pleasant thought thinking how I have visited these Redbuds for 40 years now. Funny, they still seem the same, however I am very aware that there have been dramatic changes at this site over the last 40 years.
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One of the delights of this region are the large colonies of Erythronium multiscapideum that can be visited. At one site there were hundreds of budded plants, but not one open flower. I hope that I can visit again soon.
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Salvia sonomensis is a very common understory species carpeting the ground among the chaparral shrubbery. Even with cool and rainy weather its scent pervades the chaparral. This is a heavenly delight!
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Soap Plant, Chlorogalum pomeridianum, is also a very common species in the chaparral plant community. The plants pictured were intact. Deer browse on many of the plants. Very often one sees plants that are well browsed.
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White Leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida, can be found blooming very early in the season, often starting in January. The nectar in the flowers is an important food source for many creatures. Our year-round resident, Anna’s Hummingbird, Calypte anna, were seen feeding on the flower nectar throughout the day. The flower nectar is also an important food source for adult Pipevine Swallowtail Butterflies, Battus philenor. The weather was too cool and rainy for the butterflies to be out.
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The bark on mature Manzanitas can be striking. Not all species have polished chestnut bark, but many do.
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Many different lichen species can be found in the chaparral plant community. One species or another can be found growing in various habitat niches, soil, rocks, bark, and twigs. Antler lichen, Evernia prunastris, and Speckled Greenshield lichen, Flavopunctelia flaventior, (pictured) are two of the most common species found growing on twigs, branches, and bark.
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Rhus aromatica grows in thickets. The trifoliate foliage is very similar to that of Poison Oak, Toxicodendron diversiloba. The two species could be confused and it can be important to distinguish between the two species. Poison Oak can cause acute dermatitis while the Rhus aromatica does not.
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The Blue Dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum, were in bloom. As pictured, most were soaked with rainwater and bent nearly to the ground.
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I always keep my eye open for different color forms of Dichelostemma capitatum. Occasionally white flowering forms can be found. Other color forms are even more unusual. I did not find any unusual forms on this outing.
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Trumpet lichens are not rare, but they are tiny. They are often found growing hidden in sheltered sites on soil or rotting wood. Cladonia fimbriata (pictured) is a commonly seen species in our part of California.
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California Coffee Berry, Frangula californica ssp. tomentella, is an evergreen species seen frequently in the chaparral plant community. The foliage of this species is a food source for the larva of a number of our California native butterflies.
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Bush Lupine, Lupinus albifrons var. albifrons will be blooming soon. This species is always a favorite.
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My route traversed a number of riparian habitats. In a number of shaded moist sites large colonies of Artemisia douglasiana were seen.
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One of my favorite chaparral species is Silk Tassel Bush, Garrya congdonii. In the late winter the catkin-like pendent flowers develop. The leathery evergreen foliage is very attractive and is covered with dense silvery hairs when it first emerges in the spring. 6 species of Garrya can be found growing in California.
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It will not be long until the first flowers of Calochortus albus open. It was not hard to spot the advancing flower buds.
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Sanicula crassicaulis is a very common chaparral species. It is a member of the Apiaceae Family (Carrot Family).
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The flowers of Sanicula crassicaulis are not especially attractive, however I enjoy the textured foliage of this species. This species is most often found growing in grassy shaded sites under the canopy of our native oak species.
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The light showery weather was punctuated by brief heavy downpours. The heavier rain temporally slowed my hiking progress, however it was the overcast skies that prevented may flowers from opening.
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Robert,
Except for the unfamiliar species this could be here! I mean the rain ;) Heavy downpours almost every day with a few glimpses of sun between the showers. Many species are just waiting for some decent sun to open their flowers.
I love evergreens like the silk tassel bush and the coffee berry. Wish we had more species like them here.
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Robert,
Except for the unfamiliar species this could be here! I mean the rain ;) Heavy downpours almost every day with a few glimpses of sun between the showers. Many species are just waiting for some decent sun to open their flowers.
I love evergreens like the silk tassel bush and the coffee berry. Wish we had more species like them here.
Hi Trond,
In the short term, I see no end to our pattern of rain, accented with a dry day or two. Drought is such a bane here in California. I always enjoy plentiful rain during the rainy season, as summer will be month after month of hot and bone dry. This too has its pleasant aspects.
Even in the limited region of California where I live we are blessed with an incredible diversity of native plants. There is also an amazing world of genetic diversity within each species. For me, unleashing this potential is personally rewarding.
Currently, we grow Garrya flavescens in our Sacramento garden. I hope to add Garrya congdonii. Good forms of Frangula californica ssp. tomentella are dense, with very silvery tomentose evergreen foliage. When I find an exceptional form I propagate it asexually. Shrubby species like this are far too large for me to work with. I have to agree with you that they are beautiful species. :)
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Robert, good to see that you are getting rain at last. Spring seems to be on the way. It is fairly slow here but the planted trees along road sides are blooming now.
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Hi Ian,
Springs is poised to take off here in Northern California. In parts of the Sierra Nevada the snow is melting. When the sun is out the solar radiation getting intense. Via sublimation, snow perched on conifer branches quickly disappears. It will not be long and many wildflowers will be out. The abundant precipitation will encourage a spectacular wildflower display this season.
I will be watching very closely to see how long the snow cover lingers at various elevations in the Sierra Nevada.
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South Fork
of the
American River
El Dorado County, California
Part II
[attachimg=1]
As I continued my journey, I encountered an interesting stand of Ceanothus palmeri. Ceanoths palmeri is generally not seen in large quantities in our portion of Northern California, however it grows quite prolifically in this specific area. I found one specimen that had striking white striped bark.
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Chaparral Honeysuckle, Lonicera interrupta, is seen frequently scrambling and twining through the chaparral shrubbery.
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Another vining species is Marah watsonii. This member of the Cucurbitaceae, Gourd Family, is a perennial species producing a large underground tuber. The interesting fruits are spherical and covered with many prickles that are often hooked.
[attachimg=4]
As I continued through a grassy area, I encountered many colonies of Primula (Dodecantheon) hendersonii in bloom. In our area, this species generally produces very little viable seed. Its distinctive root bulblets at blooming time distinguish it from P. clevelandii ssp. patulum. Primula clevelandii ssp. patulum is seen occasionally at the lowest elevations in our area.
[attachimg=5]
As I moved back into the chaparral I spotted some colonies of Castilleja foliolosa in bloom. The flowers of this species are generally orange-red. Occasionally plants with yellowish-orange flowers can be found. The woolly gray foliage is extremely attractive. They are fairly easy to raise from seed providing they are paired with the right companion.
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The weather started to improve and patches of blue sky appeared. The clearing skies also increased the possibilities of convective cloudiness developing later in the day with the potential for thunderstorms.
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As I continued along the path I occasionally encountered blooming stands of Buck Brush, Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus. Many locals consider Buck Brush a weed that needs to be eliminated.
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I like Buck Brush. The heavy pollen scented flowers fill the chaparral with a delightful fragrance every spring. This species has many short, stiff, side branches that are almost spine-like. Needless to say, dense thickets of this species can be extremely difficult to travel through.
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I was very pleased to spot a small colony of Delphinium hansenii along this route. This species is fairly common in our part of California, however this is the first time I have encountered this species along this route. I have hiked this route for decades. No matter, for how many years or how frequently I visit a site, I always find something new and different to spark my curiosity and wonder.
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Turkey Tail fungi, Trametes versicolor, are frequently seen in the oak forests in this area.
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The flowers on Aristolochia californica open very early in the season. The flowers are very interesting. They are also very easy to miss, and one needs to look very closely to spot them. This species hosts the larva of Pipevine Swallowtail Butterflies, Battus philenor.
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I am always surprised when I find Iris macrosiphon blooming early in the season. The bulk of the plants in this area will not be blooming for another 2 to 3 weeks.
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There are plentiful stands of California Snowdrop Bush, Styrax redivivus, growing in this area. The bare twig pictured will burst forth with pendulous white flowers that have a delightful fragrance. Lately, my timing always seems to be off. I too frequently miss enjoying this species when it is in full bloom.
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Back in the chaparral in encountered the usual scattered stands of Lepechinia calycina. The foliage of this species is highly scented. Its scent mixes with that of Salvia sonomensis, and other chaparral species to give our chaparral its distinctive scent. The fragrance is divine!
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Lecanora chlarotera is part of a group of similar looking and related lichen species found in our part of California. The species is usually seen growing on tree bark. This specimen is striking and always gets my attention.
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As the route swung along a heavily wooded north-facing slope, many fern species started to appear. Polypodium calirhiza was seen growing from rock crevices or growing from moss perched directly on boulders.
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I caught Cynoglossum grande at its peak bloom. I enjoy the large bold foliage of this species. The flowers are, of coarse, a delight too.
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When they first emerge, the flowers of Cynoglossum grande are generally blue with white appendages. As the flowers age, they will often fade to a pinkish/blue shade. Occasionally, forms can be found where the flowers emerge pink and stay pink.
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Tauschia hartwegii is a shade loving Apiaceae species. This clump forming species has very attractive foliage.
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Like many Apiaceae species, the flowers are non-descript, however the inflorescence taken as a whole can be very interesting.
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Robert, it is so soothing to re-encounter all your plant friends of your previous outings! Your heavy rains have turned everything into lush green. At this end of the world we still have two or more weeks of already too long summer drought. So I can easily relate to the relief that rains bring. I'm most interested about your spring outings. They promise a lot...as you say I keep tuned!
Arturo
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Hi Arturo,
I have been following the El Niño event in the equatorial Pacific Ocean this winter/spring (your summer/autumn). Is drought part of the El Niño impacts in your region? For various reasons, it does not seem like the El Niño is ready to end quite yet. Will you continue to see El Niño impacts during your winter?
If you have been reading back versions of my diary then it might be clear that February 2019 was cold and snowy. It was the coldest February since I started recording consistent WX records at the Placerville farm back in 1981. Needless to say, we have not seen winter weather like this in decades. Despite the cold, climate change and warming is still very evident. I have records of the 1 April (April Fools Day) snowstorms that impacted the low elevations of the Sierra Nevada 35-40 years ago. This is only the “tip of the iceberg” of the local data I have to support the idea of climate change within a lifetime in our region.
It will now be interesting to see the impacts of our current winter weather on the flora and natural systems in our area this summer and autumn. I have been diligent in becoming current, however between working when possible, looking after my mother (still is a whole story in itself), and other responsibilities this has been a very slow process. I was hoping to be better prepared for the coming season, however I remind myself that it is a journey. Presently, it appears that I will be able to get out in the field a bit more consistently. This is good news, as the natural world is a healing balm for me, and I like writing this diary.
If all goes well I will be out again on Friday, but first I have to finish part III of the last outing.
Until next time…
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Hi Robert, we have natural summer drought always but...this summer has been much drier than usual with unusual temp. highs beyond normal in my memory. We haven't had any record events though but we could say that we have had a general warming trend. Again contrasting with this we did have three midsummer frosts with a 15 day gap in between ( very damaging to our crops) so perhaps the averages still are within the typical range. Thus one of the characteristics of climate change were visible: more extremes than usual. How much of this can be associated to el Niño oscillation is beyond my understanding... What we are experiencing is clearly the effects of climate change with its far reaching consequences. But I guess that this is a planetary problem...
Arturo
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Arturo,
It seems like the bottom line are the crop losses. Depending on the crops involved it seems like there could have been a precipitous drop in production. There could also have been a total loss of the crops. Here in California margins can be very thin. I hope you were able to adjust and recover well from the adversity.
Is summertime frost unusual in your mountainous climate? There are many forumist that have a keen interest in the flora of South America. With the unusual summer weather, was there any noticeable impact to the native flora?
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Robert, we can't account for direct crop failures with the exception of reduced crop of potatoes. Interestingly potatoes are originally from high mountain areas in the central Andes and can withstand a certain amount of summer cold. Normally midsummer frost occurs once in the summer and crops can be protected with overhead watering...during the freeze water sprayed will generate a layer of ice which in turn insulates the leaves and thus avoid further damage. This summer we had three in a row with diminished water availability because of wells drying up....Fortunately most of the crops are being grown in/under greenhouses which allows us to overcome climatic uncertainties. However this has been a delayed season with cool weather predominant in late spring continuing into summer and then sudden very warm days. Plants are called for very drastic changes and seem to have difficulties to select with what they have to stay tuned with (day length, daytime temps, night time temps etc.) So the overall result is reduced productivity.
At this time of year I start searching for seeds. None this fall...of native flora that grows spontaneously here. No Clarkia, Alstroemeria aurantium or Rodophiala elwezii seeds or some of the ground orchids.
If your rainy late winter pattern matches this coming season the situation may be different next year.
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South Fork
of the
American River
El Dorado County, California
Part III
[attachimg=1]
My journey continued along the shaded north-facing slope. This shaded habitat was the perfect environment for California Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum jordanii. In places they grew abundantly on the slope and among the rock. The black to dark red-brown stipes of this species are very conspicuous against the fan-shaped pinna.
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California Buckeye, Aesculus californica, also enjoyed the semi-shaded positions. It is among the first of our native deciduous trees to leaf in the late-winter, spring. Its survival strategy is to be early deciduous/semi-dormant to survive our long hot, dry summers.
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Occasional I spotted a Wood Fern, Dryopteris arguta, growing among the rocks, often sharing space with California Maidenhair Ferns.
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In one area, I found a new colony (new to me) of Erythronium multiscapideum. I was delighted to find a plant with an open flower. I have been mapping the distribution of this Erythronium species throughout El Dorado County, California over the last 25 years. I continue to find new stands of this species, which pleases me a great deal.
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Eventual I came across a small creek that flows all year. This is very easy to determine by the plant species found growing in its vicinity.
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There were a number of Giant Chain Ferns, Woodwardia fimbriata, growing in the creek bed. This fern species can grow quite large, often with fronds to 3 meters in length or more. It is also dependent on an abundant source of moisture at all seasons. For this reason Woodwardia ferns are frequently found near large fresh water springs in our area.
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The breaks in the overcast led to convective cloudiness. Although there currently was no rain, I did not like the looks of the weather conditions and decided to turn back.
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The chaparral was also very thick in the area. Hiking and exploring terrain beyond the trail would have been very difficult. I did not want to get caught in the dense chaparral during a thunderstorm.
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When returning to a staging area, I enjoy looking for everything that I missed on the way in. On this outing, I spotted a stand of Micranthes californica in bloom among the grasses. In this area, this species can be easy to overlook, as Popcorn Flowers, Plagiobothys sp. (P. fulvus var. campestris and P. nothofulvus), are abundant and blooming everywhere (in sunny locations). Very superficially, the two species can look similar. Without a good focused looked, Micranthes californica can be missed (Micranthes californica in found in shaded locations).
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I still had plenty of time, so I detoured off the tail to see what I might find. In one area, large sheets of Lasthenia californica ssp. californica were blooming in the openings between the chaparral shrubs. The California Goldfields (Lasthenia) shared the space with the diminutive Plantago erecta.
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Much of the soil in this area is derived from the Gabbro parent rock strata below the surface. The soils tend to be highly weathered, tend toward ultramafic (> 45% Si, Gabbro tends to have a bit more Silica than Serpentine which is ultramafic), and have a high content of heavy metals. Gabbro is rich in iron content, leading to the deep red coloration of the soil (see red rock – pictured). A fresh cut to a piece of Gabbro reveals the predominantly dark mineral content (mostly pyroxenes) with much lesser amounts of lighter colored plagioclase feldspar (smaller rock on top – a truly fresh cut to Gabbro would be even darker). In this area the soils tend to be very shallow. The above characteristics lead to a unique flora often with rare, and/or endemic species.
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The find of the day was a blooming stand of the tiny Monkeyflower, Mimulus douglasii. This native annual is a real gem. The flowers are intricately patterned and colored. They can often be found growing in dense stands creating an amazing show.
> Please note: The Genus Mimulus continues to shift, be split, and then reshuffled and organized into various Genus groups. 40 years ago, the name Diplacus was used for the shrubby Monkeyflowers, and then the name was dropped. Now the name seems to be in use again and now also includes many other species that were once listed under the Genus Mimulus. Some species once included in the Genus Mimulus are now listed within the Genus Erythranthe.
For the time being I will continue to use the previous classification system. I regret the confusion. I am sure some readers will feel confortable with the older classification system, others with the new. Until I find some clarity, I will continue with the old classification system. I will start to cross-reference the names in an attempt to provide some sort of intelligibility to an ambiguous situation.
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Unfortunately, the species is so small that it is very difficult for me to photograph. I spent a goodly amount of time exploring the extent of this colony through the chaparral.
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I can get quite focused on the plants (or other fascinating things) and lose track of my surroundings. The loud sound of thunder broke my concentration on the plants. The skies were now dark and the menacing clouds were very quickly moving in my direction. It was time to hurry back to the Outback before the approaching storm soaked me to the bone.
I was very pleased to get out in the field for most of the day. I missed the worst of the rain and I caught a good number of the early blooming wildflowers at the peak of their blooming cycle.
As always, there is change. Currently, my schedule look favorable for more outings, but often the opportunity arises at the last minute. I will see where the journey takes me next.
Until next time…
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I was able to spend part of the day yesterday, 29 March, in the Sierra Nevada. I was scouting out sites where I might find Calochortus clavatus var. avius this coming spring.
More on this later.
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Interesting as always, Robert!
Ferns are always fascinating. I love ferns and try to establish as many as possible on my property!
Mimulus douglasii looks great also. How big (small) is it?
Regarding climate change. WhenI was in Chile-Argentina last Jan-Feb they said they were in the 5th year of dry conditions. It was little forage for the animals and the vegetation was heavily grazed.
Here in Norway the average temperature has increased 1.3C in 100 years (the world average is 0.7C). The archipelago of Svalbard has had 100 consecutive months with above average temperature. They now have rain in winter, followed by frost and the snow turns to ice which is disastrous for the reindeer and other animals there.
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Hi Trond,
Mimulus (Diplicus) douglasii is very small, 3 mm to 40 mm for the exceptionally large ones. Soil type governs their size to a degree. As I wrote, the plants I encountered were growing on Gabbro based soil. They were all tiny, in the 3-5 mm range, not including the flower. The flower is often larger than the other above portions of the plant. I encounter the same tiny plants when I find this species growing on serpentine.
Thank you for the information regarding the drought conditions in the Chile-Argentina region where you traveled. I have my hands full staying current with the "goings on" right here in our portion of California. I am still keenly interested in climatic variations in other regions of the world, so thank you for this piece of information. The drought in this regions seems severe. Was there anyway to determine the impact, if any, on the native flora?
Currently, I am reviewing some fairly recent scientific papers regarding soil science and the impacts of climate change in alpine (high mountain) portions of the earth. This includes tropical mountainous regions (Andes and Africa), as well as temperate, and more northern (polar) regions. The jury is still out, however the findings are fascinating.
The impacts of climate change are here today. Evolutionary forcing can be very strong - i.e. think about weeds that have become resistant to, not one but several, herbicides in 40 years! And the plants (and other organisms) are responding and shifting to all the variables out there.
Trond, thank you again for sharing the information! 8)
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Peavine Ridge
El Dorado County, California
Part I
Friday, 29 March 2019
Weather for selected locations
Peavine Ridge, 5,126 ft., 1,562 meters
Weather: Rain Showers
Temperature, High: 48 F, 8.9 C
Low: 29 F, -1.7 C
Relative Humidity: 51%
Dew Point: 32 F, 0.0 C
Wind: S 4 Gusting 8
Precipitation: Trace (0.0 mm), To date (starting 1 July): 43.92 inches (1,116 mm)
Snow cover: 41 cm
Liquid Equivalent: 5.60 inches (142 mm)
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On Friday, 29 March I was on Peavine Ridge conducting my weekly manual snow survey. On this day, I had some extra time to explore some of the surrounding terrain.
Peavine Ridge extends on a, more or less, east-west axis. It forms the northern boundary of the South Fork of the American River Canyon from the confluence of Silver Creek and the American River to the west, to the Lyons Creek basin to the east. It is a large area encompassing a goodly altitude range and numerous environmental habitats. Three major geologic features are included within this area: The granite of the Sierra Nevada batholith, Mehrten Formation andesite and Shoo Fly Complex metamorphic rocks. These and other variables lead to a diverse flora with a number of rare and/or endemic species.
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I decided to explore an area of Mehrten Formation andesite, which is perfect habitat for a number of interesting plants, including Calochortus clavatus var. avius. The altitude range in this area was between 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) and 4,750 feet (1,448 meters). The snow cover varied depending on the exposure to the sun.
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Much of this area is a thermal belt. Quercus chrysolepis, Canyon Live Oak, takes advantage of the habitat niche and the relatively mild winter temperatures and can be found growing throughout the area.
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California Black Oak, Quercus kelloggii, is also found growing in thermal belts. At this elevation they are still very dormant. Spring is arriving at the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada where the Black Oaks are now coming into leaf.
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Bear Clover, Chamaebatia foliolosa is an evergreen understory species on Peavine Ridge. It is frequently seen at elevations < 5,000 feet (1,524 meters).
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Much of the Mehrten Formation Andesite consists of very shallow soils. This limits tree growth. Manzanitas, Arctostaphylos species, fill much of the area that is not suitable for tree growth.
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Indian Manzanita, Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka, is the most frequently encountered Manzanita species seen at this elevation range.
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Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka exhibits considerable variance in a number of characteristics. One example is leaf coloration. The previous photograph is an example of its silvery-gray color range. Above is an example of its mat gray-green color range.
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On occasion, plants are seen that exhibit a number of characteristics intermediate between Indian Manzanita, Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka and Green Leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula. Accurate empirical observations will increase my understanding of the species and their relationship to each other.
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The lower end of the altitude range of Green Leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, extends slightly below 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) on Peavine Ridge. It is not unusual to see a few scattered plants of Arctostaphylos patula among the dense stands of Indian Manzanita.
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The upper altitude range of Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida extends up to approximately 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) on Peavine Ridge. This species, too, is often seen mixed within the dense stand of Indian Manzanita. This situation leads to a fascinating variety of characteristics within the Manzanita populations.
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As I explored the Manzanita covered slopes there were often beautiful vistas of the American River Canyon and the snow covered Sierra Nevada Mountains in the distance.
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In some places the soil on the Mehrten Formation andesite is extremely thin. During the winter/spring months the soil is frequently water logged then turning bone dry during the summer/autumn season. The plant life in such areas is limited and often very specialized.
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This andesite slope was vegetated with Buck Brush, Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus and Manzanita. This is the upper elevation limit of this species in this region.
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The previous evening about 2 inches of snow fell. As I explored the slope a few remnants of this snow persisted in the shade of the larger shrubs.
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Hi Trond,
Mimulus (Diplicus) douglasii is very small, 3 mm to 40 mm for the exceptionally large ones. Soil type governs their size to a degree. As I wrote, the plants I encountered were growing on Gabbro based soil. They were all tiny, in the 3-5 mm range, not including the flower. The flower is often larger than the other above portions of the plant. I encounter the same tiny plants when I find this species growing on serpentine.
Thank you for the information regarding the drought conditions in the Chile-Argentina region where you traveled. I have my hands full staying current with the "goings on" right here in our portion of California. I am still keenly interested in climatic variations in other regions of the world, so thank you for this piece of information. The drought in this regions seems severe. Was there anyway to determine the impact, if any, on the native flora?
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Robert,
3-5mm isn't much. I would need a magnifying glass to admire the Mimulus!
It is difficult to say much about the drought impact on the vegetation as I haven't seen it as it was, but a friend of mine who walked the same path 20 years ago says it was much greener and more flowering plants. I noticed huge patches of dead plants (both annuals and perennials) which seemed to have died without reaching mature size and they were all without seeds. Much of the area depends on winter snow to feed the rivers and many rivers was shallow or completely dry. Obviously the snow cover has been at a minimum several winters.
Arctostaphylos spp are still exciting! The Bear Clover looks great also.
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Peavine Ridge
El Dorado County, California
Part II
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The bulk of the winter snow cover recently melted from this site. Many of the perennial species were just starting to break dormancy. The first of the new season green leaves were starting to emerge from this clump of Aspidotis densa, Lace Fern.
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This portion of Peavine Ridge is at the upper elevation limit for Goldback Fern, Pentagramma triangularis. This plant was tangled with a clump of Lace Fern, Aspidotis densa.
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It was a bit early in the season to see much in the way of vascular plants, however there were plenty of lichens to see. This rock was colonized by Bright Cobblestone Lichen, Acarospora socialis (Lemmon Yellow), Common Goldspeck Lichen, Candelariella vitellina (Golden Yellow), and Blistered Rock Tripe, Umbilicaria hyperborea (Dark almost Black).
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Xanthoparmelia species were also frequently seen on rocks.
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Wolf Lichen, Letharia vulpina, is a widespread species on Peavine Ridge generally seen on Incense Cedar, Calocedrus decurrens. Other lichen seen: Western Shield Lichen, Parmelia hygrophila, Staghorn Lichen, Evernia prunastri, and Forked Tube Lichen, Hypogymnia imshaugii
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I spent a considerable amount of time exploring the previous slope, before moving on to a new site. This site was very wet with much more lingering snow in the vicinity.
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I was very pleased to find a new colony of Primula hendersonii at this site. The forms of this species from Peavine Ridge bloom 4 to 6 weeks later than the low elevation forms. They maintain this characteristic when all the different forms are grown together in our Sacramento garden. Primula hendersonii has the top priority in my selective breeding program.
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Except for newly germinating seedlings and a few emerging Themidaceae species (most likely Dichelostemma multiflorum and others) there was not much to see at this site. Calyptridium monospermum was one of the few perennial species seen.
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Forms of Calyptridium monospermum that maintain red foliage throughout the winter are worth seeking out from a batch of seedlings.
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It was a bit enigmatic to find this Aspidotis densa in full leaf at this site. There was considerable snow nearby and the other plants in the vicinity were either still buried in snow or just breaking dormancy.
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There was a considerable amount of snow in the very close vicinity.
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Within eyeshot a fairly thick snow cover still covered the soil.
The convective cloudiness had been building all day and now it started to lightly snow. The surface temperature was in the low 40’s, but within the out flow boundary the temperature was near freezing.
I had limited time for this outing but was very pleased with what I was able to accomplish.
Until next time…
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Robert,
3-5mm isn't much. I would need a magnifying glass to admire the Mimulus!
It is difficult to say much about the drought impact on the vegetation as I haven't seen it as it was, but a friend of mine who walked the same path 20 years ago says it was much greener and more flowering plants. I noticed huge patches of dead plants (both annuals and perennials) which seemed to have died without reaching mature size and they were all without seeds. Much of the area depends on winter snow to feed the rivers and many rivers was shallow or completely dry. Obviously the snow cover has been at a minimum several winters.
Arctostaphylos spp are still exciting! The Bear Clover looks great also.
Hi Trond,
Thank you very much for the information regarding the drought conditions in the Chile-Argentina region where you traveled. Here in California, we depend on the snow pack for our summer water supply. During severe drought conditions our reservoirs theoretically could run dry. This has not happened yet, but given the rampant development and gross over population of California, it is only a matter of time until such an event occurs no matter what preventive measures are taken.
Yes, I agree our Arctostaphylos species are very 8) There is a great potential within the Genus that has only been partially tapped.
Mimulus (Diplacus) douglasii is one of my priority species that I am currently working with. There are number of challenges that need to be overcome, yet significant progress is being made. In a few years I hope to have some good preliminary results to share. The project is extremely challenging, which for me makes it fun and interesting :)
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3 April 2019
1230 UTC
I brought my camera with me when I went to town the other day. The foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains are filled with blooming wildflowers. I did not have much time to look around but I was able to stop and photograph a few things.
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It was windy, so photography was challenging. Large sheets of Foothill Poppy, Eschscholzia caespitosa, were blooming.
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Lomatium utriculatum is a low growing species. This species is a member of the Apiaceae Family.
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Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum is always the first geophyte to start blooming in our foothill area.
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Now that spring has arrived, the butterflies are out. In one location I found a large group of Spring Azures, Celastrina laden (pictured). The beautiful Sara Orangetip, Anthocharis sara, were seen at another nearby site.
I would love to get out again soon, however I have to work whenever anything comes my way. I will see what the future brings.
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Very nice, Robert!
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Robert:
Here's the first rush of water down the Oroville spillway. 1.5 billion dollar project.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNy0YAiPk_U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNy0YAiPk_U)
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Hi Arnold,
Yes, the repaired spillway is a big deal for the locals in the area. Two years ago it was a near disaster for many of the residents in the Oroville, Gridley, Marysville-Yuba City areas. For 1.5 billion, let's hope it indeed works! :)
Yesterday, parts of the city of Chico, California suffered flooding. This is a direct result of the Camp Fire burn scar (This is the fire that burned down the city of Paradise, California last November). Of coarse, it did not help that a thunderstorm with heavy rain moved through the area. With adequate vegetation, the flooding would have been ameliorated. I hope that I can get up there one of these days and have a look around and see what happened first hand.
I was able to get up to Peavine Ridge today. I did not have much time, but I was able to check on the far west end of the ridge. I will have a small report on this brief outing (like 30 minutes :-\ ). After that, I actually have some work to do. The unfortunate result of this is, I have no idea when I will be able to get out again. Spring is here and moving forward. Oh well, things are just the way they are. Gamen! 我慢 - がめん
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I was up on Peavine Ridge yesterday for a brief period of time. The seasons are shifting quickly. 5 days prior I measured 41.00 cm of snow on the ground with a liquid equivalent of 5.60 inches (142.24 mm). At the same site on this day, I measured only 20.00 cm of snow cover with a liquid equivalent of 3.38 inches (85.85 mm). During this time period high temperatures ranged from 64 F (17.8 C) to 43 F (6.1 C), with lows running from 38 F (3.3 C) to 27 F (-2.8 C). On clear days solar radiation can be fairly strong, peaking at over 900 W/m2. There was 2.18 inches (55.37 mm) of precipitation (mostly, if not all, as rain), much of which fell on 2 April.
The current forecast models indicate continued periods of precipitation over the next 7 days. Snow levels are expected to be above 5,500 feet (1,676 meters). If the forecast holds, I expect all the snow cover to be gone at this elevation in 7 days.
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I had a bit of time that I wanted to put to good use, so I traveled out to the west end of Peavine Ridge to check on one of the King Fire burn sites. This portion of the ridge is perched at 4,625 feet (1,410 meters) over Silver Creek flowing in the canyon below.
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Mehrten Formation andesite caps much of this portion of the ridge. This geologic formation often has a dramatic impact on the flora. Pictured is a stand of stunted White Leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida, growing from the andesite rubble.
Very little vegetation grew in the open areas surrounding the Manzanita. I was able to identify seedlings that germinated in this area. Madia glomerata, Mimulus (Diplicus), and the invasive Cynosurus echinatus were the most common.
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In a nearby forested area, I spotted the first Viola purpurea emerging for the season. Subspecies integrifolia is encountered most frequently on the andesite barrens, however in this forested setting this plant was most likely subspecies purpurea. Peavine Ridge is a great place to see a number of native Viola species.
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Wolf Lichen, Letharia vulpina, is frequently seen on Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) bark, although it can also be found growing on other species.
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Silver Creek Canyon is a great place to explore. There are a few dirt tracks that descend into the canyon as well as the paved road to the Jay Bird power station. My preference is to follow game trails and other rarely/never used routes. This area is one of the few locations to experience the little seen, little disturbed lower mid-elevation flora of this region.
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It is completely unthinkable for me to capture and/or kill butterflies for any reason. I always photograph them or view them through “close up” binoculars. I found a group of dead Painted Lady Butterflies, Vanessa cardui, trapped in a pool of water and decided to save a few. This is a view of the underside. The four distinctive “eyes” on the rear wings are diagnostic of this species.
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The upper wings of Painted Ladies are quite colorful. This species is one of the first species to become active on Peavine Ridge each spring. I noticed the first flight few weeks ago.
There was not much that I could accomplish in 30 minutes, however I was pleased with the results and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
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Wolf lichen is not uncommon here. Usually it is found on old often dead pine trees in swampy areas or old pine forests.
What had caused the butterflies to try to drown themselves? Drinking? I often find small butterflies in ponds but rarely larger ones.
Here at the mountain cabin we are still in the grip of winter!
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Hi Trond,
Great to hear from you! :)
I appears that there is still a fair amount of snow in your mountains. Tomorrow will be a long snow survey day for me. I will be checking most of my data loggers. Next week I will be checking the data loggers at the highest elevations. Tomorrow, I will also start installing soil temperature data loggers. Understanding heat conductivity, etc., both under snow cover as well as without snow cover will provide useful data regarding the plants species growing at each site. The snow is basically gone from sites below 5,000 feet (1,524 meters). Above this elevation there is still a great deal of snow, especially above 6,000 feet (1,829 meters). Below 5,000 feet the early spring wildflowers are already starting to bloom. It is very fascinating to observe how the plants respond to 120 days of snow cover vs. 60 days at the same site from one season to the next. The characteristics of each altitude specific ecotype can be very revealing and provide important information helpful to growing alpine species in our low elevation gardens.
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I had a great outing yesterday in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
I will be reporting on this outing as I can. :)
This was plenty of snow, however there were newly emerging plants to see.
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A brief report Robert:
some of your Placerville Black Oak seedlings![attachimg=1]
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Arturo,
This is fantastic! 8)
And it appears that you have a camera too. If so, this would be great. I think that everyone on the forum would enjoy seeing images from your part of the world. This is true for me. I know next to nothing about your area or what you contend with in your gardening situation.
Anyway, this is all great news. :)
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Yes Robert I do have a borrowed camera but very scanty digital skills... :-[
However I do want to start to register ( pictorially) what I've been achieveing these past seasons. So I'll take the liberty of intruding in your thread with pics of those of your plants that somehow made it and at least reached germination.
I discovered today that a single Lewisia cotyledon var howellii has a cluster of fall blooms upcoming. Do you ever find Lewisias blooming a second time in the season in fall? These are plants from seeds provided by Alplains:
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Many other Lewisias are growing so in due time I'll intrude into the thread some of the California natives that have migrated south. :)
Arturo
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Arturo, I don't think I have ever seen a Lewisia cotyledon var. howellii as tall as your example! I lost my own plant of howellii a few years ago and so far have had no success from seed. It is not uncommon in the UK for L. cotyledon plants to flower at least twice in a year and particularly so if the flower stems are cut back after the first flowering. A friend of mine had some that were still flowering in February 2019 after starting to flower in April 2018.
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David, hmm I must be very fortunate then. I got 11 plants from my Alplains seed packet. The Lewisia pictured bloomed in spring ( November 2018) and doesn't have any new flower stalk. The one mentioned above is a different plant about to bloom for the first time. I am growing them outside in a cool shaded position, but are brought inside my cool greenhouse for the winter rainy season. Could the fact that they grew under glass condition account for its height? In all cases they only receive bottom watering. Outside they may get a smattering of rain from above during the extremely rare rains during summer. I do hope to learn how to keep them all year around outside. I read here at the SRGC forum about planting them double potted. All of my other Lewisias are yet too small, some are from Seedex '71. I've got great expectations though... ;D
Arturo
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ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
El Dorado County, California
Part I
Thursday, 18 April 2019
Weather for selected site:
Eldorado National Forest, 5,450 ft., 1,661 meters
Weather: Clear
Temperature, High: 65 F, 18.3 C
Low: 34 F, 1.1 C
Relative Humidity: 28%
Dew Point: 27 F, -2.8 C
Wind: E 3 Gusting 10 mph
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Last Thursday I conducted my weekly manual snow survey at specific sites in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This week I added a few of my high elevation sites to the itinerary.
The spring season is arriving to the higher terrain. Although there is still a considerable amount of snow, it is melting quickly.
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The cascading falls on Tells Creek are nice to see this time of year.
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There is a dirt track into one of the sites that I visit on a regular basis. This time of year it is a seasonal creek. In places there were large snags that had fallen across the track. It will be at least 2 to 3 weeks before anyone drives in, providing that the snags are removed.
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The snow was firm and very easy to walk over without snowshoes or cross-country skis.
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As I approached one of my survey sites, the beauty of the snow-covered mountains captivated me.
Too be continued…
Presently I have a very busy schedule. I will work on posting this outing in small increments. With all the snow it may appear that there was not much to see in the way of plants. This was not the case at all! There are many details that I wish to share. It is important to me that I take my time posting this outing.
Until part two…
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ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
El Dorado County, California
Part II
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After traversing the crest of the ridge, I worked my way down into the next basin. Here there was, on average, 96 cm of snow still remaining on the ground. The bottom of the basin rested at an elevation of 5,450 feet (1,661 meters).
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I had just descended from the north facing ridge (pictured above), and started off toward the opposite side of the basin. The goal was to find open ground free of snow on the south facing slopes on the other side of the basin.
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This is another view of the southern ridge and its north facing slopes. There are a number of interesting plant species on the ridge, however I will have to wait until the snow thins a great deal before exploring this area later in the season.
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It is hard to believe, but this pond was nothing more than a bare open log deck when commercial logging was in progress in this area 15 plus years ago. When I visited this site in the autumn of 2017 it was still a fairly degraded habitat. Now only in its second season of restoration it is a recovering habitat and full of life.
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The upper pond at this site is natural and most likely dates back to the end of the last major Ice Age 17,000 years ago. Over this period of time, this pond has filled with sediment and is now very shallow. At this point, it is seasonal, becoming dry by mid to late summer. Still, this pond is an important habitat at this site.
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I first made my way over to the primary creek that drains the basin. Although it looks placid in this photograph, there was a strong, deep current of water flowing down its channel. I worked my way up stream and found a site where a large log had fallen across the creek. Here I could easily cross the creek without getting wet.
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When I arrived on the other side of the basin, I found the idea conditions I was hoping to find. There was still plenty of snow however there were also bare sites where the snow had recently melted. In addition, there was also no shortage of standing and running snowmelt.
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Where the snow had recently melted there was no shortage on newly emerging plant growth and even the germinating seedlings of native annual species.
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Juncus ensifolius is a very common species in the basin. It is among the first to emerge from the ground after the snow has melted from the ground. This time of year it can be found growing up through standing water (It is a moisture dependent species). The regenerative buds of this species are well protected below the ground and the new growth emerges at snowmelt. Thus the new growth is protected to some degree from hard frost.
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Horkelia tridentata var. tridentata is another species that emerges from the ground immediately after snowmelt. This strategy is generally quite successful providing that there is adequate and lingering snow cover during the winter. During the winter 2017-2018 season there was very little or no snow cover in much of the Sierra Nevada Mountains for much of the winter. Last spring, I noticed a considerable amount of cold stress on a number of species that do not have an apical meristem region located well below the surface of the ground, thus protected from winter temperature extremes. How rising snow levels might affect such species is something I wish to investigate further.
Tomorrow, 25 April I will be out doing botanical fieldwork. I will continue this report when I arrive back in town. At this point I will have back-to-back outings to report. This has not occurred in a while. :)
To be continued…
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ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
El Dorado County, California
Part III
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A variety of plant species were emerging from the ground as the snow melted. Each species has it own strategy to cope with the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, in particular UV-B (280 to 400 nm), and cold weather stress as they emerge from the ground. Plants produce a variety of flavonoids, anthocyanids, carotenes, and waxes to protect their cells from the damaging affect of UV-B radiation. The reddish shoot on the right is a good example of this strategy. With another protective strategy, plants initiate new growth at snowmelt, but delay greening and activation of photosynthesis. This can be seen with the new shoot on the left.
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Species such as Eriogonum nudum, remain green all winter and retain their full photosynthetic ability over the winter. Other species remain green over the winter, but delay full photosynthetic capacity for up to 2 weeks after snowmelt. Identifying and understanding these strategies can be crucial to the successful cultivation of some plant species.
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Carex integra greens quickly after snowmelt. As with many Carex species, early in the new growing season this species is very tolerant of waterlogged soil conditions. Both Carex and Juncus species form most of the early season “green” in our mountain meadows before the Poaceae take over later in the growing season.
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The shoots of Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum can experience some bleaching and cold weather damage, however the new growth recovers quickly.
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I still have much more to learn about snow molds, however when plants are stress, especially with high nitrogen levels in their tissues, snow molds can cause considerable damage to some plants species as the snow melts.
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After spending all winter under the snow, the growth from last season can turn to mush and/or be brown and lifeless from being frozen all winter. In the case of Panicum acuminatum var. fasciculatum, the apical growth points have remained safe all winter and will commence new growth now that the weather has warmed and the snow has melted.
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Much of the low ground was flooded. I moved on to slightly higher ground to see what I might find in drier terrain.
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Although partly green after being buried under snow all winter, the fern Aspidotis densa had not commenced new growth. The altitude and habitat range of this species is quite extensive in our area. How this species succeeds under varying climatic conditions can be fascinating and enlightening.
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Lupinus grayi can look pretty sad after the winter snow melts and look as if it is ready for the compost heap. The plants generally recover quickly after snowmelt.
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Poa secunda ssp. secunda commences growth immediately after snowmelt. This species makes quick growth and will be among the first Poaceae species in bloom in this region.
To be continued...
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Robert,
The snowclad landscape looks very familiar! Also the pine forest does although it is an unfamiliar species. It is much like the forests close to Oslo where I grew up. I often went into the forests in spring when the snow was thawing. It was always an exciting time of the year. The plant species were different of course! Early in the day the snow was firm, later it became rotten and it was heavy walking when I had to cross the snow patches :)
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Hi Trond,
I had a successful outing a few days ago. At the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains there is still over 2 meters of snow on the ground. I walked into one site early in the morning. Early on, temperatures were below freezing. The snow was crusted over and firm. Temperatures climbed quickly and the snow quickly soften. Hiking out was a bit of a challenge.
Right now my work scheduled is very busy, so it will be a few days before I finish the last part of the current outing I am writing about. Then I will start in on writing about the next outing. I have some excellent photographs of some of our California native Viola species. I will need to get out again, this coming week. I will have a back log of outings to write about. This does not hurt my feelings. :)
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I know that I still have part IV of my last outing to post, but today I will share some of our local phenology, “happenings”. When I was young there was a saying that, it always “snowed on the dogwoods”. 40 years ago this was true, even if it appeared that it could not possibly happen, due to drought or an early spring heat wave. Old time stories like this do not die easily. I was in the store today and over heard the cashier tell the customer, “The wild dogwoods are blooming around my home, it always snows on the dogwoods”. Sadly, these days it rarely snows on the dogwoods. I keep track to things like that. All those numbers, lists, statistics, and geeky things like that. With the snow on the dogwoods, always came the last killing frost. The Old Timers never planted their summer garden until 1 May, the last killing frost date. This year the last frost was on 14 March. This is an incredible statistic! This has been our most protracted frost season in over 100 years, and most likely much longer. There is constant change. The plants have their many stories to tell concerning these events and I get out as often as possible to record the events.
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Today I was out briefly. I never miss an opportunity to get out, even if it is only for a short period of time. The dogwoods, Cornus nuttallii, were in their prime today. A storm is forecast to arrive this coming Sunday, a cut-off low spinning around in the eastern Pacific. We are more likely to get a thunderstorm than a snowstorm from this event.
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When I finish the write up for the current outing (part IV), I now have two more outings adventures to describe. There have been many unexpected surprises this spring. Today’s unanticipated event was the extensive colonies of Diplacus (Mimulus) kelloggii seen on the slopes of the American River Canyon. I have never seen them in this area and wondered how they all (thousands) seemed to appear at this site out of nowhere. Last week I witnessed the complete lifecycle of a convective storm. I guess only a weather junkie like me could get off on something like that. Watching super-cooled cloud droplets phase change into ice crystals was amazing as the storm collapsed. And this week I discovered a new colony of natural Viola tomentosa hybrids (x puprurea ssp. integrifolia). There is never a dull moment!
The spring season is here and things have taken off for me in a most unexpected way. I have no intention to miss an opportunity of a lifetime. This keeps me very busy. And there is Outing Part IV to complete, and two more exciting outings to report on. “Rome was not built in a day”. It will be a pleasure to write up these outings as I can. More outings are currently scheduled for the near future.
So until next time…
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Hello Robert
Great pictures and words... like always.
I know the genus Minulus only recently...through pictures of a botanical friend in Canada. I find it very attractive. But they seem to spread where they feel comfortable...or did I misunderstand that?
In the appendix...Minulus lewisii from WA
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Hi Thomas,
Interesting. :)
I have a keen interest in our local “Mimulus” species, especially the annual species. I have been studying them in detail for some time now, but there is still a great deal for me to understand and sorted out concerning the details of their phenology, physiology, and genetic dispositions as it pertains to our specific region.
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This photograph of Mimulus lewisii was taken on 31 August 2017 in the upper montane zone near the old Red Peak Stock Trail, El Dorado County, California. This is on the western slope of the Crystal Range. This species is fairly common in this region. It can be found growing up to the tree line and the beginning of the alpine plant zone. The plant in your photograph appears to be growing above the tree line in the alpine zone. This is very interesting!
As for their performance in cultivation, at this time all that I can answer is “it depends on the situation”. Indirectly, I will eventually have much more information concerning their cultivation in our local region. How the different species will react in cultivation in your area is unknown. They are beautiful plants. I currently cultivate many of our local species in our Sacramento, California garden. There are certainly obstacles that need to be understood and over come before they become widespread in cultivation, otherwise they would already be in widespread use. Mimulus lewisii performs well in our garden, however I currently have only representatives of one race. A great deal still needs to be done. This, and a few other related projects, occupies all on my gardening time and space.
Thank you for sharing the interesting photograph. 8)
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Hello Robert, I think this is Mimulus x burnetti, M. guttatus x M. cupreus. Coppery monkeyflower, naturalised in Scotland.
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Hello Robert
I, too, cannot say anything about Minulus lewisii at the moment. I checked all the pots today to see if this species was included. I didn't find any...admittedly, I lost track of the amount of seeded species. 😁
I suppose, however, that it behaves like most subalpine and alpine plants...the further they go into higher altitudes, the smaller and more compact (and therefore more interesting for me 😉) they become.
Today, for example, I piqued two different clones of Eriogonum heracleoides. A normal shape and a very compact shape from a relatively high altitude. I'm curious if this difference will also be seen here below (416 m above sea level).
In any case, I wish you continued success and joy in the further research and experiments of your native flora.
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Thomas,
I have mixed results with plants from higher elevations. I have some very tight, compact forms of Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum from over 9,000 feet (2,743 meters) elevation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I also grow forms from somewhat lower elevations, which grow larger and have greater internode spacing (as well as other characteristics). Both groups have maintained their original character in our low elevation Sacramento garden, 23 feet (7 meters).
On the other side of the ledger, many, but not all, of the high elevation Penstemon species I grow become leggy and rangy in our garden. There could be a number of reasons, or combination of reasons for this phenomenon.
One idea to consider is that the earth’s atmosphere is less dense at higher elevations, thus there is less CO2 available for plant photosynthesis. It is possible that this could lead to excessive and exaggerated growth at lower elevations. At this time, atmospheric CO2 levels are ~ 50% above pre-industrial revolution levels and rising at the rate of 2% per year. This situation is more likely to lead to plants colonizing higher altitude regions in the mountains where other limiting factors are not a consideration. I feel sure that during the last Ice Age, the high altitude limit of plants was much lower than today. The relatively low atmospheric CO2 concentrations during this time period were certainly a factor.
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This chart shows the dramatic increase in nitrate deposition since the 1940’s. Plants definitely respond to an increase in soluble nitrogen compounds in their environment. In an earlier posting, I mentioned how nitrogen aerosols precipitate out of the atmosphere and adversely impact the plants in our Sacramento neighborhood. The proliferation of Candelaria and Xanthomendoza lichens is glaringly obvious in our area. Both lichen types thrive in nitrogen-rich environments. Today my wife and I drove to a “companion bird fair” in a neighboring town. We got caught in a traffic jam and used the time to do some “car seat” botanizing. Next to the roadway there were tree trunks so thickly colonized by Candelaria lichen that the trunks were yellow! The bottom line is that nitrogen aerosols can strongly impact our garden plants in very undesirable ways.
These are just two of many variables that can influence the growth habit of high elevation species when we attempt to grow them in our low elevations gardens. This is the way I like to analyze cultural situations in our garden. I am sure few gardeners will wish to use such methodology, but it works very well for me.
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Hello Robert, I think this is Mimulus x burnetti, M. guttatus x M. cupreus. Coppery monkeyflower, naturalised in Scotland.
Hi Ian,
Thank you for sharing the photograph. Mimulus guttatus grows on the family farm property. It is such a beautiful species and it is a "must" for my wife and I in our Sacramento garden. I am always amazed how disjunct species can still be genetically compatible. We see this all the time and it always gets me thinking about things. :)
Is Mimulus x burnetti an invasive weed in Scotland?
Things have been incredibly busy for me. I enjoy your natural history diary and wish to get back to it soon. Some parts I need to reread closely and perhaps ask for clarity. Your "Site" is very far away from California, however there are often surprising similarities. Anyway, I enjoy your diary. 8)
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Thanks Robert. The Mimulus is not a common plant in the UK. According to the BSBI mapping scheme it is mostly found in northern england and southern scotland. For the distribution of plants in the UK see BSBI Maps. It should be noted that these record sites rely on people sending in their records and so are usually under-recorded.
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ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
El Dorado County, California
Part IV
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I continued my survey along the portions of the snow free south facing slopes above the snow covered and flooded basin. Here I found Phlox diffusa starting its new season’s growth.
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The weight of the deep snow cover flattened the plants of Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum. In this dormant state they looked dead and appeared that they could never recover. This species suspends its new growth and photosynthetic activity for 7 to 14 days after snowmelt to help prevent its new growth from becoming damaged by hard late season frost. It is an effective strategy, as the plants will generally be dense and full in about 30 to 45 days.
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Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi occupies a similar habitat niche as Eriogonium wrightii var. subscaposum. Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi has a less effective snow cover survival strategy. About 35% of the plants that I observe each spring and summer have a degree of partial dieback from the winter season. At this time I am uncertain of the cause of this dieback. I am currently examining the possibility that it is related to a nitrogen deposition / snow mold interaction. There are also other possibilities that need to be considered.
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Like many plants, the leaves of Calyptridium monospermum are filled with anthocyanids. During the autumn as photosynthesis shuts down, the leaves of this species turn red from the anthocyanids remaining in the leaf tissue.
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Immediately after snowmelt the new shoots of Senecio integrerrimus emerge from the ground. This species generally occupies drier sites. This species makes rapid growth in the spring, flowers, and sets seed before the ground becomes desiccated.
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Here Eriogonum nudum and Agoseris retrorsa are seen growing together. Eriogonum nudum remains green all winter, even under a deep snow cover. It is ready to commence photosynthesis immediately as the snow thins and melts. The dormant growth points of Agoseris retrorsa make rapid growth once the snow melts. It needs to bloom and set seed before the extremes of drought and heat arrive during the summer and autumn months.
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Ceanothus arcuatus is a shrubby evergreen species. It has a low arching growth habit and is ready to grow once the snow melts.
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Ceanothus cordulatus is also a shrubby evergreen species, however it grows much taller than Ceanothus arcuatus. The branches of this species are flexible and generally do not break when crushed by snow. The plants look permanently flatten at snow melt, however they will quickly return to, more or less, their original position in a few weeks time.
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This site was logged of most of its large timber about 15 to 20 years ago. The logging operation severely altered the ecology of this site. Restoration work has started at this site and will continue into this coming season. Fire will be used to remove the overgrowth of Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta spp. murrayana. In some ways this will be like setting the “restart button” as this site. The area is very botanically rich especially considering the small area it is confined. Over time it will be extremely interesting to see what emerges after the area is burned over. The project has my full support. The overgrowth of Lodgepole Pine is quickly reducing the diversity of plant species on the site. There are many extremely interesting plants that grow on this site. In addition, there may be additional species in the dormant seed bank within the soil. I will be frequently visiting and recording information from this site into the future.
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There is at least one bear that lives at this site. I encountered him last season. After its winter rest, this bear is hungry! It made quick work of this stump looking for insects to eat.
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The loggers did not remove all the large timber. This grand old Sugar Pine, Pinus lambertiana, is still alive and thriving. The future “burn” at this site is going to be very selective and controlled. This Sugar Pine and the majority of the older trees at this site will be protected from the fire.
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The dirt track that passes through the site was flooded with water, and more or less, acting as a seasonal stream. I have been visiting this site since ~ 1965. At snowmelt every spring, this track is always seasonal stream, so this is nothing unusual at all.
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The bear was very active on this day. Bears have an extremely keen sense of smell. The bear certainly could smell me coming long before I could sight it. I have to admit that I am very protective of the bears. They are hunted. I wish them to stay safe and well away from humans.
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The old concrete bridge that crosses the basin creek was still covered with deep snow. The water in the creek was chilly too, 40.3 F (4.6 C).
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It took me all afternoon to traverse the basin. It was soon time for me to hike out to the Outback. On the way back home I stopped to admire the rushing flow of water in the South Fork of the Rubicon River.
I am very pleased to be out on a fairly regular basis now. I was very please to arrive as the first of the early snowmelt species started to emerge from their dormancy. This outing was very productive and a great start to the new season.
Now I am not only very busy, but I also have a backlog of outings to report on as well. In addition to this, I have a full range of outings scheduled for this coming season.
Until the next time…
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Very nice, Robert!
I like spring very much :)
Seems the hare didn't like the Senecio integrerrimus!
What is the circumference of the grand old sugar pine? It looks huge!
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LYONS CREEK
El Dorado County, California
Part I
Thursday, 25 April 2019
Weather for selected location
Lyons Creek, 6,725 ft. 2,050 meters
Weather: Broken Clouds
Temperature, High: 53 F, 11.7 C
Low: 30 F, -1.1 C
Relative Humidity: 77%
Dew Point: 40 F, 4.4 C
Wind: N 1
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On 25 April 2019, I traveled to the Lyons Creek Basin in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I have meteorological data recorders in isolated locations in the high terrain near the crest of the Crystal Range. I was very eager to check on things. There are a number of challenges that need to be surmounted to properly deploy meteorological instruments in high mountainous regions. Rime build up on sensors is often a major obstacle; however there can be additional challenges. I like to make frequent manual observations and check instruments frequently, but this is not always possible especially in the highest terrain. Due to large accumulations of snow, I had not been able to visit this set of instruments since late November. Recovering data and evaluating my deployment techniques was my prime goal on this outing.
The access road into the site was, more or less, free of snow until I reached 6,400 feet (1,951 meters) where the amount of snow cover abruptly changed. From this elevation onward, deep snow covered the road.
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From this point I continued up the road on foot over the snow. There were signs of snowmelt and an awakening landscape everywhere. Conditions were actually somewhat dangerous. The snow was still over 2 meters deep. The runoff had cut deep “sink holes” into the snow that were often capped by only a thin veneer of hard snow. Swift, ice-cold water flowed in the bottom of the sinkholes, with sides consisting of vertical rock hard ice. Caution and knowledge of the terrain was useful to proceed safely beyond the confines of the road.
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As I approached the Lyons Creek Basin, I entered a more winter-like landscape. There was some insect and bird activity, but for the most part it was very quiet.
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The dormant Aspens, Populus tremuloides, were a beautiful sight. Or I should say partially dormant. With Aspen, cells become photosynthetically active before the trees leaf out later in the spring.
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Close to Lyons Creek I encountered my first vista of Pyramid Peak and the crest of the Crystal Range.
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Lyons Creek was a swift torrent of ice-cold water, 32.6 F (0.33 C) with shear snow/ice walls that rose abruptly from the flowing current. In many locations the top of the vertical walls stood 2 meters or more in height above the creek.
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The upstream view from the Lyons Creek Bridge was quite dramatic. It will be at least a month before I will be able to drive into this site and there will still be plenty of lingering snow on the ground. Snow in the higher terrain will remain much longer.
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After checking the condition and placement of the instruments and downloading the data I started back to the Outback. On my return hike I noticed that a bit of moisture was starting to filter into the area.
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From the Lyons Creek area I drove down the mountain to Peavine Ridge. It was about noon when I arrived and the convective cloudiness was continuing to develop. The weather was showing signs of becoming interesting.
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Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia has a widespread distribution on Peavine Ridge. In addition to subspecies integrifolia, I will occasionally encounter colonies of V. purpurea ssp. purpurea on the ridge, however this subspecies has a much more limited distribution in this specific area. Subspecies integrifolia exhibits a fair amount of genetic variance. Occasionally very unusual forms of this subspecies can be found.
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Greenleaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, is one of three Mazanita species that can be found on Peavine Ridge. Its blooming period is somewhat dependent upon weather conditions. Last season with relatively warm weather until the cold March arrived prompted them to bloom earlier in the season. Their prolonged and variable early spring blooming cycle helps assure an early season food supply for many insects and a few birds.
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The race of Dodecatheon, Primula hendersonii, on Peavine Ridge consists of a very unique ecotype. Over time I have been mapping their distribution and recording the consistent characteristics that defines this ecotype.
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Dichelostemma multiflorum is quite abundant on Peavine Rigde. The species occupies a considerable attitude range on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. The new growth as it emerges in the spring is generally green, however a small percentage will have purplish foliage. This plant exhibits this attribute at the extreme end of the purple spectrum. I am quite curious and have recorded the GPS coordinates of this plant. I will continue to watch this plant throughout this growing season, and beyond if it continues to exhibits any interesting qualities.
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Calyptridium monospermum is a very common species throughout the western slope of the Crystal Range. It also may have desirable indicator qualities that are of interest to me. I make an effort to be very observant of even the most common species.
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I have one very special site on the Ridge where many interesting plants grow. Viola sheltonii is certainly among my favorites at this site. I was very pleased to find them in bloom.
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Very nice, Robert!
I like spring very much :)
Seems the hare didn't like the Senecio integrerrimus!
What is the circumference of the grand old sugar pine? It looks huge!
Hi Trond,
I forgot to answer your question concerning butterflies.
They generally get trapped in narrow vertical shaped objects, like a rain gauge. Unfortunately there are other things around such as hollow posts of various sorts that collect water or pot holes near the mist zone of a stream where I occasionally find them. It is also a scattered occurrence. Sometimes I find many, then there are long periods where I do not find anything.
I will be back where the Sugar Pines grows very soon. I will measure it at that time and report back. :)
Seems the hare didn't like the Senecio integrerrimus! ??? I do not get it. I guess I made a typing error somewhere? If so, it's not a big deal. Hopeful what ever I did it can be somehow understood. :)
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LYONS CREEK
El Dorado County, California
Part II
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I spent a great deal of time examining the individual plants, taking notes and photographs. Viola sheltonii is beautiful and generally the first Viola species to bloom each spring in this region.
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With small bell-shaped flower Fritillaria micrantha could be very easy to over look. Despite the tiny flower I have a great appreciation for this species. Frequently the foliage is tinted a beautiful and interesting purplish-green color (those anthocyanids at work again).
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Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum is quite abundant at several sites on Peavine Ridge. This low, almost mat-forming species has beautiful creamy-yellow flowers. The new growth is a striking, with densely hairy silver colored leaves.
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It is always nice to stop and take in the view. This is a view off to the Southwest with the canyon of the South Fork of the American River in the foreground and the great Central Valley of California in the far distance.
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Turning around and facing east an active weather event was in progress. The convective cloudiness had reached the cumulus stage with the air parcels quickly approaching the LFC. Actually the cloud in the foreground has already reached the LFC.
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As much as I enjoy watching clouds and developing weather, the plants also had my attention. There were large blooming colonies of Primula hendersonii growing among the andesite rocks and boulders. In this situation, they seemed to thrive both in the light shade of conifers as well as in full sun.
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The bright yellow flowers of the early blooming Sanicula tuberosa were seen throughout this portion of the Ridge. Here the Sanicula can be seen with the new growth of Triteleia multiflorum. Notice, in this case, the leaves are completely green.
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Penstemon roezlii is seen frequently in this area. In the wild it always seems to be a rangy unassuming plant with pretty flowers. In cultivation it can be completely transformed. Currently I have seedlings that are very dense, full and bloom abundantly. I am completely dedicated to working with our local native flora. At times, within a few generations, it is possible to make quick progress with some species. Not all species yield to cultivation and improvement easily. Some can be very difficult to work with, but for me the challenges and learning experiences make all worthwhile.
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This is the area that was consistently bare of snow this past winter. At this stage of growth, at this site, things look unassuming. I will continue to monitor this site into the future.
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The convective clouds exploded in growth when the rising air parcels reached the LFC. Now things were off to the races. From this point on, plus or minus, 45 minutes thunderstorm activity was possible.
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Watching storm development is fascinating, but I also had other things to accomplish at other locations. I moved on to another site to map the distribution of another population of Primula hendersonii.
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Here I found some beautiful colonies of Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia in full bloom. The flowers on this specimen had especially large flowers.
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The developing storm had moved into its mature stage. As I watched the storm, I knew that the party was ending almost as quickly as it got started. The storm was quickly glaciating as the super cooled cloud droplets phase changed into ice crystals releasing their latent heat. Since there was basically no vertical or directional wind shear the updraft would soon be exhausted and extinguished as the downdraft sank into and through the updraft. Soon after this photograph was taken the storm quickly decayed.
This was another fantastic outing. Much was accomplished: I was able to check on some of my high elevation weather instruments, see and record notes on many plants, and document convective air mass storm development.
I performed some basic trigonometry to correctly position the developing storm. Air mass thunderstorms can frequently develop repeatedly in the same locations based on topography and the prevailing wind direction at the time of the storm’s formation. The flora in these subtle microclimates can then be carefully studied.
Until next time…
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Hi Trond,
...
Seems the hare didn't like the Senecio integrerrimus! ??? I do not get it. I guess I made a typing error somewhere? If so, it's not a big deal. Hopeful what ever I did it can be somehow understood. :)
No typos. If you take a closer look at your photograph of the Senecio you'll notice hare droppings! Ans clearly the Senecio hasn't been touched ;)
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Robert,
Many thanks for your revealing pictures - especially for those of the violets!
Their preferred sites are well documentated.
Gerd
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You got a degree in Hare Poo Trond? ;D
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No typos. If you take a closer look at your photograph of the Senecio you'll notice hare droppings! Ans clearly the Senecio hasn't been touched ;)
8) :)
Thank you for the "Eagle Eye"! I rarely see hares in the mountains and never in the high terrain. I do see signs of grazing, however I generally think in terms of deer. On that outing, I saw signs of grazing on the perennial bunch grasses that were emerging. In the future I will keep and eye out for both the droppings and the hares. I have to admit that I see and study old Manzanita berries that are under the Mazanita plants. Old Manzanita berries and hare droppings look very similar, but finding old Manzanitas berries out in the open away from the plants is very unlikely.
And I know that I make plenty of typo mistakes. I never catch them all. :) At least this does not keep me up at night worrying. ;D :)
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Robert,
Many thanks for your revealing pictures - especially for those of the violets!
Their preferred sites are well documentated.
Gerd
Hi Gerd,
I keep you in mind when I am out and see Viola species. I use some of our Viola species as indicators. Needless to say I have detailed data (all my lists, numbers, descriptions, and such), but I do not want to overwhelm you with information that may not be 100% relevant to their cultivation.
On that front, I have spent the past year preparing the proper growing environment for our native Viola species at our Sacramento home. I presently have Viola sheltonii, V. purpurea ssp. integrifolia, V. glabella, and V. dougalsii back in cultivation and thriving. Yesterday, the first flowers opened on Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia. This spring, a group of Viola sheltonii bloomed and set seed for me. Controlled sexual reproduction and multi-generational selection is my preferred methodology to create superior garden tolerant plants. With this project, I still have an unknown number of years to go and still question if my goal is completely genetically possible. I will never learn anything if I do not try. Our California Native Viola species have a great deal of potential, if only they were easier to cultivate. I have to admit that I am not that interested in growing first generation plants from wild seed and calling that success. With some of our California Native species, I grow thousands of multi-generational plants hoping to select superior forms that are true to type, easier to grow, and beautiful plants that a gardener would want to grow in their garden. Not easy, but for me it is an interesting learning experience and enjoyable.
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In our area, deer droppings are usually black.
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You got a degree in Hare Poo Trond? ;D
Almost, David! I have studied the topic since I was a toddler ;D They were valuable coins in our universe!
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Almost, David! I have studied the topic since I was a toddler ;D They were valuable coins in our universe!
;D ;D ;D
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8) :)
Thank you for the "Eagle Eye"! I rarely see hares in the mountains and never in the high terrain. I do see signs of grazing, however I generally think in terms of deer. On that outing, I saw signs of grazing on the perennial bunch grasses that were emerging. In the future I will keep and eye out for both the droppings and the hares. I have to admit that I see and study old Manzanita berries that are under the Mazanita plants. Old Manzanita berries and hare droppings look very similar, but finding old Manzanitas berries out in the open away from the plants is very unlikely.
And I know that I make plenty of typo mistakes. I never catch them all. :) At least this does not keep me up at night worrying. ;D :)
Robert,
I can't swear it is hare but they are very hare-ish! Looks similar to these:
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Hares are very common everywhere here, both in the mountains and on the islands. Manzanita berries are unknown to me!
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In our area, deer droppings are usually black.
Here also. Both roe deer and red deer droppings are blackish, more oval and also more fine grained than hare droppings.
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Hi Gerd,
I keep you in mind when I am out and see Viola species. I use some of our Viola species as indicators. Needless to say I have detailed data (all my lists, numbers, descriptions, and such), but I do not want to overwhelm you with information that may not be 100% relevant to their cultivation.
On that front, I have spent the past year preparing the proper growing environment for our native Viola species at our Sacramento home. I presently have Viola sheltonii, V. purpurea ssp. integrifolia, V. glabella, and V. dougalsii back in cultivation and thriving. Yesterday, the first flowers opened on Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia. This spring, a group of Viola sheltonii bloomed and set seed for me. Controlled sexual reproduction and multi-generational selection is my preferred methodology to create superior garden tolerant plants. With this project, I still have an unknown number of years to go and still question if my goal is completely genetically possible. I will never learn anything if I do not try. Our California Native Viola species have a great deal of potential, if only they were easier to cultivate. I have to admit that I am not that interested in growing first generation plants from wild seed and calling that success. With some of our California Native species, I grow thousands of multi-generational plants hoping to select superior forms that are true to type, easier to grow, and beautiful plants that a gardener would want to grow in their garden. Not easy, but for me it is an interesting learning experience and enjoyable.
Robert,
Despite of 'VIP - treatment' I have to confess that most of the Western US violets remain difficult to me.
I remember that I had better results in my previous garden, where my greenhouse receives more sunlight.
Especially Vv. trinervata, beckwithii and sheltonii did well.
Nevertheless species from your area are always worth to try in order to find specimen which were able to cope with my conditions here.
I add some recent pics of seedlings received from your collections.
Gerd
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Gerd,
Your Western U.S. Viola seedlings look excellent. 8)
I will P.M. you with some additional information. :)
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ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
El Dorado County, California
Wednesday, 1 May 2019
Weather for selected location
Eldorado National Forest, 5,516 feet, 3,048 meters
Weather: Broken Clouds
Temperature, High: 62 F, 16.7 C
Low: 37 F, 2.8 C
Relative Humidity: 39%
Dew Point: 30 F, -1.1 C
Wind: NNW 4 G 11
Precipitation: 0.00 inches (0.0 mm)
On Wednesday, 1 May I returned to Montane Basin to continue my survey of this site. On this outing I focused my attention on areas outside of the future prescribed burn area.
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On my last visit, two weeks previous, there was 96 cm of snow cover. Although much of the snow cover had melted by the time I visited on 1 May, there was still plenty of snow on north facing slopes and shaded areas.
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Much of the access road was free of snow, however there were still some long stretches of deep snow that I could not drive through. It was a pleasant hike into the site and I was able to enjoy some of the groves of old growth Incense Cedar, Calocedrus decurerrens, along the way.
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Despite the fact that much of the snow had melted, there was still a great deal of standing and flowing water. The dirt track into the site was still flowing as a seasonal stream.
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How quickly conditions change. Two weeks pervious, 80% of this pond was covered with snow and ice. On this day the pond may have been ice-free, but the water was still very cold, 41.6 F, 5.3 C. When I arrived there was a cacophony of Pacific Tree Frogs, Hyla regilla, singing. They will need to reproduce quickly as the pond will be dry in a few months.
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Many early snowmelt species were beginning to emerging from the newly snow free open ground. Here Vertarum californicum var. californicum is starting to poke out of the ground. Last year’s stems can still be seen listing near the new emerging shoots.
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My first stop was over at the old bridge that crosses the creek to check water levels, temperatures, etc. As I remember, the old bridge dates back to the 1930’s. Caloplaca (Orange) and Candelarriella (Yellow) lichens have now colonized much of the bridge concrete.
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After completing my tasks I move up to higher, snow free and drier terrain to see what plants were now free from the snow cover. There were many colonies of Sedum obtusatum growing in the granodiorite crevices.
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Many specimens of Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi were recovering well from their long winter under the snow.
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In other crevices the beautiful gray-green fronds of Pellaea bridgesii protruded from the rocks.
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Here Myriopteris gracillima shares a crevice with Sedum obtusatum.
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Two weeks prior, I photographed this or a similar scene on my previous outing. At that time there was 96 cm of snow blanketing the ground. With a peak solar radiation averaging a bit over 1,000 W/m2 each day the snow certainly did not linger. During this time period temperature were average for this time of year.
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I was very curious to see what plants species were now active in this barren looking landscape. At this location Juniperus grandis reaches its low elevation limit in this region. The Juniper Trees at this site are limited to one relatively small area.
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Small hummocks of Carex subnigricans are scattered throughout this site. This is a very common scene in the higher terrain of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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In places Carex subnigricans was in full bloom. Often as the snow is melting the plants can be seen partly flooded with melt water. This soon changes as the landscape quickly becomes parched dry.
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I saw a number of small colonies of Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia growing among the rocks. In our area, this subspecies is frequently seen growing in rocky gravelly areas, with either granodiorite or andesite as a base rock material.
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There were many beautiful stands of Green Leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, in full bloom. The nectar in the flowers of this early blooming species is a major food source for the many insects that are now active.
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As I carefully explored the site, I noticed that many small bulbous species had emerged from the ground and were preparing to bloom.
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Many plants of Allium obtusum var. obtusum were already in bloom. This species has a strong preference for gravelly soil in full sun. Within a month or so, the ground will be bone dry and the plants dormant until next spring.
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The tiny Dicentra uniflora can be difficult to spot in the gravelly barrens. The species is quite common, however it is quite ephemeral and tiny so it is rarely noticed.
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This specimen appears to have two flowers.
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I was very pleased to find Eriogonum umbellatum growing in this area. At this time I could not definitively identify it to the variety level. I have found two varieties in this area and will be curious to identify this patch of plants when they come into bloom.
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I was not surprised to find Eremogone kingii var. glabrescens in this area. This species seems to enjoy growing in these gravelly, seemingly barren, sunny, open sites. If one looks closely at the exposed roots it is easy to determine that this plant is quite old.
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Down in the gully the creek was still flowing near its high water mark.
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The majority of the snow had just recently melted from this area. 500 to 1,000 feet (152 to 305 meters) higher in elevation, there was still a great deal of snow on the ground. These areas may not been free of the majority of the snow until 1 June or even later in the season.
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As I continued my hike through this site I repeatedly found scattered colonies of Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia.
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I was extremely excited when I found this natural Viola tomentosa x V. purpurea ssp. integrifolia hybrid. I searched carefully for more hybrids and the Viola tomentosa parent, but did not find any in the vacinity. Both species are quite common in this area. In other parts of the basin I have found other V. tomentosa x V. purpurea hybrids.
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While looking for more Viola tomentosa hybrids I spotted many small colonies of Claytonia lanceolata in bloom. This is a bulbous species that will quickly go dormant when the ground becomes dry.
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There was plenty of snow free ground, but there was also plenty of snow in shaded areas and along north facing slopes. The pink snow mold is quite common, however I know very little about the various types at this time.
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I had some time constrains and needed to leave the Montane Basin site and travel over to Peavine Ridge. Those who read this diary on a regular basis will be very familiar with this view. This scene is a good barometer for me. It gives me a good idea of conditions in the higher terrain of the Crystal Range.
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Late in the day, convective clouds started to form. May and early June is traditionally a period of increased thunderstorm activity in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. “Inside Sliders” (storms moving northwest to southeast into the Great Basin of the U.S.A.) and there trailing front often trigger thunderstorm activity during this time period. This year the trigger has been a series of cut-off low-pressure areas that have moved through the southern portion of California.
There is generally a pause in thunderstorm activity until July or early August when the Southwest Monsoon reaches California. At this time thunderstorm activity generally increases again. Each monsoon season is different, some being much more active in our area than other seasons.
This was another highly productive outing. The Viola tomentosa hybrid was definitely the high point of this outing. Montane Basin is a botanically rich site with many complexities. I will be returning frequently in the coming years.
Until next time…
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Robert,
interesting as always!
I am curious about the barren landscape with the Juniperus grandis. Why doesn't more tree species (like pine) grow there? Is it heavy metals, shallow soil or other reasons?
The pink snow is possibly Chlamydomonas nivalis? A very common green(!) algae in snow.
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Hi Trond,
I geology at this site is very interesting. The barrens in question are located at the lower end of the basin. It is part of a granodiorite extension on an east-west axis that partly blocks the exit of the basin. The northern ridge of the basin consists of Shoo Fly Formation metamorphic rocks, sediments layed down during the Permian in the ancient Sierran Seas, metamorphosed in an oceanic trench, and eventually lifted to there present location. The southern ridge of the basin consists of granodiorite, part of the Sierran granite batholith formed during the Mesozoic Era.
During the last Ice Age, an ice sheet moved over the barrens scrapping away some of the rock, however the ridge also must have slowed or halted the flow of ice at some point. Parts have the appearance of a moraine with much rock debris.
Today, the barrens consist of very shallow soils and bare rock. A portion has moraine like qualities, a jumble of various sized rocks (very large to small) with pockets of soil. Other portions are flat benches, some being bare rock (upper portion), some having a goodly amount of soil and partly forested (lower portions).
The barrens also act as a cold air dam. The elevation at the bottom of the Montane Basin is ~ 5,400 feet (1,646 meters). This winter I recorded below 0 F (-17.8 C) temperatures in the basin. This is the only site at this elevation where I recorded below 0 F temperatures this season. All the other sites where I recorded similar low temperatures were above 6,500 feet (1,981 meters).
The Montane Basin is a transition area between different ecological zones. Species can be found at this site that are associated with plant communities from much higher and lower elevations. The topography and geology play a major role in shaping the ecology of this site. It is an amazing site. Every visit brings new surprises and insights.
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PEAVINE RIDGE
&
TELEPHONE RIDGE
El Dorado County, California
Part I
Wednesday, 8 May 2019
Weather for selected location
Eldorado National Forest, 5,146 feet, 1,569 meters
Weather: Broken Clouds
Temperature, High: 74 F, 23.3 C
Low: 39 F, 3.8 C
Relative Humidity: 52%
Dew Point: 50 F, 10 C
Wind: SSW 7 G 10
Precipitation: 0.00 inches (0.0 mm)
I spent this past week exploring the Peavine Ridge and Telephone Ridge regions in El Dorado County, California. Although it is familiar territory, it is a large area and there is much to see throughout the year. The King Fire destroyed much of the timber in parts of this region during the autumn of 2014, but like many wildfires some areas escaped damage.
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I started my activities in the canyon of the South Fork of the American River. At this elevation, ~ 3,600 feet (1,097 meters), spring has arrived and the deciduous trees are blooming and coming into leaf. California Black Oak, Quercus kelloggii, and Bigleaf Maple, Acer macrophyllum, are the two most common deciduous species seen in this area.
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In many locations American Vetch, Vicia americana ssp. americana, spreads throughout the forest floor. The soft lavender flowers are very attractive. Often seen blooming with American Vetch are Annual Mountain Dandelion, Agoseris heterophylla var. heterophylla and Giant Mountain Dandelion, Agoseris grandiflora var. grandiflora. Both species have yellow ligulate flowers.
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In open sunny areas Scutellaria tuberosa can be seen blooming. As the name implies, this perennial species produces a small tuber about 4 cm under the surface of the ground. During the dry summer and autumn months this species is dormant, the tuber resting until the late autumn rains arrive.
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The bright red flowers of Silene laciniata ssp. californica brighten the steep slopes in the area. The fish-bone foliage, bottom, right, is Agoseris grandiflora var. grandiflora.
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I liked this photograph of Silene lanciniata ssp. californica. On the left, the lacy foliage of Bear Clover, Chamaebatia foliolosa, can be seen; below are a few sprigs of Galium bolanderi.
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In somewhat shaded locations Mountain Violet, Viola purpurea ssp. purpurea, could be found blooming.
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With an abundance of blooming plants and warm weather come a multitude of butterflies. I spotted this Silvery Blue, Glaucopsyche lygdamus, flying about the grassy slopes. The flight of Painted Ladies, Vanessa cardui, started in March. I saw many on this morning. Painted Ladies generally sit still for only a short time, making them difficult to photograph.
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Although there were many beautiful plants to see, I had many other places to visit on this day, so I moved on to the crest of Peavine Ridge.
There can be a considerable amount of thunderstorm activity during May and early June in this region, so I always keep an eye on the sky. When I see lifted strato-form clouds like this I am generally not concerned about thunderstorm activity developing later in the day.
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Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia has a strong preference for the rocky, andesite based soils on the crest of Peavine Ridge. As seen a few photographs back, Viola purpurea ssp. purpurea has a preference for soils based on the metamorphic rocks of the Shoo Fly Complex which occupy the lower portions of the American River Canyon is this area.
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My timing was perfect to gather detailed data on the Calochortus minimus that grow in this area. At this elevation, ~ 5,100 feet (1,554 meters), the earliest blooming plants had started, which was ideal for me.
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I hiked over to the previously discussed seep to see if there was any action. Without looking closely it might appear that not much was taking place.
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On closer inspection hundreds of white flowered Lewisia triphylla can be seen in full bloom. Sharing space with the Lewisia were many of the less common yellow flowered Erythranthe (Mimulus) microphylla.
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Among the rocks I found this delightful cluster of Lewisia triphylla.
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At one time Erythranthe (Mimulus) microphylla was grouped with Erythranthe guttata, our common yellow Monkeyflower. Unlike Erythranthe guttata, E. microphylla is a very tiny species. The flowers are only a few millimeters in sizes, and the foliage is distinctly lobed, but cannot be confused with Cut-leafed Monkeyflower, Erythranthe laciniata.
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In a nearby timbered area, carpets of Ceanothus prostratus were blooming abundantly. There are some excellent blue forms of Ceanothus prostratus at this site.
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PEAVINE RIDGE
&
TELEPHONE RIDGE
El Dorado County, California
Part II
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I continued my survey on the crest of Peavine Ridge.
Although the flowers of Ceanothus prostratus are generally some shade of blue or lavender, it is not uncommon to encounter plants with white flowers.
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At one site there is a persistent stand of Lilium washingtonianum ssp. washingtonianum. This species is generally found in scattered locations throughout the Crystal Basin. This species has delightful clove scented white flowers. They are typically found blooming during the first week of July. I have been tracking populations of this species in this area for decades and am concerned about their declining numbers.
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I spent much of my time recording detailed information concerning the population of Calochortus minimus that grow at one site. Last summer a brush-clearing machine drove through this population. The majority of the plants survived, and it appears that the impact will be minimal.
I have been studying this population for a number of years. This pale lavender flowered form was a bit unusual for this population. Pale lavender is not an unusual color for Calochortus minimus in this region, however this is the first time I have recorded a pale lavender flowering plant in this population.
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There was plenty to keep me busy, however I eventually moved on to the Telephone Ridge area. In places there are some nice views of the canyon of the South Fork of the American River. In the far distance, the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada crest can be seen.
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Telephone Ridge, too, is predominantly capped with Mehrton Formation andesite. Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia enjoys these conditions and grows abundantly throughout this area.
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In one location I encountered a thicket of Prunus subcordata. Sierra Plum has edible fruit, however the quality can vary a great deal. I do not encounter this species often and have yet to find a shrub with good fruit.
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Our native annual, Erythranthe (Mimulus) bicolor, is often seen growing on semi-barren andesite slopes in this area. Precipitation has been abundant this season, however their numbers are noticeably down this season. The deep and persistent snow cover this winter may have impacted their population numbers. More study is necessary.
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The annual Minuartia californica and Erythranthe (Mimulus) bicolor enjoys similar conditions. I have noticed no noticeable change in the Minuartia population numbers this spring.
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Where there is additional moisture in the soil there were stands of the white flowering Lithophragma affine in bloom. This stand was found growing on a dry, rocky slope next to a large rock. The soil next to the rock was noticeable moist. 30 cm from the rock the soil was already dusty dry.
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Horkelia tridentata var. tridentata is a common and widespread species in this part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is an unassuming species. For me, its distribution can sometimes offer clues to the character of a specific habitat, so I am always paying attention when I find this species.
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Occasionally a hard andesite stratum will create a perched water table, or be the genesis of a seasonal seep, spring, or moist meadow. This wet meadow was quite soggy. Early springtime bloomers, such as Meadow Foam, were just beginning to throw their first flowers. Late in the summer the shallow soils of this meadow will become bone dry.
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The moisture loving annual, Limnanthes alba ssp. versicolor (Meadow Foam), was found throughout this meadow. In a week or so, large swaths of their white flowers will carpet this meadow for many weeks.
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As I worked my way along the ridge I found an extremely interesting low elevation colony of Calochortus minimus. At 4,672 feet (1,424 meters), this colony is very close to the low elevation limit for this species in our region. This small isolated colony exhibited a great deal of variance in many of their physical traits. Many of the bulbs produced 7 to 9 flowers. This characteristic is not unusual, however it was unusual to find an abundance of plants producing 5 to 9 flowers per bulb. 2 flowers per bulb are typical.
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The leaves were highly variable in this isolated population. I noted considerable variation in length, width and coloration of the leaves. The leaves of some specimens contained an abundance of anthocyanids giving their leaves a purple tint.
After carefully recording information, I made an effort to find more plants or colonies in the immediate area. I did not find any.
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I take many photographs of Fritillaria micrantha. If I am lucky, maybe 1% turn out well. This is unfortunate as the species has intricately colored flowers that might be interesting to see. The thermal belts on Peavine Ridge and Telephone Ridge are close to the high elevation limit for this species.
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This robust form of Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia stood out among the others in this area. It is always good to take note of exceptional specimens and visit them frequently.
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As I dropped in elevation colonies of the annual Nemophila heterophylla appeared and became increasingly abundant as I continued down the mountain. In this area I also encountered the “find of the day”, the tiny annual Collinsia sparsiflora var. collina. This species is quite small and was impossible for me to photograph. This subspecies is rare to this region.
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Silene laciniata ssp. californica also appeared frequently. This grouping of Silene and Nemophila growing under a Ponderosa Pine, Pinus ponderosa, was very pleasing.
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As I worked my way back to the crest of Telephone Ridge I found a stand of Allium obtusum var. obtusum growing out of the rocky and dry andesite rubble. This species, along with Allium campanulatum, grow abundantly on the crest of Peavine and Telephone Ridge.
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Bitter Cherry, Prunus emarginata, is a very common species in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and throughout western North America, including Baja California. The species can be found over a considerable altitude range in our area. The flowers and fruit of this small shrubby species are attractive.
This, more or less, was the end of this outing. For me it is absolutely amazing that I can visit a site repeatedly for decades and continue to find something new and interesting during each visit. My outings are always extremely interesting, enlightening and worthwhile. I am already planning the next outing, however stormy, winter-like weather is on the near horizon. Including proxy data from other sources, I now have over 12 reporting meteorological stations in this region, with a wealth of historical climatic data. Climatic conditions are shifting. It will be very interesting to see how this bout of stormy weather compares to past events in May.
Until the next time…
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I was up in the Sierra Nevada a couple of times this week, however heavy rain and snow with strong winds prevented me from getting much done.
As an example, in the lower portions of the Lyons Creek Basin, 6,800 feet (2,073 meters) where was still 120 cm of snow on the ground. I left this area before the heavy snow started to fall. My guess is that an additional > 30 cm of new snow has fallen in the Lyons Creek Basin over the last few days.
What was very interesting, in the Lyons Creek Basin there were a few very small sites where the snow had melted. I spotted one specimen of Ranunculus alismifolius in bloom as well as many seedlings of various annual species (Diplacus-Mimulus torreyi for example). I am sure they will all fair well as there have been no cold temperature extremes over the last week. Snow at this time of year is not unusual, although this does not occur every year.
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This was the scene on Peavine Ridge, 5,146 feet (1,569 meters) today, 18 May. There was 7 cm of snow on the ground. Another storm is forecast to arrive later today, with additional snow down to this elevation.
I checked my rain gauges in the area: 3.23 inches (82 mm) and 2.97 inches (75 mm) respectively over the last 3 days. Equal amounts, or more, of precipitation are forecast for the storm arriving as I write.
We will see what next week brings.
Until the next time…
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Despite consistently unsettled weather, especially in the Sierra Nevada, I had a very productive outing on Thursday, 23 May. The locations that I visited were snow free for the most part, however the snow line was not far above. Late in the afternoon the convective showers began. There was heavy snowfall at times. I have many acceptable photographs and a number of early blooming species were flowering. I will now start working on a report and get it posted as time permits.
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ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
El Dorado County, California
Thursday, 23 May 2019
Part I
Weather for selected location
Eldorado National Forest, 5,450 feet, 1,661 meters
Weather: Rain Showers
Temperature, High: 54 F, 12.2 C
Low: 36 F, 2.2 C
Relative Humidity: 63%
Dew Point: 36 F, 2.2 C
Wind: E 3G5
Precipitation: 0.18 inches (4.57 mm)
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Last week’s outing was very interesting and productive. Weather/Climate has a major impact on plants both in our gardens and well as in the wild. To help put this outing in perspective, a summary of our weather conditions over the past 45 days might help provide clarity to my observations and the topics discussed.
Late April and early May were dry with periods of above average temperatures. A few daily high temperature records were broken in late April. In mid May a strong East Asian Jet propagated eastward over the Pacific Ocean (indicative of El Niño conditions and/or a positive Pacific / North American Pattern). This brought a series of late season storms to our region with low snow levels for May – 5,000 feet (1,524 meters). This was followed by series of short wave weather systems rotating around cut off lows pressure systems caught in the northwesterly flow over our state. This brought a continuation of the cool unsettled weather and thunderstorm activity. Precipitation amounts for May hit record, to near record levels. A new precipitation record was set for Sacramento and at the Placerville farm precipitation amounts reached near record levels. The May precipitation event was indicative of El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
For much of May, warmer-than-average SST (surface sea temperatures) persisted over the central tropical Pacific Ocean, with weak trade winds in the western Pacific. This is a typical and familiar El Niño type pattern. In mid-May an active MJO (Madden Julian Oscillation) moved from the Western Pacific Ocean to the Western Hemisphere then stalled out. This event coincided with our May precipitation event.
Currently, SST are continuing to build in the central Pacific, with a continuation of the weak trade wind pattern in the western Pacific. I will be watching conditions closely to see what develops. Generally in June, during the beginning of the East Asian monsoon season a warm, moist, low-level southwesterly flow develops over the Indian Ocean pushing northeastward toward India and southeastern Asia. This flow can often “nudge” the warm waters in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean and initiate a down welling oceanic Kelvin Wave to propagate eastward across the Pacific Ocean. Such an event will help prolong the current El Niño and impact our weather here in California.
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I spent the early part of the morning at a low elevation site (3,600 feet, 1,097 meters) in the canyon of the South Fork of the American River before moving on to the Montane Basin at 5,450 feet (1,661 meters).
On my last visit to this site on 1 May, despite 2 weeks of unseasonably warm temperatures, many plants were still dormant. On this outing many species had broken dormancy and were in active growth. Many plant species are vulnerable to extreme cold temperatures and/or ultraviolet radiation during this transition period. Plants have a number of methods to deal with these conditions. Understanding these coping mechanisms can often be essential to the successful cultivation of a species.
Pictured is a nice specimen of Cymopterus terebinthinus var. californica in active growth. I have a number of site-specific temperature data recorders in this area. Despite 7 to 10 cm of snow cover during the previous 5 to 7 day period, there were no temperature extremes during this time period. Despite some below freezing temperatures, I did not observe any frost damage on any plants in the area.
UV-B radiation is a bit more complex. The high albido of snow cover can concentrate UV-B radiation on specific sites. In addition, under certain meteorological conditions UV-B can also be concentrated, sometimes as much as 50% greater than the solar constant. Alpine and montane plant species have excellent methods to protect sensitive tissues from this radiation. Unfortunately, attempting to cultivate plants at lower elevations can sometimes interfere with these processes leading to the death of the plant.
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Castilleja pruinosa is a beautiful species. This plant was well advanced in growth and will be blooming soon.
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Some plants were slow to activate after their winter dormancy. Here Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum is no longer matted from heavy snow cover and is starting into active growth. Other plants of this species were much more advanced in their growth. Snow cover days and exposure are two important variables in this regard.
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This specimen of Pellaea bridgesii is another example of a plant slow to recover from winter dormancy. Once again other specimens were well advanced with new growth. Avoidance of extreme cold temperatures is a common survival approach for many alpine and montane species. Plants growing from crevices and protected by rocks, in general, were responding much better than this specimen pictured growing exposed and out in the open.
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ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
El Dorado County, California
Part II
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Occasionally I see die-out or partial die-out on plants after the spring snowmelt. Most often this is observed on Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi. With Penstemon newberryi, die-out and partial die-out is most often seen on plants that have become partially shaded by other plants or are covered by snow very late into the spring season. At this time temperatures have warmed a great deal yet the snow is still lingering at specific sites. Plants can be susceptible to snow molds under these conditions.
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After snowmelt, excessive leaf-drop on Huckleberry Oak, Quercus vacciniifolia, is observed much less frequently. The specimen retained very few leaves this past winter.
Understand why plants become distressed and preform poorly in the wild can be just as revealing to their domestic cultivation as can the understanding of wild plants when they are thriving in the wild.
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Senecio integrerrimus var. major emerges quickly after snowmelt. Once active growth begins, this species quickly develops flowers and seed before the onset of summertime high temperatures and extreme dry soil conditions.
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Montane and alpine plant species that emerge quickly after snowmelt also need to contend with late season snowfall (and early autumn snowfall). This specimen of Senecio integerrimus var. major was buried by 10 to 15 cm of snow about 5 days prior to when this photograph was taken. It might have been slightly pressed down by the snow, however now that the snow has melted away this plant it is ready to grow again.
This scenario does not always play out in this manner. I have site-specific temperature data recorders at this site and noticed that there were no sub-freezing temperature extremes before or after the late season snow event. Many species are extremely vulnerable to excessively cold, freezing temperatures after they begin active growth in the early spring. Exposed plant organs can be injured and burned back to the ground or the snow level during extreme cold weather events during this period of time.
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Ribes roezlii var. roezlii blooms very early in the season in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and is resilient to freezing temperatures when in bloom.
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After spending some time on the higher slopes above the basin, I moved down to the flats to check the conditions and plants in this area. Although much of the snow had melted, conditions were very wet and swampy.
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Sceptridium multifidum was rebounding from its winter under the snow. This species requires about 10 to 14 days after snowmelt to perk up and resume active growth. This delayed metabolic activity is one of several strategies that plants use to protect vulnerable tissues from damage after snowmelt.
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Veratrum californicum var. californicum is often the first species to emerge after snowmelt. Often a site will be bare of visible plant life immediately after snowmelt. Frequently I see Veratrum californicum emerging from the ground at such sites before other species emerge or other species begin germinating.
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Viola adunca ssp. adunca is seen frequently in moist meadows in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This specimen was quick off the mark to start active growth and was already in bloom.
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I always check conditions at the two ponds. On my last visit on 1 May there was a choirs of Pacific Treefrogs, Hyla regilla, calling when I visited. On this day it was completely quiet. I looked for tadpoles and egg clusters but did not find any. There was still a good flow of water into this pond. Later in the season it will be completely dry. The Pacific Treefrogs generally take advantage of any standing water to produce their next generation of frogs.
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Near the lower pond there is a patch of higher ground that is interesting to explore. In scattered locations there were still stands of Greenleaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, in bloom. Manzanita flowers are an excellent early season food source for many wildlife species.
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Allium obstum var. obtusum enjoys the rocky and drier terrain above the flats.
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Someone had recently been digging the Allium bulbs. There is at least one bear that lives at this site, however I am uncertain whom exactly was digging the bulbs. Before I arrived at this site some Common Ravens, Corvus corax, flew away from this area. I have never heard of Ravens eating Allium bulbs, but I learn new things all the time.
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Viola tomentosa is another species that prefers the higher and drier terrain above the moist flats.
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Sanicula tuberosa is also found on higher terrain, however this species is frequently seen where there is a great deal of residual moisture after snowmelt. The species is never found in the perennially mesic soils of the flats.
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At sites that were well exposed to solar radiation, I found the first Phlox diffusa flowers opening.
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The very early morning hours started out with mid-level strato-form overcast. The overcast skies gave way to generally clear skies about 2 hours after sunrise. The atmosphere was unstable with both low-level and mid-level lapse rates running high and plenty of moisture available for thunderstorm formation later in the day. I needed to keep an eye on the convective type cloudiness that was forming.
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This site was logged of its oldest timber about 15 years ago (~ 2005). As a perspective, I counted 273 tree rings on this stump. The core of the tree had rotted-out, so there may have been as many as 50 more years of growth. Just using the rings I could count, this tree was a seedling in 1732, however it most likely germinated as a new seedling in the late 1600’s. The term “sustainable forestry” sounds good, but what does it really mean?
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Many of the site’s annual species had germinated and were well into growth. Diplacus (Mimulus) torreyi can be found over a wide altitude range in this portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This species adjusts uniquely to each of the various climatic/ecological zones within its range.
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As with the seedlings of many species that grow in the montane and alpine life zones, the young seedlings of Diplacus (Mimulus) torreyi produce a great deal of anthocyanids to protect sensitive tissues from UV-B radiation when they are young.
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ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
El Dorado County, California
Part III
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Hemizonella minima is a common annual throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The seeds germinate quickly after snowmelt and the seedling will quickly begin to flower. Mature flowering plants are frequently only a centimeter or two tall.
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From the upland site, I moved to another portion of the basin. Here many seasonal creeks flow down the mountainside into the basin. By mid-summer the streams will be completely dry.
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In this area there is a grand old Sugar Pine, Pinus lambertiana. Sugar Pines can grow very tall and become large in girth. This tree is 4.970 meters in circumference at 1 meter above the ground.
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The snow lingers in this portion of the basin and many of the herbaceous perennial species were just emerging from the ground. Little Prince’s Pine, Chimaphila menziesii, is a small evergreen species that is a member of the Ericaceae Family. This species thrives in this shaded coniferous woodland plant community.
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The coniferous woodland eventually gives way to a more open plant community with scattered conifers. There is one location where there is a colony of Lewisia nevadensis growing on a gravelly bar next to a seasonal creek. During the early growing season, conditions are very moist, however by mid-summer this site will be parched and extremely dry. I often find Lewisia nevadensis growing under such conditions. This Lewisia colony is located at an elevation of about 500 to 1,500 feet (152 to 457 meters) below their usual altitude range in this portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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In more densely forested areas I found Viola sheltonii emerging from the ground.
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The snow was still in the process of melting in the more sheltered sites. I did manage to find one specimen of Viola sheltonii with flower buds, however most of the plants had yet to progress to this point of development.
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Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia is found in much more sunny and open sites than Viola sheltonii.
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The first flowers were open on many of the specimens of Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia. The comparative blooming phenology of Viola sheltonii and Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia is extremely interesting. On Peavine Ridge, within a thermal belt, Viola sheltonii consistently emerges and blooms before V. purpurea ssp. integrifolia. This is a consistent occurrence on Peavine Ridge regardless of the number of snow cover days. The opposite is true in the Montane Basin only 300 feet (91 meters) higher in elevation than the Peavine Ridge site. Consistently Viola purpurea spp. integrifolia is the first to emerge and bloom in the Montane Basin. Climatically the Montane Basin is a cold air basin, has differing wind circulation patterns, and has additional specific microclimatic idiosyncrasies.
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At one specific site there is a very fascinating colony of Viola tomentosa hybrids. When I first discovered this colony last summer I was uncertain as to their true identity. They have a close affinity to Viola purpurea ssp. mesophyta, however they lack several important taxonomic features of this subspecies. The other possibility I considered at the time was that they could be hybrids, Viola tomentosa x V. purpurea ssp. integrifolia. After a careful taxonomic study and review I am inclined to believe that they are, indeed, Viola tomentosa x V. purpurea ssp. integrifolia hybrids. This population of fertile hybrids shows very little sorting in the F2 generation, which leads to further questions. I will keep you posted to my findings as I continue to study this unique stand of Violas.
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In another portion of the basin I found other Viola tomentosa x V.purpurea ssp. integrifolia hybrids. They share many of the same attributes from the former colony just discussed, however as one might expect, there are also clear differences.
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At this site, one of the first species to emerge after snowmelt is Ranunculus occidentlais var. ultramontanus. As the snow is melting it is most often seen growing next to or in shallow running water. As the season progresses and conditions dry a bit, it will continue to grow and bloom as long as the soil stays moist. Once the ground begins to dry, like many other California native species, it will dry off and become dormant for the summer season. During this dry summer dormant period it requires completely dry conditions to remain viable.
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Soon other shrubby species join Greenleaf Manzanita in the early season blooming progression. Here, in this photograph, Ceanothus arcuatus has commenced blooming with its white to pale blue flowers.
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On higher and drier ground above the basin floor, I spent time looking for the native annual Phacelia stebbinsii. In places there was an incredible amount of water seeping around the large boulders. This was the perfect habitat for Micranthes aprica. This species, too, enjoys vernally moist sites that become dry during their summer dormant season.
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I had a very good idea where to look and had no problems locating Phacelia stebbinsii. The seedlings were well advanced and will be blooming soon.
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About 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon menacing convective cloudiness started to appear. I decided to leave the site via another route. In a sunny, dry, rocky environment, I found many specimens of Viola tomentosa in bloom.
Viola tomentosa has a preference for rockier and drier sites than Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia. All things being equal, Viola tomentosa also tends to bloom a bit later. Despite these differences the two species can frequently be found growing and blooming at the same time in the same general vicinity. Hybrids between the two species do occur and the hybrids tend to be fertile. I have examined many specimens of each species where the two species over lap in their distribution. Despite their ability to produce viable hybrids, the two species appear to maintain populations that are reasonably “pure” and true to type where their populations overlap.
From this point, I hiked back to the Outback as a cold light rain began to fall. My timing was perfect. Shortly after starting my return trip heavy snow started to fall. In addition, there was no shortage of lightning. Everything worked out well!
Until the next time…
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Robert, I'm fascinated about your Violas. They seem to span quite a wide range of ecological niches. I clearly understand their potential in gardening. A huge amount of experimenting will be required. However as us gardeners move away from uniformity in garden conditions ( which is one of the main obstacles a horticulturalist faces) then different cultivated forms can emerge that are adapted to different gardening conditions. In my place I'm blessed to have many varying ecological conditions from very dry and almost barren ground all the way to bog like spots, both sunny and shaded. In all I could garden if I were to identify the adequate combination of plants. I suspect that apart from Penstemon and Castilleja, Viola will also give these wide array of options. Mimulus is one other group to research this way.
Arturo
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Arturo,
As things currently stand, many of our California native Viola species are not easily grown. It will take a considerable amount of work and detailed understanding to unlock their potential. Currently my energies are most efficiently spent unraveling the details of our local native plant species. In a horticultural sense this is a backwater of uncharted territory where there is very little interest (most likely none). It is certainly not for those that want immediate and certain gratification.
Having said this, I can grow and maintain first generation plants that produce viable seed (via sexual reproduction, not selfed or apomixis seed). It is in the following generations where progress will be made. Maintaining first generation plants is demanding, so in many ways I do not find this as progress.
At least I am making quick progress with other aspects of this project, mainly a detailed understanding of the physiology, breeding systems, and genetics of our native Viola species and some of our other local native species as well. I know this is boring stuff to most, but it floats my boat. :)
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<<It is certainly not for those that want immediate and certain gratification>>.
interesting comment... ;D
Even with my 300 plus varieties of roses and quite a ways trodden with them, I hardly find that happening ever. Immediate almost never unless one buys a flowering potted plant. Certain is even harder if one grows them in this so well described changing climate :' ( but surprisingly still denied by some... :o >:(). So I deduce that it a matter of interest and conviction. I can only speak of myself. I just came in after pricking quite a number Lewisia seedlings ( L.cotyledon 'Regenbogen' series from Jelitto ), while my Howell's Lewisias were happily showing off my most unexpected very late bloom. When I first ventured into that genus I was told that they belonged to the "very difficult" category. So my motto is ignore what others tell me and just try it by myself. Others may be right and I have failed in spite of following the best advice, but suddenly one hits right on the nail and part of the mystery is solved.
Arturo
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Arturo,
I just came in from doing fire control all day at the farm. I have to admit that I am tired. At least it was not 100 F today. :)
Thank you for your timely comments. I never want to discourage anyone as they pursue their gardening activities. On the contrary I hope folks are encouraged. I also realize that I am off on my own tangent. I had to make many mistakes before I found a system where some of our native Viola species thrive and set seed year after year. It has been a very slow process. Breeding difficult species adds to the challenges.
Castilleja species are very fascinating and beautiful. Others have already made progress cultivating them, however I am pressing forward to see what advancement I can make. I have been successful with both annual and perennial species. In our garden some of the perennial species can be long lived and excellent garden plants. I am out of the starting gate but that is about it.
What was once Mimulus (now Mimulus, Diplacus, and Erythranthe) has many beautiful species. Some of our local annual species are especially nice. Cracking the code and creating easier to grow garden plants has a number of challenges. So far I am only out 3 generations with some of the species, but through designed selection progress is being made. The going is slow, but this the way it goes. Preliminary results are already looking good. There are plenty of failures too.
None of this easy, but I find it enjoyable.
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Hello Arturo
I think your personal attitude to gardening work is very good...don't let yourself be discouraged and try it with supposedly difficult species. I feel the same way...of course there are always setbacks and losses...but partial successes compensate for it. ;)
Good luck on your further way...
Thomas
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Concerning the cultivation of western violets (US) I would like to add some thoughts (albeit late) here.
I cultivate and have cultivated (Zone 7 b) a lot of North American violas. Those from the northeast are more or less easy if not weedy. Only Viola pedata is an exception and I would like to say nearly impossible to grow outside here.
Among the western species some of them are not too difficult - but inside a sunny greenhouse with protection against too much rain in summer and cold in winter. Examples are Vv. trinervata and its relatives (beckwithii, sheltonii etc.).
A lot of them, which I received by the generous help of Robert tend to be very tricky and it is a real challenge to explore their needs in cultivation. Being an optimist I always hope that once there will be a chance to find a provenance from a certain site which is better suited for cultivation than others - or, as Robert stated, there will be offspring of difficult species which is more adapted after some generations.
Generally I guess that western species would be an interesting addition to gardening but here restricted to countries with a similar climate as California. Unfortunately there are not as many enthusiasts around for the genus as for tender bulbs. Maybe this will change sometimes - everything is possible.
Gerd
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Gerd,
I have observed considerable genetic variance in the varieties of Viola purpurea that grow in our area. They are not difficult from seed, so maybe something good will eventual come from this. Viola pinetorum is a real gen too. Current I am aware of only one population in our area. I will be visiting this stand this summer and I hope that I can get the timing right. Viola purpurea ssp. mesophyta is nice too. I know of only one pure stand. The other populations have turned out to be Viola tomentosa x V. purpurea ssp. integrifolia hybrids. They are nice plants too. I believe you are growing some seedlings from one of the hybrid groups. They will be tricky to grow on beyond the first season. Sorry for the taxonomic mix up on these. Even the professional botanist that I brought to see the blooming plants could not identify them. Field work is not always easy and can even be challenging for professionals.
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Thank you for the hints Robert!
I agree that all species mentioned are not too difficult to germinate. To keep them growing on is the challenge. From your Viola tomentosa seed (or its hybrid) I sadly received only one quite tomentose seedling which is very slowly growing on despite of 'vip treatment'. V. purpurea mesophyta looks fine and I am looking forward to next season.
Gerd
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Gerd,
The Viola tomentosa seed is true to type.
I need additional study to have a better idea how to cultivate this species. The environment where they grow is extremely hot and xeric during the summertime. Almost always I find them growing in granodiorite grus or similar soils derived from granodiorite. They always have apical growth points buried underground. 2 to 4 cm is the general depth. This seems significant for successful cultivation. During the summer the below ground apical growth points stay relatively cool and dry. The root system penetrates deeply into the ground where there is some moisture during the summer and autumn. In small containers, excessive heat conductivity presents cultivation issues that need to be addressed, especially here in our Sacramento garden where air temperatures can reach 40 C during the summer. Soil temperatures in small containers can reach 40 C and sometimes much more if the pots are in the sun. The plants can basically solar cook! I find that large containers ameliorate the build up of excessive heat. I have had success transplanting seed pans as a complete block of seedlings into large containers as soon as possible after germination of the seeds. Getting the seedlings established in the large containers quickly seems to help a great deal. I also suspect that the roots are retractable and that the apical growth points are drawn down to an appropriate depth when the seedlings are transplanted earlier rather than later.
The seed of Viola purpurea ssp. mesophyta should have read aff. I apologize for my mistake. I am quite certain that this batch of seed represents Viola tomentosa x V. purpurea ssp. integrifolia hybrids. They will most likely be much easier to grow. In the wild they grow where the soil is very different from that of Viola tomentosa. The soil is of a much finer texture, much deeper, less rocky, and has a grater percentage of organic material. In addition, they share their growing space with a variety of other plant species. Viola tomentosa is generally found in a much more stark landscape with other plant species spaced much farther apart.
Anyway, I am slowly unraveling some of the mysteries of these species and hybrids and gaining a better understanding of our native Viola species. There is still a great deal for me to learn and understand, but steady progress is being made.
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This is my busy season. :)
I am currently working on a summary of my 30 May outing which I will start posting after a few days. :)
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Thank you once again Robert for the detailed explanations concerning the viola species mentioned above.
Am I right when I suggest that the soil for both has a lower ph Level?
Gerd
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Gerd,
And thank you for your input and expertise concerning these species. Everybody can benefit. 8)
I now have funding for my projects in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and will purchasing more data recording instruments. I have one site where I am recording heat fluxes in the soil at various depths, as well as outgoing longwave radiation. The data has application in horticulture and is extremely fascinating and revealing. Even the surface energy budget is intertwined and interacts with the vegetation of any given site. The short of all of this is that I will have much more detailed site specific data for many more sites in the near future.
On Peavine Ridge both Viola sheltonii and Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia grow in a very fine textured andesite based soil that is fairly deep. The soil Ph is approx. 6.0. I have the exact figures, but they are not right in front of me presently.
Thank you again for your input and perspective. :) 8)
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LYONS CREEK
RIVERTON & PEAVINE RIDGE
El Dorado County, California
Part I
Thursday, 30 May 2019
Weather for selected location
Lyons Creek, 6,725 feet, 2,050 meters
Weather: Thunderstorms
Temperature, High: 55 F, 12.8 C
Low: 31 F, -0.6 C
Relative Humidity: 100%
Dew Point: 39 F, 3.9 C
Wind: SE Calm
Precipitation: 1.25 inches (31.75 mm)
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Early in the morning on 30 May 2019 I set off for the Sierra Nevada Mountains to do some botanical fieldwork and download meteorological field data at several sites. My first stop was the Lyons Creek basin, elevation 6,725 feet, 2,050 meters. Earlier in the month of May, there were a number of late season snow events in the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada, so there was basically no change in accumulated snowpack in this area compared to my last visit in mid-May.
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The access road into the Lyons Creek – Wrights Lake area was still impassible due to the deep snowpack, still measuring 1.2 meters on average. Fortunately, the early morning snow cover was firm and easy to hike over.
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The water in Lyons Creek was still very cold and running high. At 34.0 F, 1.1 C, the water temperature was basically unchanged from my last visit on 15 May. The water levels were much lower during this visit, however this time of year there can be large diurnal fluctuations in the water levels and flow rates, so accurate comparisons based on simple short-term observations are difficult
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Although the snowpack was basically unchanged over the two-week period between my visits to this area, solar radiation had clearly eroded the snow in the sunniest sites. In some locations the ground was bare of snow, while only a few meters distance away drifts of snow could still be 2 meters or more in depth.
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Through the break in the trees at the Lyons Creek bridge, I could see snow capped Pyramid Peak in the distance.
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Although there was little open ground, I decided to hike up the Lyons Creek trail to see what I might find. This was my view as I set off up the trail. As one can see, my prospects of finding much in the way of perennial plant life emerging from the ground looked inauspicious.
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My efforts were not fruitless. I did find many sites where the snow cover had melted away and the plants were newly emerging from the ground.
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There was plenty of standing and running water where the snow had melted away. Having site-specific meteorological data is invaluable in the evaluation of situations as pictured. Although recent low temperatures had been only slightly below freezing, previous to this time there had been some extremely cold temperatures. Such information helps me to evaluate cold temperature tolerance as plants emerge from the ground after snowmelt.
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As an example, I had found a few open flowers on a few specimens of Ranunculus alismifolius var. hartwegii on my previous visit two weeks prior. Although the newly emerged vegetative growth had been unharmed by the cold temperatures, there was evidence that the extreme cold temperatures damaged some of the flowers earlier in the week. How different mountain species cope with cold temperatures during different times in their growth cycles varies.
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I actually encountered a few fairly large areas of open ground. The situation pictured is very typical of many snowmelt/snowfield species. Frequently there is a delayed reaction by the plants when the snow first melts. After snowmelt, many species delay new growth and emergence from the ground for up to two weeks to avoid extremes in cold temperatures and tissue damage. Here it is easy to determine where the snow first melted away.
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LYONS CREEK
RIVERTON & PEAVINE RIDGE
El Dorado County, California
Part II
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In this photograph one can see residual snow in the lower right hand corner of the photograph. The sad looking plant is Eriogonum marifolium. This is an effective strategy that some plants use to avoid cold weather damage to their tissues.
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This is an example of Eriogonum marifolium after the plant has restored and resumed full photosynthetic capabilities after snow melt. This process can take anywhere between 5 and 14 days depending on the weather and the species.
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In this photograph Horkelia fusca var. parviflora has resumed active growth. During the previous season there was very little snow cover during much of the winter in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I visited this site briefly during this time period to observe the response of the plants to cold winter temperatures without snow cover. Although this species appeared desiccated and lifeless there were very few losses among the populations at this site. When a variable/variables changes slightly the results can be very different.
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Once again there was a threat of thunderstorms this day. For various reasons I was keeping an eye on the convective cloudiness and storm development. Earlier in the morning, before the sun rose, I had observed residual turrets of convective cloudiness from the previous day as I drove toward the site. As the morning progressed, this remnant of the atmospheric boundary layer from the pervious day broke down and the clouds disappeared. Later in the morning as the sun started to warm the surface of the ground, convective cloudiness began to appear again. What was extremely fascinating was how the pattern of convective cloudiness was partly governed by the albedo of the land surface in various areas.
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I had finished my work in the Lyons Creek area and moved down the mountain to a low elevation site in the canyon of the South Fork of the American River. Here spring was in full swing and there were many species of plants in bloom.
Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia is a very common species in this region. It was one of many plant species that had begun their blooming cycle for the season at this site.
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Like Hosackia crassicaulis, Lathyrus sulphereus is another member of the Fabaceae family. They were seen scrabbling over the ground and climbing through low shrubs at this site.
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Triteleia ixioides, represented in the form of one subspecies or another, can be found over a very large altitude range in California. This species can be found from near sea level into the upper montane life zones of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At this site this species is represented by subspecies scabra. This is one of three subspecies that I find in El Dorado County, California.
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The Fabeacea Family was well represented at this site. The low spreading Acmispon nevadensis var. nevadensis had opened its bright yellow, yellow-orange/red flowers in sunny site along the sloping terrain.
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I found a few colonies of the California native annual, Diplicus (Mimulus) kelloggii at this site. On a previous visit to this area this spring I had observed large colonies of this species on the canyon slopes. This diminutive species is a very showy species when in bloom.
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The tiny annual Leptosiphon ciliatus were found scattered throughout sunny portions of the steep south facing canyon slopes. Their tiny pink flowers are very cheery.
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Rossettes of Phacelia heterophylla var. virgata were sending up their flowering stems. In general, Phacelia species attract a many of insect pollinators to their open flowers. Because of this quality, they are outstanding species for attracting native insect life to the garden.
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Iris hartwegii ssp. hartwegii is well represented in this area. It is quite common to find large clumps of this species in the lower montane life zones. This species can be found at site up to 5,500 feet (1,676 meters) in elevation. The high elevation colonies generally are found in thermal belts at the high end of their altitude range.
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The insect life has become very active with the warm spring weather. Insects are very fascinating. This Bluet, Enallagma sp., was perched on this leaf as it hunted for food.
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There were thousands of Painted Ladies, Vanessa cardui, active on the steep slopes. Rose Clover, Trifolium hirtum, is a common invasive species in our part of California and the species was blooming everywhere. This was to the liking of the Painted Ladies, as many were feeding on the open flowers.
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The day was progressing and it was time to move onward to the crest of Peavine Ridge. The thunderstorm activity was building and moving westward toward the area I was working.
Studying circulation flows in mountain thunderstorms is extremely fascinating. Circulation flows within all thunderstorms follow general patterns. However, mountains terrain can create subtle alterations in these circulation patterns, which in turn can alter the development and life of mountain thunderstorms. I am not a storm chaser, but I do observe the storms from a save distance. Analyzing satellite and radar data is about as safe as one can get, but visual observations and post storm observations can provide important details about the storms.
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LYONS CREEK
RIVERTON & PEAVINE RIDGE
El Dorado County, California
Part III
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A thunderstorm was drifting toward the area. I did not want to get caught in the rain or exposed to the cloud to ground lightning. I did my best to quickly survey the site and take in what I could.
It was the peak of the blooming season for Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia. In some locations there were hundreds of plants in bloom.
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With Viola purpurea ssp. integrifolia, I generally take the time to examine a sampling of the population very closely. Unfortunately I felt hurried by the impending thunderstorm and the fact that there was much I wanted to see in this area.
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Among the andesite rocks Allium obtusum var. conspicuum was in bloom. I find both variety conspicuum and variety obtusum on Peavine Ridge and the adjacent Telephone Ridge. I have never found them in mixed stands in this area, nor have I found populations with a gradation in flower color. It seems that there would be some mixing between the two varieties, but I have never found any evidence that this is occurring.
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Despite frequent thunderstorm activity and moist soil, Lewisia triphylla was showing signs of entering dormancy. This tiny species is found in vernally wet sites that become parched dry by summer. This species is bulbous and flowers quickly before entering dormancy as the soil becomes dry.
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Triteleia ixioides ssp. unifolia grows abundantly in the “barren” andesite rock fields on Peavine Ridge. Triteleia ixioides ssp. scabra can also be found on Peavine Ridge, however it has a distinct preference for open wooded sites on soils derived from Shoo Fly Formation metamorphic rock.
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On Peavine Ridge, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida is generally the last Manzanita species to bloom in the area. There is a lot of overlap in the blooming phenology between the three species of Arctostaphylos that grow on Peavine and Telephone Ridges. Depending on weather conditions Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka can start blooming as early as January with Arctostaphylos viscida often finishing its blooming cycle in mid-June. Manzanita flowers provide an important nectar source for many insects and hummingbirds very early in the season.
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I found the native annual Erythranthe (Mimulus) bicolor blooming on 8 May of this year on Telephone Ridge. At that time the weather was hot and dry, with the ground quickly drying. At this time, it appeared the blooming season for this species would be sparse and short lived. The cool and wet weather that arrived later in May as well as the extended thunderstorm activity in June revived the fading season for this species. As of this writing, 15 June, large blooming colonies of this species can be seen on both Peavine Ridge and Telephone Ridge. It is amazing to see how resilient and flexible many species are in coping with changing environmental conditions.
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In an open wooded site I found Fritillaria micrantha in bloom. This is not an easy species for me to photograph. This photograph is about as good as it gets for me. The flowers of this species have a considerable color range. Maybe in the future I will be better able to document this variety in flower with photographs.
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Castilleja applegatei ssp. pinetorum was in full bloom in scattered sites on the Ridge. This species thrives in full sun in the andesite rock fields.
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Another lovely annual species is Clarkia arcuata. This species was just coming into bloom when I visited Peavine Ridge on this outing. Since this time I have returned to the area where thousands of Clarkia arcuata flowers can now be seen. Additional Clarkia species grow on Peavine and Telephone Ridges. They will start blooming a bit later in the season.
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Navarretia prolifera ssp. lutea is another annual species found in the Peavine – Telephone Ridge areas. This tiny species is rare in nature. Fortunately the populations in this area seem well protected.
After racing around, the lightning strikes came too close for my comfort. It was time to leave the area and return home. As usual, I had a delightful and very productive outing.
Until the next time…
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LYONS CREEK BASIN
El Dorado County, California
Wednesday, 12 June 2019
Part I
Weather for selected location
Lyons Creek Basin, 6,725 feet, 2,050 meters
Weather: High Clouds
Temperature, High: 76 F, 24.4 C
Low: 40 F, 4.4 C
Relative Humidity: 40%
Dew Point: 43 F, 6.1 C
Wind: NW 2 G 4
Precipitation: 0.00 inches (0.0 mm)
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On Wednesday, 12 June, I returned to the Lyons Creek Basin to monitor snowmelt conditions and record data on the emerging flora. I was hoping that after two weeks of, at times, hot weather that the access road into the Basin would be free of snow. Although much of the road was free of snow there were still some deep drifts of snow that prevented access to the basin by auto. The short hike into the Basin is pleasant and also revealing if one is observant, so the hike did not disappoint me.
It was a pleasant morning and there would be no threat of thunderstorm activity on this day. I could take time to make detailed observations and spend most of the day in the region without having to be concerned about stormy weather.
As I am on the topic of weather, I am currently monitoring incoming short wave radiation (e.g. direct beam solar radiation) throughout the high elevations of this region. Of course, cloud cover influences the amount of solar radiation that is received at the earth’s surface. It is well established that the Sierra Nevada Mountains receive a great deal of solar radiation during the summer months. Analyzing the actual numbers is extremely interesting. There is a relationship between incoming solar radiation, cloud cover, summertime thunderstorm activity and the behavior of plant communities. It is nice to be in a position where I can connect these variables with horticultural applications in mind.
Before proceeding for the day, I recorded data on water temperatures and flow rates in Lyons Creek. With hot summertime temperatures Lyons Creek was flowing high, even for the morning hours. The water temperature is now beginning to rise, now 39.0 F (3.9 C), as the bulk of the snow at this elevation has melted away and air temperatures are rising.
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The landscape is not completely free of snow and ice, but there are large areas free of snow. On somewhat level terrain, almost everything is flooded. The scenes and conditions are very similar to those I encountered at the Montane Basin many weeks ago. Where the snow is gone, plants are emerging from the ground everywhere. Nighttime temperatures have moderated a great deal, and freezing nighttime temperatures have almost ended.
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This would be my fourth venture up the Lyons Creek Trail this season, and the first where some sections of the trail would be snow free. Much of the trail and surrounding landscape would be flooded with standing or flowing water, but these are typical conditions for this site in the spring snowmelt season.
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Ranunculus alismifolius var. hartwegii is among the earliest to emerge after snowmelt and come into bloom. In some locations there were already large sheets of this species in full bloom.
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Caltha leptosepala is another species that is very early to emerge after snowmelt. This species becomes active even before the snow has completely melted from a site. It is not unusual to see the foliage and open flowers appearing through a thin layer of snow. The species is also moisture loving and is most likely to be seen in, or near, shallow flowing water.
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LYONS CREEK BASIN
El Dorado County, California
Part II
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Before proceeding up the trail, my attention was focused on the flight of butterflies. There were hundreds of California Tortoiseshells, Nymphalis californica. I am so fortunate to be out frequently and to be dedicated to manual empirical observations. The flight of certain species of butterflies can be highly variable. Often one has to be in the right place at the right time to observe certain peculiarities of specific species.
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Sharing space with the California Tortoiseshells were a few Mourning Cloaks.
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I see Mourning Cloaks, Nymphalis antiopa, frequently but never in great numbers. When I was very young, maybe 8 to 10 years old, I saw Mourning Cloaks all of the time in the Central Valley of California. Housing development, construction of all sorts, and agricultural development has destroyed much of their habitat in the Central Valley of California. Fortunately Mourning Cloaks have a large range and appear to be thriving in some parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Here too the ecology has been highly altered by human activities. Conditions are continuing to change. Butterflies appear to be the “Canary in the Coal Mine”. I document butterfly behavior and populations closely and as accurately as possible.
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I also spotted a few Greenish Blues, Plebejus saepiolus. I see this species frequently in this area every season. In this area, their population numbers seem stable.
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Observing butterflies is time consuming and requires a great deal of patience and persistence. These are all good qualities for me to cultivate. In addition, butterflies have their story to tell which provides important information regarding the overall health of an ecosystem.
After being satisfied with my encounter with the butterflies, I proceeded up the trail to see what I might see in the way of plant species. Viola bakeri had emerged from the ground where the snow had melted and in a few locations there were plants in bloom.
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I keep careful notes on plant species at all phases of their life cycle and seasonal cycles. Here Aconogonon phytolaccifolium has emerged from the ground and is growing rapidly. Aconogonon phytolaccifolium is also easy to identify from their dead stems. This is a useful observation at certain times.
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Ligusticum grayi was also making rapid growth. Here it can be seen with small plants of Viola bakeri.
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Yampah, Perideridia parishii ssp. latifolia had also emerged from the ground. Some species can appear identical to other similar species during various stages of their seasonal cycle. At some sites I know exactly where certain species and specific specimens grow. In this way I can make a positive identification of a species and learn subtle nuances of specific species.
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Lewisia nevadensis has a strong preference for specific sites and has very specific habitat requirements. Exposure to sunlight, soil preferences, and moisture availability during specific phases of seasonal growth are all requirements that need to be met. These and other preferences tell me a great deal about a specific site.
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Lyons Creek, as well as its smaller feeder streams, was flowing high, cold and swiftly. The creek can be crossed during these periods, but it can be challenging and time consuming to find the best location to cross over. On this day there was more than enough for me to do without having to ford the creek.
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Near a feeder stream I am very familiar with most of the plants that grow at this site. I have studied this location for decades and there is always something new for me to learn from the plants growing there and how the system shifts and changes with time.
Aconitum columbianum is a regular resident at this site. I always find this species in the same general area, however they have shifted around a bit over time.
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Aquilegia formosa is also a long term resident of this site. Here it can be seen growing with Senecio triangularis and seedlings at various stages of development of Aconitum columbianum. As Ian Young points out in his Bulb Log, self-sown seedlings at various stages of development are a very natural part of a landscape and provide an ambiance of naturalness and beauty to a garden. The propagation of a species in the wild can also provide a great deal of information regarding the health and direction of change within an ecosystem.
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Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri can look identical to Aquilegia formosa at various stages of its seasonal growth. If one is familiar with both species, the differences in their juvenile stages of growth are very apparent.
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At this same site where the grade is slightly higher and drier, Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata can be found (Yes, it is there among the blades of grass). Both color phases of this species can be found in this general area, the yellow and red phases.
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Agastache urticifolia is also a long term resident of this site. It prefers the sunniest and driest locations at this location.
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In this photograph Heracleum maximum can be seen growing with Veratrum californicum var. californicum. Heracleum maximum is a large, bold species with big leaves and sizeable umbels of white flowers when in bloom. It is quite at home in this moist streamside setting.
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I knew in advance that Viola glabella grew at this site. I found many plants in leaf and was fortunate to find one specimen in bloom.
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From the stream habitat I moved on to a much drier habitat. Even shortly after snowmelt some locations dry very quickly.
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The snowmelt water infiltrates and then percolates very quickly through the soil at some sites. I spend a great deal of time studying the meadow ecosystems in this area. There are both moist and dry meadow ecosystems and gradations in between. Each meadow ecosystem has its unique signature of characteristics and flora.
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Eriogonum incanum has a strong preference for the drier meadow habitats in this area. Where moisture is limited during the bulk of the growing season the vegetation is frequently sparse and well spaced. These are ideal growing conditions for Eriogonum incanum and many other interesting species.
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Senecio integerrimus var. major is another species that enjoys drier terrain. This species is much more tolerant of shade than many of the Eriogonum species found in this area and is often found near trees at the edges of dry meadows.
It is easy to keep myself occupied and focused on my outings. At some point, by observing the shadows, I become aware that it is time to stop for the day and return home.
This was an excellent follow up trip to this location and I accomplished a great deal. This coming week, I will be deploying more instruments and make more follow up observations at other locations. Access to the higher terrain is still difficult due to snow. The snow is melting quickly and I hope to start visiting the highest terrain soon.
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It has been a very busy week, however I had a very good outing earlier in the week.
Conditions are drying and the snow is melting quickly at the higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There are many wildflowers to see. I will be reporting on the latest outing later in the coming week.
:)
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PEAVINE RIDGE
El Dorado County, California
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Part I
Weather for selected location:
Peavine Ridge, 5,146 feet, 1,569 meters
Weather: High Clouds
Temperature, High: 85 F, 29.4 C
Low: 50 F, 10.0 C
Relative Humidity: 41%
Dew Point: 56 F, 13.3 C
Wind: SSW 6G9
Precipitation: 0.00 inches (0.0 mm)
Precipitation to date: 56.80 inches (1,442.72 mm)
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I spent much of my time last week deploying data loggers at new high elevation sites. There are a number of objectives I wished to accomplish by deploying additional data loggers. Much of the high elevation alpine region is still poorly understood and there are a number of challenges recovering accurate data from these regions, especially during the winter months. Data for a surface energy budget can be extremely revealing and provides valuable information as it relates to the vegetation and other aspects of a specific site. At the highest elevations in our area, wintertime rime accumulations on remotely placed meteorological instruments are a continuing challenge. When analyzing local radiosonde and GOES satellite soundings for our region it is clear that wintertime LCLs, wind velocities and in this in this case 700 mb temperatures are within “the sweet zone” for excessive rime accumulations. I will be experimenting with various design and placement variables to hopefully ameliorate wintertime rime accumulations on sensors and hopefully obtain useful and revealing data from the alpine life zone.
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Our native annual, Diplacus (Mimulus) torreyi, has a wide altitudinal range in our area. It can be found from ~ 3,500 feet (1,067 meters) to > 7,000 feet (2,134 meters). It is one of a number of species that I evaluate in detail.
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Knowing the name and being able to identify a species at various stages of its life cycle is only a starting point for understanding any species and how it reacts with its environment.
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Although I was quite busy, there was time to hike through the site and make a quick survey of the plants. I have thoroughly surveyed this site repeatedly over the years, yet I still find additional species that I missed on previous outings. On this outing I spotted a large colony of Woolly Marbles, Psilocarphus tenellus. It is not a rare species, however this was my first sighting of this species at this site.
In another location there were large drifts of Allium campanulatum (pictured) at the peak of their blooming cycle.
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Frangula rubra ssp. rubra is one of the few broad-leaf evergreen species found at the higher elevations in this region. The species is surprisingly cold hardy and is found in a variety of woodland habitats at various elevations, yet the species is rarely seen in large numbers at any given site.
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PEAVINE RIDGE
El Dorado County, California
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Part II
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Triteleia ixioides ssp. unifolia thrives on the Mehrten Formation andesite. Thousands can be seen now in full bloom on the Ridge. It is a very pretty sight to see.
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In the opening photograph of this diary entry for this outing, sheets of pink flowers can be seen. These are predominantly Clarkia arcuata, one of two annual Clarkia species seen blooming at this time on Peavine Ridge.
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The other Clarkia species seen blooming concurrently with Clarkia arcuata on the crest of Peavine Ridge is Clarkia rhomboides. The flowers of this species are smaller than those of Clarkia arcuata, but are very interesting in appearance and a delight to see.
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Penstemon roezlii thrives on the Merhten Formation andesite in sunny open positions. The flowers of this Penstemon species are very showy.
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This lavender flowered form of Penstemon roezlii stands out among the other flowering perennial and annual species blooming on Peavine Ridge. This specimen is long lived, as I have been observing it for many seasons now. This flower color appears to be a very recessive quality, as this is the only specimen of this species I have found with this flower color, and I have seen thousands over the years.
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The annual Navarretia prolifera ssp. lutea has a very restricted range in California. It is found only on Peavine Ridge and a few other isolated locations in El Dorado and neighboring Amador County, California. This tiny species is very beautiful and showy when seen blooming in mass.
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The annual Erythranthe (Mimulus) bicolor can also be seen blooming in mass throughout this area at this time. This year, an additional boost of late season precipitation helped this species along. During the initial dry and unseasonably hot weather in late April and early May I observed many stands of this species wilted and going dry. Once the rain resumed later in May they recovered quickly and are very numerous and beautiful to see in full bloom at this time.
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Eriophyllum lanatum var. grandiflorum is a very common species throughout the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in our region. After a fire, this species can be prolific. At times, thousands can be seen blooming on burned over slopes turning the whole mountainside yellow with their showy flowers. At higher elevations, variety grandiflorum is replaced by other varieties of this species in our region.
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Castilleja applegatei ssp. pinetorum is not abundant on Peavine Ridge, however the plants are extremely showy when in bloom and easily attract ones attention.
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Calochortus leichtlinii is one of three Calochortus species that I have found on Peavine Ridge. The diminutive Calochortus minimus is the first species to come into bloom, followed by Calochortus leichtlinii with its large upward facing flowers. Calochortus clavatus var. avius is also found on Peavine Ridge and has an extremely limited distribution in California. In theory both Calochortus coeruleus and C. monophyllus may also be found on Peavine Ridge. Peavine Ridge is certainly within their range, however I have yet to find these species on the Ridge to date.
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Another great report, Robert!
I love seeing all those wildflowers and it makes me wonder "Would they grow here?" ;D
Have you been able to take cuttings or get seed of that lavender Penstemon roezlii?
cheers
fermi
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Hi Fermi,
Yes, I have started a few cuttings of the lavender Penstemon roezlii. It will be very interesting to see how it preforms in cultivation. To date, many of the seedlings that I have grown of the standard “blue” forms of Penstemon roezlii have done well in our Sacramento garden. In my gardening world this is just the starting point. I already see where improvements can be made with this species, but currently there are huge gaps in my knowledge of this species. Progress is slow at this point.
From my perspective I am just getting acquainted with Penstemon roezlii. There is so much that I wish to understand about this species. I have been logging phenotypic traits of specific species native in our area. Unfortunately, Penstemon roezlii is not high on the priority list at this time. My guess is that the lavender flower color will not be passed on in the first generation of seedlings. I still have some uncertainties about the exact nature of its breeding system. Depending on how things are set up genetically for this species there is the possibility that the lavender color could be recovered after several generations. In addition, I have been noting how this species is responding to year-to-year seasonal environmental changes. Unfortunately, there is just not enough data at this time to come to any helpful conclusions. As you can see there is still a great deal for me to understand in regards to this species.
“Would they grow here?”
This is actually a great question. Here in California there are so many fine native species that are not cultivated. This statement is only partly true. Partly what seems to happen is that many of our native species do not survive long in cultivation. The best that I can determine is that accurate knowledge on how to grow challenging species appears to be lacking. Our Sacramento garden is full of native species that I have been repeatedly told are impossible to grow. In addition, there appear to be few efforts to improve many of our native species. There is the usual breeding of Pacific Coast Iris and Lilies and a few other species, but much beyond this little has change in horticultural in our region over the last 45 years. This leaves a great deal on the table. I am doing my small part to make some improvements. The methodology that I find most pleasurable requires a great deal of time and effort. It would be great to see additional California native species and varieties brought into cultivation. I have been given the impression that anything can be found on the internet, so maybe these new wonderful plants are already out there. This is a part of horticulture that does not interest me, so I really do not know what the truth is in this regard.
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PEAVINE RIDGE
El Dorado County, California
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Part III
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Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum is found in reasonable abundance on Peavine Ridge. My timing was good, and I found many plants in bloom. The silvery foliage and dense growth habitat of this species is very attractive.
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It would have been nice to linger on Peavine Ridge, however there was much for me to accomplish. I moved on to a new site at 5,500 feet (1,676 meters) in the central portion of the study area. This site was especially selected both for its diversity of plant species as well as it physical location. After deploying a number of instruments I took a quick survey of the plants growing in this area. Many species were in bloom. I found a few specimens of Calyptridium monospermum (pictured) in bloom, however it was the diversity of annual species that caught my attention. Hemizonella minima, Collinsia torreyi var. torreyi, Diplacus torreyi, and Leptosiphon ciliatus can be seen blooming in this photograph. The photograph of the “star of the day” did not turn out well. The blue flowering form of the annual species, Phacelia quickii, grew abundantly and was in peak bloom.
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The butterfly population at this site was also extremely interesting. I was delighted to log Tailed Coppers, Lycaena arota, at this site.
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It would have been nice to linger at the new site, but there was still a great deal for me to accomplish. Near the end of the day I made a quick visit to the Montane Basin to download data and make a quick pass around a portion of this site to see what was going on. Castilleja pruinosa was found blooming on a rocky, sunny, exposed site. This is certainly the preferred habitat for this species.
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I found a dense stand of Poa secunda ssp. secunda in bloom. This species is very widespread and common throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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I closely monitor conditions at the seasonal ponds and the creek that flows through the Basin. Now that the snow has melted, water levels are both dropping and warming rapidly both in the creek and ponds.
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I wish that I had more time at this site. Many of the native Viola species were in full bloom. Viola tomentosa has a very strong preference for dry, sunny, and rocky sites above the basin floor.
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In the moist flats, the annual Five Spot, Nemophila maculata was blooming.
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In the same location Delphinium nuttallianum was seen in bloom. Most plants have flowers that are in the dark purplish blue color range. The Montane Basin is peculiar in that about 2% of the Delphinium nuttallianum have lavender colored flowers. I have also found pure white flowering forms of Delphinium nuttallianum in this region, but I have not found them in the Montane Basin to date.
Well there was a great deal for me to accomplish on this outing and for the most part I was very successful. It would have been nice to have more time to observe the wildflowers, as the show was excellent. This was not the case on this outing, but I was still very please with my results for this day.
Now that the snow is beginning to melt from the highest terrain I hope to start visiting the high alpine portions of the Crystal Range. There are a number of high altitude species that I wish to locate. In addition, the deployment of high altitude instruments is also high on my list of priorities.
Until the next time…
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Hello Robert
As always, I am overwhelmed by the biodiversity in the area of your research. I would especially like to highlight the two color variants of Penstemon roezlii and Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum. What incredibly interesting plants.
I am already looking forward to the next reports and pictures of your work...always a pleasure and very informative.
Greetings
Thomas
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Hi Thomas,
I may not be out again until after the 4th of July holiday here in the U.S.A. :(
Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum has beautiful silvery and woolly foliage. I have one specimen that I grew from seed in our Sacramento garden (they can also be propagated asexually). It thrives in our garden and looks great. It can be a bit sparse during the winter, but then I enjoy this wintertime look too. I would like to grow more seedlings. I have a great deal of data from this site, if by chance you are interested in the environment in which these plants grow.
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Hi Thomas,
I may not be out again until after the 4th of July holiday here in the U.S.A. :(
Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum has beautiful silvery and woolly foliage. I have one specimen that I grew from seed in our Sacramento garden (they can also be propagated asexually). It thrives in our garden and looks great. It can be a bit sparse during the winter, but then I enjoy this wintertime look too. I would like to grow more seedlings. I have a great deal of data from this site, if by chance you are interested in the environment in which these plants grow.
Yes...more information about the life of Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum is very welcome. I would also appreciate a detailed photo of the foliage. I have a few species of Eriogonum in my garden...but not this one. The silvery hairy species I like the most. ;D
I am also curious to see how the cultivation of this beautiful Penstemon roezlii will continue in your garden.
Thomas
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Thomas,
I know that it takes me time to get to things. Jasmin and I have been in and out of town over the last few days.
Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum is such a fine species. I will try to get out a get a close up of the foliage in the next day or two and post a photograph. I do not always have good luck with close up photographs but I will do my best.
Given what I observe on Peavine Ridge, Eriogonum parattenianum will most likely grow well in ordinary well-drained garden soil, at least here in hot, dry interior California. Right now my only specimen is in a large tub with an extremely well draining soil mixture. I have other Eriogonum species growing in ordinary garden soil that are thriving. I am sure that it helps that we never water them during the dry summer months. It can be 40 C and they do not need any irrigation.
Eriogonum prattenianum is a fairly small species. Next time I am on Peavine Ridge I will take some measurements and pass them on to you. Most likely it will be a species that you will enjoy growing as it stays relatively small.
I know that I promised you some photographs of our garden too. I have not forgotten and I will get around to this too. The garden is in summer mode now - not lush and green. Most of our garden is becoming xeric and will have that interior California look i.e. dry :) I have always lived in California so the dry summertime look seems normal and natural to me. It also presents some creative challenges, like how to create flower color in summer and autumn. We actually have native annuals and perennials that might fill this need. Fun gardening stuff to experiment with. 8) :)
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Hi Thomas,
This is the best that I can do with a close up of the foliage - Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum.
The cob-webs are indeed cob-webs from spiders, not some unusual feature of the foliage. I just renewed my driver's license and my far sight vision is good (no glasses needed). Not so good with my near sight vision! I can not function reading without glasses. If I saw the webbing before the photograph, I would have cleaned it up before taking the photograph. Such are things! ;D :P
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Hi Robert
Thank you very much for the interesting photo. This foliage fits exactly to my baggage scheme. Great shape and color.
Also my eyes are no longer good. Reading only with glasses. I would be disappointed if you had removed the cobwebs. I much prefer a natural appearance... perfect for me... no show.
In the appendix the flower of Eriogonum kennedyi...from the Ventura Co. / California.
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My wife and I have used the U.S. holiday to get some clean up work done.
My next outing will be this coming week. :)
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The U.S. Forth of July holiday is over and I was able to to return to the Sierra Nevada Mountains yesterday.
This is a photograph of a small portion of Wilson Meadow.
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Lyons Creek flows into Wilson Meadow.
I hope to work in this area this coming week. The wildflowers are blooming at this elevation and hopefully I can put together an interesting report.
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It was a beautiful day in the Sierra Nevada Mountains today.
It was also one of those days. ???
The good news is that I think that I managed to jump start a data logger that was malfunctioning. :)
The bad news is that the main 2 inch water line on the farm failed. :'(
I did travel to the mountains today, however the outing will need to be rescheduled. It all depends on when I can get the water line fixed. It is a messy job, however once I have the one correct replacement part the job should go quickly, and hopefully easily.
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Much of the crest on Peavine Ridge is very dry, but there were some nice patches of Brodiaea elegans ssp. elegans in bloom.
Also, while trouble shooting the data logger, I was able to observe some of the diurnal wind patterns at a unique site in the Crystal Basin.
So, despite an above average number of challenges today, things went well. The next outing will be sometime soon. :)
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This morning’s 850 mb precipitable water moisture transport. The 1200 UTC (5:00 a.m. local time) temperature in Las Vegas, Nevada was 90 F (32.2 C). It appears that the Southwest U.S. monsoonal season is arriving. The moisture is still far from our portion of the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains. I checked our local conditions this morning. There is a bit of moisture over the Crystal Range and neighboring regions. At best, there might be a bit of convective cloudiness today over the Crystal Range.
How the SW Monsoon will impact our portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains this summer will have my attention. 8)
Stay tuned. :)
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Just a follow up on a few items:
> I repaired the 2-inch main water on the farm yesterday. It was a messy job, took a bit of time, but it was fairly easy to accomplish.
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> I would like to follow up on my mountain weather forecast from this morning. Basically my forecast for the Crystal Range was correct. There was very little convective cloudiness in this region, however I was surprised by the thunderstorm activity in Nevada to the southeast of the Crystal Range. In the afternoon, as I was driving up the mountain toward the farm in Placerville I noticed convective storms to the east. It was not until I had a good view of the Crystal Range that I could determine that the storms were to the southeast of the Crystal Range in Nevada. This is not an unusual event this time of year. In this satellite image, above, you can see the storm to the southeast of Lake Tahoe. Although this is a bit out of my territory, still, I was not expecting any storm activity in this area as I looked over the data in the morning.
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This is a radar image of the same storm later in the early evening. Due east of Carson City, Nevada the storm can be seen decaying. From my perspective in California, I did not notice much glaciation occurring in the storm top during the late afternoon. Most likely the storm decayed as solar energy diminished, convective energy waned, and sinking motion in the atmosphere started to occur during the early evening.
I learn a great deal by forecasting potential storm development in the morning and then analyzing the results and all the data at the end of the day.
It will not be long now and I will be out again. In the mean time there are many things that keep me busy. For me atmospheric science is a passion and very relevant to the ecology and flora of a region.
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We are having warm days in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Todays high temperature (13 July) on Peavine Ridge was 86 F (30 C).
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Many species have started to bloom about a week later than average this year. I attribute this delay to the cool summer weather to date. The month of May ran 3.33 F (1.85 C) below the 30-year mean, and June was 1.58 F (0.88 C) above the 30-year mean. Although June had slightly above average temperatures, there were only 10 days with temperatures ≥ 90 F (32.2 C) and no temperatures above 100 F (37.8 C). This is a bit unusual.
Monardella villosa looking good today.
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Large sheets of Navarretia leptalea ssp. leptalea can be seen blooming at the 5,000 ft. (1,524 meters) elevation.
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Lessingia leptoclada is a late blooming species. This annual species will continue to bloom into the autumn months. This species persists and blooms despite extreme drought and heat. They are frequently seen growing in bare mineral earth with full exposure to solar radiation. Soon, I hope to get an afternoon temperature reading of the earth surface with my inferred thermometer. I will not be surprised if I get a reading of 60 C to 80 C. Bare earth surface temperatures in this range are not unusual in the alpine plant zone, where solar radiation can be intense.
The heat fluxes through the soil are very interesting. I record daily heat fluxes at both 10 cm and 15 cm below the surface at various sites under various conditions. The data is very fascinating and revealing. Depending on the time of year, and other variables, soil temperature fluctuations can have a noticeable impact on specific species of plants.
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A few clouds appeared over the Crystal Range this afternoon (13 July). During my next outing I will attempt to hike to the highest elevations in the Crystal Range.
Stay tuned…
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I had a very interesting and productive day in the Sierra Nevada Mountains yesterday. The scene pictured looks dry and void of plants in flower, however this was not the case at all.
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Lilium washingtonianum ssp. washingonianum is just one example of the species seen on this outing. I think that I have a good story to tell. As time permits I will get this outing posted. :)
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Lilium washingtonianum ssp. washingonianum is so elegant. I love the delicate spotting on the outers.
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Lilium washingtonianum ssp. washingonianum is so elegant. I love the delicate spotting on the outers.
Hi Maggi,
Lilium washingtonianum ssp. washingtonianum also has a wonderful clove fragrance.
A general question for anyone out there:
For the most part the species seems very difficult to cultivate, at least in a wide variety of gardening situations. Do you know of any hybrids or forms that preform well in a wide variety of garden situations? It sure would be a nice break-through for horticulture.
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Currently, my workload is a bit overwhelming. I will post a few photographs of scenes from the Sierra Nevada Mountains occasionally as time permits.
A scene from the Sierra Nevada Mountains taken last week before the Southwest Monsoon began in earnest. So far, most of the thunderstorm action has been to the east and south of our area.
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Hackelia veluntina
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Ipomopsis aggregata ssp. aggregata
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Monardella breweri ssp. lanceolata
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Field Crescents, Phyciodes campestris
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Yesterday's satellite image of our region. 8)
I will be working in the Sierra Nevada Mountains tomorrow. It looks as if the monsoonal moisture will be shunted off to the east over the next few days, so the weather looks pretty good. If all goes well I will have some nice photographs to share. :)
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Hope it stays fine for you Robert. It has been too hot and dry here for the last few days. Before that it was wet and windy.
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Hope it stays fine for you Robert. It has been too hot and dry here for the last few days. Before that it was wet and windy.
Hi Ian,
Currently it is 102 F, however cooler weather is on its way. Tomorrow looks like a good day to be out. :)
Hopefully I will have some good photographs. There is always a good story to tell about the plants and how they interact with their environment. I'll see what I can do with this. :)
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It is a beautiful morning in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The weather will be clear and much cooler than yesterday. I hope to reach some high elevation sites today, at or above 8,500 ft, to deploy one data logger.May it all go well. :)
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For the last two weeks I have been working the southern ridge above the Lyons Creek Basin. I will have some nice photographs to share over the next week or so.
The photograph above is of the Upper Forni Ranch. Last year the USFS finalized the purchase of this land and it is now Forest Service land (i.e. public property). :) It is an interesting area with many nice plant species despite decades of cattle grazing/ranching in this area.
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There has been a very persistent and stubborn weather pattern on the western coast of the U.S.A. this summer. For the most part, a persistent trough and southwestern flow aloft has kept daytime temperatures relatively cool for this time of year and has shunted much of the monsoonal moisture to the east. As you can see from this photograph, our skies have been clear in our area for the most part. 3 August 2019.
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The new GOES-16 satellite is now operational and there are now 16 bands to analyze, as well as several composite images to view. Much higher resolution is now possible. It is a fantastic new tool to work with.
The image above is band 8, 6.2 µm. This band gives a good perspective of the high-level cloudiness streaming through our region. 3 August 2019.
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Today much low-level monsoonal moisture advected northeastward through the south-central portion of our state. One can see the usefulness of Band 10, 7.3 µm. 4 August 2019.
In the short term, the periods of dry and relatively cool weather will continue. There are finally hints that conditions will change, however it is still too early to predict the nature of this weather change.
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I have spent most of the last two weeks working the greater Lyons Creek Basin region. The scenery has been spectacular.
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There are many meadows throughout this area. On close examination one finds that they contain a diverse array of wildflowers.
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Diplacus mephiticus is one of the many interesting species that I have encountered while working the region. I will elaborate on this and other Diplacus species seen in this area.
I will be attempting a new format to help expedite my discussion. Basically, I will attempt to paraphrase and condense the discussions my wife and I have around the table in the evening. Above is an example of the things my wife and I talk about. :)
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Above 7,000 feet (2,134 meters) there are a few sites where mature, climax Red Fir (Abies magnifica var. magnifica) forest can be found. Although there can be signs of past logging, clearly portion of these old forest are still intact. By counting the tree rings, I estimate that many of the older trees are 300 to 350 years old.
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Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata (pictured) is a commonly seen species in the high mountain meadows. Less common, but very difficult to photograph, is the tiny annual Castilleja tenuis. As one progresses higher into the mountains, annual species become less common. These high elevation annual species have unique qualities that if understood and deciphered reveal a great deal of information regarding the site.
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The flowers of Castilleja miniata ssp. minata is usually red, however orange and yellow flowered individuals can be found.
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Mule’s Ear, Wyethia mollis can be abundant in some high mountain meadows.
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The annual species, Diplacus mephiticus (pictured) is beautiful but not frequently seen in our region.
Other annual Diplacus species are much more common. The tiny annual Diplacus torreyi is generally abundant in many locations from 3,500 feet to 7,250 feet elevation (1,067 to 2,210 meters). Above this elevation this species is often replaced by the ultra-tiny annual Diplacus leptaleus. In some ways the two species are very similar, however their succession is thought provoking. I spend time looking for clues to the survival advantage of Diplacus leptaleus at these high elevation sites. As many variables as possible are looked at to come up with a composite view of the situation.
It is very fascinating to see how the characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer can change at sites above 7,500 feet elevation in this area. In some locations the diurnal surface temperature pattern takes on many of the characteristics of the free atmosphere at 700 mb. More temperature data needs to be gathers from additional sites to further understand these dynamics, however this temperature pattern, of coarse, influences the flora at these elevations. How warmer temperatures at this elevation level might impact C3 plant species has been studied in the past, but I feel compelled to reexamine this idea in situ and over a longer time period. Carbon acquisition and other basic physiological features can be examined.
This is a simplified version of a typical evening conversation with my wife.
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it's always a pleasure to see the californian nature, thanks for sharing your walks.
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it's always a pleasure to see the californian nature, thanks for sharing your walks.
Hi Yann,
Thank you for the positive comment. :) 8)
Things have been so very busy for me lately. I wish that I could post more, but I am glad that I can do what I can. :)
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At this point in my plant diary I will take some liberties. In some ways I refer to my current botanical project as my “Apollo 13” project, the point being, when things go wrong how do you get home safely? I am sure this will be an enigma to readers, but with the Apollo 13 analogy maybe the blackouts at times will make sense. It is certainly a time where I am gathering a great deal of information. Priorities and meticulous attention to every detail are important at this time.
Wednesday was a beautiful day in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The clouds were building as an upper level low-pressure system approached the Northern California – Southern Oregon coast. The clouds were beautiful to watch, however my mind was also elsewhere. Currently, I am analyzing data concerning the relationship between the free atmosphere at 700 mb and the behavior of the boundary layer and the surface energy budget at specific sites above 8,500 feet (2,591 meters) elevation. Of course, this is very relevant to the flora in this region, but there is also nothing to discuss at this time either.
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In the flats, the meadows are still lush and full of blooming wildflowers. Currently the water table is very close to the surface. I am sure that I could easily dig a hole and find water.
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There were sheets of Erythranthe primuloides in bloom.
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There were also some fine specimens of Eurybia integrifolia blooming in the meadow.
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On higher ground, many species were passing into summer dormancy as conditions become very hot and dry.
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Earlier in the season this site was a shallow pond. The standing water is now gone, but pond bed is still moist, the former pond now carpeted with Potentilla flabellifolia in full bloom.
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A close up of Potentilla flabellifolia.
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Many of the California native grasses are very beautiful. This is Danthonia californica with ripe fruit.
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Some of the fruit is getting an early start this year, Lonicera conjugialis with orange-red fruit.
I am so very fortunate to have one of those “once in a lifetime” opportunities. My desire is to take full advantage of this opportunity. I will do the best I can to share a few plant photographs as I can, however there could easily be black outs at times. All is going extremely well and I awaken excited each day with many new prospects.
Until the next time……
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Diplacus torreyi is still blooming in a few locations in the mid-elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. For those that are interested in breeding Phrymaceae such as Diplacus and Erythranthe, I thought that you might enjoy a few observations.
As you can see Diplacus torreyi carries the dominant LAR1 allele, also found in species such as Erythranthe lewesii. The LAR1 locus encodes a transcription factor that regulates the expression of Flavonol Synthase (FLS), which regulates flavonol/(anthocyanin-indirectly) biosynthesis, thus the phenotype expression of a relatively light area surrounded by pink (flavonols are colorless, anthocynanins are pink at low pH levels – temperature and other environmental factors also influence anthocyanin expression). There are certainly interesting breeding potentials if one enjoys picotee “Mimulus” varieties.
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I am still out in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on a regular basis, however there is a tremendous amount of work that I need to accomplish, both when in the field and at home in the office. From time-to-time I will continue to post a few photographs and interesting observations (there is also a interesting story behind this cloud formation, however I will have tell this story at another time).
I hope that you enjoy.
Until the next time…
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Last week my brother accompanied me to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. My goal was to visit one of the few “unmanaged” meadows in the Crystal Range. I have been visiting this meadow since the early 1970’s. This climax meadow/lodgepole pine forest ecosystem is very stable and has changed very little in the past 40 years or so. In addition, because of the size of the area and its remote location, it is unlikely this meadowland received much grazing pressure from livestock during the heyday of forest livestock grazing (~1875 to 1970).
The site is an ideal study site for my current project, how climatic change is impacting the local flora/ecosystems. In maybe 5 to 7 years, analysis and comparison of managed; unmanaged, and altered ecosystems in this region will hopefully yield useful results.
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My brother is a retired atmospheric scientist, so, the topic of discussion along the trail eventually drifted to climate change. Recent climatic events have us very concerned. There appears to be evidence that the pace of climate change may be accelerating. We will know soon enough.
Currently, atmospheric CO2 concentrations have risen to levels slightly above 400 ppm. It was during the Eocene ~ 40 to 50 million years ago that the earth last experienced atmospheric CO2 concentrations of this magnitude. From this Eocene time period fossil records indicate that the flora and climatic conditions in California were warm-humid tropical similar to the tropical conditions now found in Southern Mexico and Amazonia. In addition, during this time period there were no ice sheets in Antarctic or polar Arctic ice.
Over time as atmospheric CO2 levels fell and oceanic currents changed the planet cooled. During the Pleistocene, atmospheric CO2 levels fluctuated between 270 ppm during interglacial periods and 190 ppm during the maximum glacial periods. During the so-called Holocene, atmospheric CO2 concentrations remained at 270 ppm until the beginning of the Industrial revolution when they began to rise steadily to their current level of >400 ppm.
The physical characteristics of plant biochemistry are significantly impacted by temperature. Already we can see how changing climatic conditions are impacting plant growth and the timing of events (phenology) vernalization (seed dormancy i.e. stratification, winter chilling hours, etc.) and many other plant behaviors. For us gardeners, it is something we will have to contend with now and into the near future.
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Building convective clouds over the Crystal Range.
Until the next time…
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I returned to “The Unmanaged Meadow “ that my brother and I visited a week ago in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I spent most of the afternoon conducting a detailed survey of the flora (vascular plants). The plants were segregated into two groups; those found in the open wetland areas that flood during spring snowmelt, and the surrounding peripheral areas that are slightly above the flooded central portion of the meadow. This initial survey revealed a rather low level of species diversity. These days, I am pretty good at identifying species even from dried remains, but there were few dried plants to examine. I have visited this site during the spring and realize I will be adding more plants to my current listing.
When analyzing any ecosystem there are many variables to consider. A compartmental model, where I can initially keep things relatively simple and linear, is my starting point for all three of the meadow habitats I am currently monitoring and evaluating.
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I have a great deal of local regional metrological data to sort through and analyze. The three charts are from data gathered from a site located at 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) about 5 miles (8 km) away from the Unmanaged Meadow. The Unmanaged Meadow is at 6,760 feet (2,060 meters), so I will get good proxy data for the meadow until I get my own instruments in place.
When looking at the first chart one can see that the average July high temperature is, more or less, unchanged over the past 14 years, however there are obvious indications that with the inclusion a few more years of data this trend could change.
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The chart of average July temperatures reveals a noteworthy upward trend in average temperatures, 59.1 F to 59.4 F.
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The chart of July minimum temperatures is the most revealing, a temperature increase from 44.90 F to 45.30 F over the 14 year period. Even old climatic models from the 1970’s and early 1980’s indicated that low nighttime temperature would be the most susceptible to upward change due to anthropogenic increases in atmospheric aerosols, chiefly CO2, water vapor, methane, etc.
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I did start the morning on Peavine Ridge. This view is looking west-southwest toward the Great Central Valley in California.
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Current conditions on Peavine Ridge are very dry. Many perennial and annual species have dried and are safely dormant under the ground until the autumn rain / winter snow arrives. Two annuals, Calycadenia truncata (pictured) and Lessingia leptoclada have been blooming for months now despite the relative heat and dry conditions. Conditions are fairly extreme. For example, 10 cm soil temperatures have been ranging from 110.8 F (43.8 C) during the day to 66.7 F (19.3 C) at night, with basically no moisture in the top 15 cm of the soil.
With luck, more postings later.
Until the next time…
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A few more scenes from the other day.
Wrights Lake.
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An autumn trail scene – the landscape in this scene is still fairly green considering it is mid-September. Generally many similar meadows in this area can be much drier this late in the season. Other meadows habitats are consistently dry - every season.
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Agrostis scabra growing in another mountain meadow.
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There are still many species in bloom – Solidago elongata and Anaphalis margaritacea.
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Lower down the mountain, there are sheets of Lessingia leptoclada in bloom on Peavine Ridge. Here conditions are extremely dry and relatively hot.
Until the next time…
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Robert- great photos as ever - what is the darker rock outcrop in the centre of the hillside on the far side of the image of Wrights Lake? Seems to be a quite different form of rock?
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Hi Maggi,
The short answer to your question is lichens. Crustose lichens such as Brown Tile Lichen, Lecidea atrobrunnea, often cover extensive surfaces on granite cliff faces in the Sierra Nevada Mountains making them appear dark.
A longer answer that has consistently proven helpful for me when attempting to grow difficult to grow species or locating unusual native plant species has been to consider as many habitat variables as possible. Geology and soils derived from different classes of rock can be an important variable to consider.
The dominant plutonic rock of the Crystal Range region is granodiorite. There are four major plutons in the area, the oldest consisting of quartz monzonite. The other plutons are predominantly granite or granodiorite, however, in some areas, there are also distinct intrusions of gabbro and diorite. In other locations the “granite” intrusions are “white” with little or no dark minerals and much orthoclase feldspar. In the northern portion of the Crystal Range there are roof pendants of metamorphic rock and volcanic Mehrten Formation andesite deposits dating back the Miocene Epoch 20 million years ago. During the Pleistocene Epoch, there were alternating periods of glaciation and interglaciation, the last being the Tioga glaciation which ended ~13,000 years ago. The glacial periods, of course, had a major influence on the formation of soils in the area.
Certain plant species appear to have an affinity to soils based on the specific geologic formations. The mineral composition of the soil can have a major influence over the plant species found at any given site. Soil pH, drainage, phosphorus and essential mineral content impact plant growth and influence species distribution. Xenobiotics, such as those found in serpentine based soils, can strongly influence species distribution and plant growth.
This general methodology is what works for me when considering plants in our garden. More esthetic impressionistic consideration are important also.
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This is an example of a managed meadow - Van Vleck area Eldorado National Forest.
Until the next time…
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Lots of information, Robert! You seem to study the weather patterns and climate like a full grown meteorologist :)
I am sure we are seeing a change in climate. The monthly average here has been above normal (1960-1990 standard) for most years after 2000. In Svalbard it has been 100 consecutive months now with above normal average. It also seems that we get drier summers with occasionally occurring showers. And the showers are more intense. 2018 was very warm but this year although slightly cooler, has set a lot of new all time high temperatures.
I am fascinated by your meadows. Meadows here will be man made in origin except above the tree line. If a meadow isn't managed it will revert to forest in short time. It is of great concern here that the open landscape (read old cultivated and grazed for centuries) is gradually covered with shrubs and trees. Some places they use livestock, mostly sheep, to keep the landscape open. This is often not a good idea. Before 1960 it was a farm on the island where we have our summer house. The farmer had a few cows and also grew vegetables. When the farm closed all the meadows were invaded by trees (mostly aspen). The new owners of the land decided to let sheep graze there to keep the meadows open. And certainly they did but in stead of meadows with a lot of flowering plants we have gotten short cut grassy and mossy "meadows" with almost no flowers at all. The farmer produced hay on the meadows, and didn't let animals graze there at all. Now it is depressing to me to walk there.
You have some showy annuals!
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Thank you, Robert. I am learning a great deal, as well as enjoying my "walks" in the landscape with you.
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The above photograph is an example of a dry managed meadow ecosystem. It is part of the meadow complex pictured in the previous posting. Here the colonization of the meadow by Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta spp. murrayana, can be seen, both in the foreground (smaller seedlings) and in the background, right (small trees). A number of old stumps are scattered throughout the meadow, especially in the peripheral margins of the meadow.
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The above photograph is an example of Lodgepole Pine overgrowth. It is a site of an old logging deck. There is a large C:N ratio in the top portion of the soil, which has limited the growth of the trees in the foreground as well as extremely dry conditions during the summer months. This site is located very close to the meadow complex pictured in the first photograph.
I have a great deal scheduled for the next week or so. In the future, I would like to expand on this discussion and hopefully make some relevant connections to our gardening practices.
Trond,
I am keenly interested and enjoyed your comments in the last posting. I wish to continue the discussion in the future.
Maggi,
I am learning a great deal too.
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The above photograph is an example of a dry managed meadow ecosystem. It is part of the meadow complex pictured in the previous posting. Here the colonization of the meadow by Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta spp. murrayana, can be seen, both in the foreground (smaller seedlings) and in the background, right (small trees). A number of old stumps are scattered throughout the meadow, especially in the peripheral margins of the meadow.
The above photograph is an example of Lodgepole Pine overgrowth. It is a site of an old logging deck. There is a large C:N ratio in the top portion of the soil, which has limited the growth of the trees in the foreground as well as extremely dry conditions during the summer months. This site is located very close to the meadow complex pictured in the first photograph.
I have a great deal scheduled for the next week or so. In the future, I would like to expand on this discussion and hopefully make some relevant connections to our gardening practices.
Trond,
I am keenly interested and enjoyed your comments in the last posting. I wish to continue the discussion in the future.
I am ready, Robert!
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Trond,
I find your comments about meadow habitats in Norway interesting. Clearly there is a great deal that we can learn by observing meadows and other natural (unmanaged) and managed habitats, after all our gardens are managed habitats.
Here in California, meadow habitats are very dynamic and complex. Even in the small region of the upper western slope of the Crystal Range where I focus my attention, there are many different meadow habitats and often many niche habitats within each meadow. Variables such as light, water, temperature, soil pH, geology, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and even xenobiotic factors play an integral role in meadow ecology (This list is only a partial listing of the many variables involved).
I have only started my review and expansion of my knowledge of the plants and many mountain habitats on the western slope of the Crystal Range. Maybe with 5 or 10 years of intensive study I might begin to become proficient in my knowledge and understanding of this region. Even now, with only a basic understanding, certain plant/habitat/environmental relationships are very evident.
Many of the forumists seem to be avid collectors of plants from very diverse habitats. I can appreciate and personally use an intuitive approach to gardening, however, for me, incorporating analytical methods to my gardening approach has greatly improved not only the aesthetic beauty of our garden, but also the diversity of species with very exacting habitat needs. As might be expected, the number of plant failures has dropped dramatically, the introduction of weedy species has been eliminated (cultivated plants that are highly inbred and weak, so called species that are in reality weedy hybrids, etc.), and the genetic diversity of each species grown in our garden is being maintained or even expanded.
So, for me, carefully analyzing our garden and carefully analyzing the ecology of a new species for introduction to our garden has proven to be extremely helpful. So, I guess the first lesson is to keep the sheep out! ;D
I hope to add detailed meadow observation in the future. :)
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I am slowly adjusting into a new rhythm. Work and an intense program of study occupy most of my time. I get out to the Sierra Nevada Mountains each week. This past week my brother and I were out hiking again.
Below is a scene from the previous week.
I will have more to discuss about our meadow habitats and a few photograph to share in the coming week or so.
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In the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this is one example of how a managed meadow ecosystem is maintained. The downed trees will be burned. Without such measures much, but not necessarily all, of the meadow would, with time, become over grown with conifers.
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My brother and I visited this Snotel site. Site-specific atmospheric data provides essential information on how plants are responding to environmental variables.
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Wet meadow ecosystems can become overgrown with conifers, however there can be limits based on the underlying geology at any given site.
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Dry meadow ecosystems can remain open and free of conifers depending on the prevailing underlying geology.
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Our new garden has finally developed to the point where many of my old breeding and genetic projects are now active again and progress is continuing. Studying TFs (transcription factors), as an example, MADS-box TFs (and there are other families of TFs), orthologous gene pairs (especially ones that are TFs), etc. is essential to my activities in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The first snow is flying in the Sierra Nevada (it is a bit early this year). I have made great progress this season; however there is still much to do in the coming years. It is very exciting for me and I am very pleased to be back in the flow again.
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Robert, it is interesting that the meadows are being overgrown with conifers. On our local site the problem is introduced Rhododendron and native birches. Where many of the birches were removed, no painting of the stumps took place after felling and the areas are now more dense than before.
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Hi Ian,
Fire, elevation, and ground hydrology/geology are just some of the important key variables regarding meadow ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
> Regarding the first photograph: 10,000 years ago (just after the end of the last Ice Age) this site most likely consisted of a number of small shallow lakes/ponds. Over time erosion from the surrounding mountain slopes filled the basin with sediments. As of today, there is only one remaining shallow seasonal pond in the basin. The site was used for livestock grazing from ~ 1870 to ~ 1960. I am sure that during this time frame some effort was made to enlarge whatever existing meadowland may have been present when livestock grazing began. Based on trees rings analyses I did a year or two ago (based on stumps from logging operation in the basin during 1990s) much of this site was forested before livestock grazing began in the 1870’s.
This basin is very rich in vascular plant species, over 215 species counted to date. Considering the small area this site encompasses this is a significant number. At least one rare plant species is found on the margins of this site. There may also be a number of significant ecotypes, however more detailed study is needed.
My understanding is that an effort will be made to alter this ecosystem, turning it into a wetland/meadow. I am not sure that the underlying geology/hydrology will support this type of alteration. It will be very interesting to see how this all pans out.
> It is very fascinating how management methods are influencing the outcome at your site.
Here too, variations in management methods can result in a wide variety of outcomes. As an example, removing all carbon from a site, leaving only bare mineral soil, can result in the rapid colonization by highly invasive nonnative plant species. In our area, a number of invasive species have me very concerned. C4 species, such as Johnson Grass, Sorghum halepense, are noticeably moving up the mountain into higher terrain. To date, it can easily be found at the 4,000-foot elevation. With a warming climate, invasive, nonnative C4 grasses may start to gain a competitive foothold/advantage at higher elevations where they are currently not found. We are already dealing with plenty of tough invasive C3 species in the Sierra Nevada. Species such as Yellow Star-thistle, Centaurea solstitialis, Skeleton Weed, Chondrilla juncea, Medusa Head, Elymus caput-medusae, and Cheat Grass, Bromus tectorum, to name just a few, are quite common and can be problematic in some areas. Compounding these problems are the immense global alterations to the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles, fresh water depletion, planetary pH issues, and a host of other xenobiotic, and abiotic stressors. It would require a lengthy book to properly address these issues. I can appreciate (no necessarily agree with) efforts to genetically engineer rice into a C4 crop, or the genetic manipulation of rubisco to create something more efficient and less susceptible to photorespiration. Unless the major underlying planetary issues are dealt with, these projects will fail to produce meaningful results, if they are indeed workable at all.
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Robert,
Interesting to see the pictures of the meadows. Especially the wet meadow. Here are similar meadows (or bogs!) from mid-Norway (Trøndelag). This kind of habitat is very common there.
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One of the dominant species is Narthecium ossifragum which means the soil is very acidic. Due to the high water table no trees will grow except a few stunted pines. I don't think a forest will develop here unless the water table is lowered or the accumulation of organic matter makes the root zone drier.
On less acidic soil tree species like Alnus incana could easily grow despite the wet soil.
Your "garden" looks exiting! Lots of pots like I have but I do not have any breeding projects ;) I remember when I was a student we visited a university in England where they tried to develop nitrogen-fixing plants independent of the symbiotic diazotrophs. No luck so far! Converting C3 plants into C4 plants is easier I think :)
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Trond, your photos. of the wet meadows/bogs remind me of areas in the Cairngorms of Scotland. Similar climate and geology perhaps.
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Trond, your photos. of the wet meadows/bogs remind me of areas in the Cairngorms of Scotland. Similar climate and geology perhaps.
Ian, I bet you are right! I have never visited Scotland though, Should have :)
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I have never visited Scotland though, Should have :)
Well, that's true!! Never too late!!
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Plus or minus 500,000 folks are without electricity in Northern California - including us. Saving battery power, but earlier there was not even telephone or internet. At least emergency services are back. I will get back to this when the electricity is restored. :)
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I,ll second that Maggi. Robert, I hope you will soon get back to normal.
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Robert,
Sorry to hear. I read about it in the news. Hope you get the power back soon.
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Hello Trond, Ian,
The power is back on now. At one point there were 800,000 people without power. Those depending on well water had no water. Some had no operational cell tower in their area – no communication, no emergency services. Needless to say there are many very unhappy people, especially where the forecasted strong winds never materialized.
> Trond
Your sphagnum bogs are beautiful. The soil must be extremely acidic with high levels of Al3+ and/or Fe2+ with very little available phosphorus. Do you find any rare or unusual plants species near these sites?
Our wet meadows are different. Depending on the elevation and the situation very distinct plant species can be found in our wet meadows. The plants growing on these wet/flooded (sometimes only seasonally) sites tell a clear story. In many cases it is very easy to determine the short-term stability of these meadow, for example, will trees and other shrubby species invade or will the current plant population remain, more or less, unchanged.
> Yes, the garden is taking shape and I am starting to make slow progress again. Two years ago this was a site of an extra room to our house. Some day it will be a beautiful garden.
Autumn is a great time to visit the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Here are a few photographs from the other day.
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This is a typical forest/meadow scene.
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There are many meadows where I traveled the other day. There are a number of very wet meadows in this area with very distinct plant populations. This meadow has both wet and seasonally moist aspects with a corresponding species distribution.
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This meadow is very distinct, with both stable and shifting elements to it. At this site the mix of annual plant species shifts each season depending on seasonal weather patterns and other climatic variables.
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Glad you have got the power back!
Hello Trond,
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Your sphagnum bogs are beautiful. The soil must be extremely acidic with high levels of Al3+ and/or Fe2+ with very little available phosphorus. Do you find any rare or unusual plants species near these sites?
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Robert,
Typically sphagnum bogs support very few species, mostly monocots. Also cranberry and a few other small shrubs can be found there. On very acidic sites, and with sufficient rainfall such bogs are dominated by Narthecium ossifragum. On richer soil quite a few orchid species can be found. On higher and drier ground (but still in a high precipitation area) you get another kind of vegetation often dominated by Ericaceae. Like this, a pasture on the island of Bømlo not far from my home (Erica cinerea):
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In low rainfall areas it is quite different although the juniper (Juniperus communis) shrubs occur everywhere from sea level to high mountain, and both on very dry and very wet sites. In this picture from Stråholmen close to our summer house Prunus spinosa dominates though:
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Similar but managed area where the shrubs are removed:
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Here is the juniper dominating
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and here is a managed meadow several hundred years old
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On sandysoil it looks like this:
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On this side of the fence it is no animals grazing, on the far side sheep are keeping the vegetation down (previously cows were feeding here).
On higher and wetter ground you can find sedge meadows, like this one with Carex rostrata:
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100 years ago such meadows were used as animal fodder. The vegetation was brought home to feed animals during winter.
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Hello Trond,
I enjoyed your photographs and text immensely. There appears to be some similarities and clear differences between the ecosystems you enjoy in Norway and those we find here in our portion of California. Your dry sites would be considered moist in our part of California, especially in our lower elevations during the summer.
In the higher elevations, mostly above 6,000 feet elevation, some of our moist meadows can have large populations of Carex species. Carex rarely dominates these sites, but generally share the sites with much lesser numbers of Poaceae, and other specific geophytes and dicots.
Recently I crunched the climatic data from our specific part of California. Since February 2019 temperatures have been running more or less below average - 5 months with below average temperatures, 3 months with above average temperatures. For the most part, all the below average temperatures can be accounted for by below average high temperatures. Low temperatures have been running average to above average, with only 2 months with slightly below average low temperatures (as per the 40 year standard deviation).
Some other interesting observations:
The summer Southwest Monsoon season was a non-event on the western slope of the Crystal Range this year. For most of the summer season our portion of California was under a fairly consistent southwestern upper airflow. The monsoonal moisture was shunted to the east, with only a few storms reaching the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada in our region.
The May-June thunderstorm season over our portion of the Sierra Nevada was fairly active. The snow-albedo effect had a strong impact on where strong convection and thunderstorms activity developed (frequently, but not always, on slopes just below the snowline).
The recent wind event (800,000 households had their electric power turned off) was a non-event in the foothills and Sierra Nevada Mountains in our area. Due to the stable atmospheric conditions (a stable air mass is not easily lifted over mountains) and terrain-forced air flow (both terrain and the specific direction of the upper wind flow), the air mass dammed against the Sierra Nevada Mountains creating conditions favorable for slow wind speeds while the north winds raged on the western side of the Sacramento Valley.
Now we shall see what the coming season brings. Currently temperatures are still running a bit below average for October. Looking at the teleconnections, the MJO has been inactive and then active, but more or less stationary in zones 1 and 8 over the last month or so. The ENSO is neutral, however the trend has been in the direction of another El Niño event (but not necessarily becoming an El Niño event). Statistically, wet Septembers are frequently followed by relatively dry, below average precipitation during mid-winter (September was wet). My guess is that conditions will be different this winter, with average precipitation. The trend toward fewer temperatures ≤32 F, higher snow levels, and fewer snow cover days will likely continue. Of course, this will impact or flora, both in the wild and our gardens. All the different aspects of vernalization will come into play, as well as other impacts.
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It was a beautiful autumn day in the Crystal Range yesterday. A weak frontal system moved through the region during the morning hours and dropped a trace of snow on the highest peaks. By afternoon it was all gone.
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This time of year most nights are frosty above 6,500 feet (1,981 meters). Senescence has set in and the foliage of many of the herbaceous perennial species has been frozen many times and is now flatten to the ground.
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Many deciduous shrubs have brilliant autumn leaves. Pictured is Spiraea splendens. The lingering carotenoids in the leaves create bright yellow/gold colors. About 10% of the Spiraea also contain lingering anthocyanins in the leaves and have a bright red color.
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The composition between the coniferous trees, understory vegetation, and the reflective water is striking.
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I like to check out the snotel machines. In this photograph, the upright stems at the base of the machine are the remnant inflorescences of Stipa nelsonii var. dorei (a few other grasses too).
At the highest elevations I gather meteorological data from my own data recorders. Above about 7,000 feet (2,134 meters) the peaks of the Crystal Range rise abruptly. Here the geostrophic winds can highly influence the characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer. Understanding the terrain-driven airflow and other meteorological phenomenon are important variables to consider when analyzing the flora in this life zone. Gathering wintertime data is challenging. The open ridges are exposed to strong winds and highly susceptible rime build-ups when conditions are favorable. Placement of instruments is critical as well as creative design to protect sensors from rime accumulation. I now have 1 year of practical experience under my belt and have learned a great deal from both my mistakes and successes dealing with rime. Now to see what this coming season brings.
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Robert,
Yes, your climate is very different to ours! And although some habitats may look similar they differ a lot. And although a dry month here may be as dry as some of yours the evaporation here is much less.
We still have slightly higher than average temperature but we also have higher than average precipitation! In the mountain that means snow which doesn't melt as new snow fall before the old one has time to melt.
Nice colours of the spiraea! Usually I doesn't considerSpiraea for fall colour :)
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Early snow in the mountains (Valdresflye).
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At our summerhouse. This path is usually quite dry!
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Between the showers. The sea (salt water) is usually clear, now it is brown due to the humus in the freshwater.
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The native Viburnum opulus with fall colour.
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An interesting shift in the weather is occurring. September precipitation in the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains was well above average. Statically, 64% of the precipitation seasons with above average precipitation during September are followed by below average precipitation for the whole precipitation season. Adding to the probability of below average precipitation and above average temperatures has been the dramatic rise in surface season temperatures (SSTs) off the coast of California. Recently the Eastern Asian Jet has been quite strong, however the storm track has been into Northwestern North America. To date, there have been no indications that the jet will sag to the south into California. Other teleconnections that could be conducive to wet weather such as an active and progressing Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) or favorable Arctic Oscillation (AO) conditions have not occurred to date.
To data this October, temperatures are averaging 2.74 F (1.52 C) below average at 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) in the Crystal Range (our portion of the Sierra Nevada). There have been 3 snow cover days, which is average from this date, and the average snow cover water content to date is 0.18 inches. Currently there is no snow cover at 6,700 feet. To get a feel for average high and low temperatures at 6,700 feet these are the current averages, High: 57.73 F (14.29 C), Low: 33.70 F (0.94 C), Average: 45.72 F (7.77 C).
Considering the current data, the probability of above average temperatures and below average precipitation in our region over the next 3 months I estimate to be about 70%. Of course, the native flora will be responding to all the climatic shifts, first on a biochemical and physiological level, and then if there is a sustained long-term climatic change, anatomical, morphological, and then ecological shifts are likely. An excellent baseline of data has been established and any trends will slowly become apparent as additional data is recorded.
Hi Trond,
Nice photographs. It is late in the day and there are other things that need to be done. I will comments a bit later. :)
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Hi Trond,
You have some very nice autumn scenes. It looks so lush and moist. Here it is dry and as per my previous posting it looks like the dry, and now above average temperatures, will continue for awhile.
The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) has been negative for quite a while, except for a brief period in positive territory during late August to Mid September. The NAO is a major teleconnection for Western Europe and I feel sure it has been influencing your weather. Our local weather keeps me busy enough. ;D I do not have time to follow European weather very closely, however I am very interested in anomalous climatic-weather events where ever they may occur, so thank you so much for sharing your experiences! 8)
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We are currently experiencing our third strong, dry, north wind event this month. Currently wind speeds in our area are 28 mph (12.5 m/s), with gusts to 44 mph (19.7 m/s). Areas to our west are experiencing much stronger winds. With the current pressure gradient running 15.2 mb between Sacramento, California and Medford, Oregon, there is a likelihood that wind speeds will increase throughout the day. During the wind storm of 9 October the pressure gradient was ≥ 12.2 mb, and ≥ 12.0 mb on 23 October. As a precaution to prevent wildfire, such as the one that destroyed the town of Paradise, California last year, ~ 1 million households are without electric power at this time in Northern California. Needless to say, with dew points at 16 F (-8.9 C) and 16% relative humidity, the strong, dry winds are challenging to our gardens.
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We can only hope that things are helped by the precautions taken and that some normality will soon return.
Take care, Robert!
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Hi Maggi,
We are preparing for our fourth windstorm, forecast to arrive tomorrow. Depending on what report one wants to believe any ware from 1 million to 600,000 thousand households will have their power turned off once again. We have been lucky in Sacramento; the power has not been turned off during any of the strong wind events this month. Our garden is a mess, however I look at the whole thing as a learning experience. It is best to look for the silver lining.
I poked around to see what some of the peak wind gusts were during the last windstorm. A few examples are: Sacramento Executive Airport, 49 mph (21.9 m/s); Fairfield, 64 mph (28.6 m/s); and Jarbo Gap, 70 mph (31.3 m/s). Jarbo Gap is very near where last year’s Camp Fire started and destroyed the town of Paradise, California. All the power shut downs are in response to last year’s Camp Fire. The electric utility company was found to be responsible for the genesis of the Camp Fire.
We have been very fortunate. Once again there are a number of major wildfires burning in California at this time. Many have lost their homes to these fires. At this time there are no major fires near our Sacramento home or the El Dorado County farm.
Currently our precipitation totals are running about 81% of average. At the farm to date we have totaled 1.56 inches (39.6 mm) of precipitation. The average to date (28 October) is 1.92 inches (48.8 mm). It is still far to early in the season to be concerned about a precipitation deficit for this season. I am very concerned about the above average surface sea temperatures (SSTs) in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. There are a number of other teleconnection forecasting indicators that I am watching closely. Currently, November looks to be a dry month for us, with above average temperatures. Beyond this point December does not look promising either, however the mathematical probability of an accurate forecast definitely declines with time. The dynamic nature of the atmosphere makes atmospheric science a challenging and fascinating pursuit.
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The wildfires are in the news here. Hope they will not come your way.
It was a period with strong wind here also but north of us. (I think they said up to 35m/s (78mph) Happily we were not affected. This kind of strong wind hits the coast and mountains somewhere during the fall/winter every year. Once I was waiting in a tunnel in the mountains for 24 hours while the gale lasted (70mph). It was December, lots of snow, and impossible to drive of course.
The weather has dried up a bit here, which means less rain, not no rain! But we have sun or at least patches of blue sky now and then. One of these days we went for a walk in the hills nearby.
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The aspens still keep their foliage. The birches have lost it.
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Bracken and juniper.
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Some plants like this Erica tetralix are still in flower.
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Due east. It is snow on the mountains far east. Difficult to see in the picture. The rusty plant is Trichophorum cespitosum which is extremely common here.
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Due south. The drinking water source for us and the city Haugesund which is very close to the right but behind the hills.
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The long time weather forecast says mild weather the next months. We shall see. Had one night with -1C a couple of days ago!
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Hypochaeris radicata is another typical plant here. They flower all summer.
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In a few years this will be forested. The birches and pines take over the open landscape. It is not the change of climate but change of use.
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The bogs will also be covered by trees in 100 years.
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Older forest. This one consists of pine, birch, rowan, oak, and firs and ilexes are popping up in the forest floor.
This was a pasture and possibly some of the pines and birches are natural, the other trees have arrived later.
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Due west. Haugesund is behind the hills. The island (Røvær) is inhabited (86 persons) .https://rovar.no/english/
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The recent pattern of strong, dry, northerly wind has ended. Placid weather with warm days, cool nights and slowly rebounding relative humidity looks in store for the next week or so.
Yesterday was an excellent opportunity for me to check on my high elevation data recording sites before the winter snow arrives and make any last minute adjustments and modifications. I did find a design flaw at one of my data recording sites. With some fairly simple modifications the operation of the sensors will be enhanced greatly. I will have to return to the site to finalize the modifications, but this is a pleasant prospect.
In the high country, most of the seasonal herbaceous vegetation has been pounded-down by the cold frosty nights. In many cases there is not much to see expect the freeze-dried remains of the plants and many bare stems on the deciduous shrubs. I find a great deal of beauty in the senescence. If one takes their time and looks closely there is still a great deal to see and learn during this seasonal transition.
As time permits, I have more photographs and details to share concerning this outing.
Until the next time…
Trond,
Some fantastic photographs! I will certainly comment on them at my next opportunity.
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Hi Trond,
The countryside near your home is amazingly beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing the photographs. It is interesting that the rainy weather in your part of the world has paused at the same time that the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) has turned neutral/positive. I do follow the NAO, but for other reasons than the link to European weather. The NAO is a regional version of the AO (Arctic Oscillation). An outbreak of the Polar Vortex was responsible for our recent period of strong, dry, northerly winds (the AO briefly turned strongly negative). At one point there was strong cold air advection from the polar region in the general direction of California. The brunt of the cold air traveled down the backside (east side) of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, however we were not spared either. We experience the first frosty weather at the farm on 28 October. 40 years ago this was a typical first frost date at the farm, however with climate change this date now has shifted to 13 November, almost 2 weeks in only 40 years! The same is occurring at the other end of the spectrum. The last frost of the season was generally 1 May, however now mid-April is a much more common date. Oh, how our gardening environment is changing. Now we are entering a period of relatively warm and dry weather. I do not see any change in this general pattern into the foreseeable future. The next 1 to 3 months look dry and warm for the most part. More on this later.
The above photograph is of a mountain meadow I surveyed on my last outing. As you can see the vegetation is now dormant for the winter season. The meadow is not dry! As I walked across the meadow it was apparent that the standing water had turned to ice. In our region, it will take, most likely, thousands of years for coniferous trees to encroach into the waterlogged portions of this meadow (at that time it will no longer be waterlogged). There are very distinct ecohydrological niches in this region that support very distinct communities of plants. The dominant species within this meadow is Carex, with a sprinkling of Agrostis scabra, Camassia leichtlinii ssp. suksdorfii, Oreostemma alpigenum var. andersonii, etc. On slightly raised ground there are hummocks of Salix sp., mostly Salix orestera. In other locations within the meadow hummocks of Vaccinium uliginosum ssp. occidentale can be found. The diffusion of oxygen into the waterlogged soil is extremely limited to the top portions, which in turn strongly influences the redox potential and thus the soil chemistry. This is a very hostile environment for many plants (free Fe2+, anaerobic conditions, etc.) including the coniferous species found in this region. Reduced ionic species can form rapidly in waterlogged soils, sometimes within days, thus in our region very distinct ecohydrological niches can be observed based on the duration of flooding/waterlogged conditions at snow melt and into the late spring summer months.
I will have more comments a bit later. Thank you again for sharing the fine photographs and the discussion.
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This is another interesting meadow within the same general area. The sloping terrain creates a situation where there are a variety of ecohydrological niches within this meadow. Not surprisingly, the duration and degree of waterlogging varies top to bottom along the grade of the slope. Despite the sloping terrain, much of the meadow remains waterlogged during the summer and autumn.
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For many decades this meadow was a managed meadow ecosystem, part of a cattle (and other livestock) ranching operation. Many stumps still remain from the time when efforts were made to expand the pastureland area. Somewhat recently the ranch was sold to the U.S. government and is now public property under the stewardship of the U.S. Forest Service. At this time the meadow is unmanaged, and Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta spp. murrayana, are beginning to encroach into their former ecological space. This is a very common occurrence throughout the upper terrain of the Crystal Basin, both in relatively new unmanaged meadow sites, but also where extensive commercial logging occurred before the land was sold to the government. The overgrowth of Lodgepole Pine has now become a fire risk, as well as a forest management dilemma.
At home, I am anayizing the October meteorological data from the region. As I have mentioned in the past, I record data from my own recording sites high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains as well as synoptic scale sites surrounding our region, and the pertinent teleconnections beyond. October temperatures, in general, were 2.56 F below the 30-year average, but within the standard deviation of this time frame. As would be expected, the high mountain valleys (cold air basins) experienced very cold low temperatures during the last part of the month when the polar air arrived; temperatures in the lower “teens” F were not uncommon.
Looking into the future, the climatic indicators strongly suggest a continuation of our dry pattern into the foreseeable future. The likelihood of above average temperatures is strong too. Anomalous high SSTs (surface sea temperatures) in the northeastern Pacific Ocean are major consideration behind my extended forecast. Another consideration is the East Indian (Oopps) Asian Jetstream, which is now frequently weakening near the Hawaiian Islands and recently shows indications of wanting to split into a northern and southern branch. Although the MJO (Madden Julian Oscillation) is on the move again, it has also been inactive at times, as a general stagnant pattern seems to be persisting. Soon enough, I will be looking into the current conditions of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Tropical Instability Waves, as well as the down welling Oceanic Kelvin Wave to see I how these conditions are progressing and may be influencing our weather. There is plenty to keep me busy!
More later…
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Yesterday 6 November was a beautiful day in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As one can see from this photograph there is no snow on the high peaks of the Crystal Range. This is not unusual for this time of year, but it will be nice to see them covered with deep snow later this winter.
There is some good news concerning the mid-range weather patterns. SSTs in the northeastern Pacific have cooled a bit since the previous month. Cooler SSTs in the northeastern Pacific would be more conducive for a wet weather pattern on the west coast of the U.S.A. Other good news on the precipitation front: the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) has been very active and on the move over the last few days. It has stalled out as it has approached the western Pacific, however if it can remain active into the Pacific, this may shift the atmospheric pattern and increase the chances of precipitation in California (a more short term pattern shift). Even if we do not get any precipitation, stormy weather in the northeastern Pacific could help mix out the warm SSTs in this region. Warming SSTs in the eastern equatorial Pacific is also a good trend that is also conducive to changing our weather to a wet pattern (thank you down welling oceanic Kelvin wave). Lastly, the nose of the East Asian jet has reorganized and could begin to edge closer to the western U.S.A. All of this is good news concerning a change to a wetter pattern for our part of California. Currently, I do not believe that the general pattern of above average temperatures and below average precipitation will shift much during the next 30 days or so, however there are hints that the pattern could change in the mid to late December time period.
Stay tuned.
The plants in the Sierra Nevada may be dormant and ready for winter, but there is still a great deal for me to report, plant wise, from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I will have more on this topic.
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Robert, we could do with some dry weather here. It has rained all day today on already wet ground. I expect there will be flooding in some parts of the country.
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Hi Ian,
I hope that most of town is on higher ground. It seems like much of “your patch” will be unscathed or even benefit from flooding.
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This photograph is from last week, the last bit of autumn color on Populus tremuloides. Now all the leaves have dropped.
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Most of the herbaceous plants have been pounded down by hard frost. This week the temperatures have turned very mild. Most mornings are not frosty, except on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We could use some precipitation, as some plants at lower elevations are showing signs of stress (lack of moisture). Annual species that germinated after the September precipitation are showing the most stress. Most of these species have staggered germination. Other seeds will germinate as conditions change and precipitation returns. As an example, some native Diplacus species can either germinate immediately after rainfall, or will need varyingly amounts of vernalization before the seed will germinate. The staggered germination helps assure the survival of the species.
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11 November 2019
It was a quiet, peaceful and beautiful day in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. While the eastern U.S. endures snow and frigid temperatures, our weather is extremely mild. Today’s high temperature at the elevation of 7,100 feet (2,164 meters) was 61 F (16.1 C)! The morning temperatures in the Sierra Nevada have been extremely mild too. Except for the highest mountain valleys where cold air settles at night (cold air basins), overnight temperatures have been above freezing in our portion of the Sierra Nevada.
Our weather continues to be dry and the near term prospects appear to favor the continuation of our dry weather pattern. Presently, I do not see any indications that a wet weather pattern will be developing any time soon. The dynamics of the atmosphere can be challenging to interpret, but then this also makes atmospheric science incredibly fascinating. There is never a dull moment and there is always something new to learn and discover.
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This temperature/relative humidity/dew point data recorder is at one of my high elevation study sites. In the autumn I extend the mast to 8 to 9 meters in height to keep the sensors above the height of the winter snow. I position the sensors on the lee side of the trees to prevent rime build up on the solar radiation shield. Instruments deployed in exposed sites above 7,500 feet elevation can experience rime accumulations. I discovered this last February. :-\ Instruments recording soil temperatures (heat fluxes in and out of the soil) – moisture content, and stream flow - water temperature can be more or less left in place. This part is easy. Even easier is solar radiation, which I find on the internet (proxy data). :)
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Currently, I am very busy, however at the first opportunity I wish to open another discussion concerning our high elevation flora. I accomplished a great deal this season and there are many plant related topics to review. 8)
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Hello Robert, many areas North of where I live are under water, making national news. Also areas to the west. Local authorities grant permission to build houses in low lying areas because these areas have not flooded for some years. Rain water is needed on the site to compensate for dry spells. It seems that the Jet Stream is further south than usual, allowing colder, wetter weather for us.
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Hi Ian,
I definitely appreciate the update on your current weather conditions.
Here our dry weather pattern continues. In the short term the MJO may trigger a transient change to a wet pattern. This still remains to be seen, but based on the current conditions it is certainly a possibility. Currently, I do not see any definitive longer-term shift in our general dry weather pattern. I do run my model daily and continue to make improvements to it. I keep hoping for a change to a rainy weather pattern.
In the short term (the next 6 month) my primary concern is that we might return to a drought pattern. Currently, I cannot make a guess at this one way or another. Of much greater concern are the climatic shifts over the next 5 years or so. Earth’s oceans have absorbed a great deal of heat over the past decades. Radiative forcing is increasing and there is increasing evidence that more dramatic fluctuations in weather events will occur. I recently ran these ideas past a veteran atmospheric scientist. I proposed that the incidences of major windstorms, cycles of drought-flooding, extreme heat-extreme cold events, etc. in California would increase in frequency and severity in the near future. It is not much of a prediction, as these conditions appear to have already arrived. At least my reasoning behind these ideas is based on sound scientific principles. The bigger question is: are we approaching a climatic threshold where large and dramatic changes in the Earth’s climatic system will occur? Look at what is occurring in Alaska!
My current project is directly involved in determining the extent of change in specific ecosystems in our portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Like your situation in the U.K., our land use decisions are frequently based more on economics than science. Our current attempts to deal with the recent destructive wildfires are fraught with complexities and major challenges. From my perspective the issue of invasive grasses is not being addressed, especially when it comes to “brush clearing”. At the lower elevations of interior California, our native bunchgrass ecosystem has been almost completely supplanted by non-native invasive grasses. The flash point of these grasses is extremely low and when ignited the flames spread rapidly, especially with high wind velocities. We saw this with the Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, California. The sparks that jumped the expanse of Lake Oroville did not ignite the native flora, but the invasive non-native grasses. Sadly, after brush clearing invasive grass species quickly invade the cleared terrain. The amount of fuel may have been reduced, however fires in non-native grasslands can spread quickly, and once in the crown of the tree canopy can be difficult to control, especially if there are high wind velocities. In addition, many native shrubs stump sprout quickly after being cut to the ground and before you know it there is a large fuel load again. And then we have not even considered the changes in the surface energy budget that profoundly affect the ecosystem. This is another subject. As you can see our challenges are immense.
Ian, please keep me posted as to the outcome of the flooding in your diary. I definitely will want to know the outcome.
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13 November 2019
Our warm weather, with near record high temperatures, has continued through today. Today, I was working at the elevation of 6,725 feet (2,050 meters). The high temperature was 61 F (16.1 C)! So far to date, the average high temperature at this site is running 60.42 F (15.79 C). Remember this is at the elevation of 2,050 meters in the mountains. This is an extremely high average temperature for this time of year at this elevation.
Back at the farm…
For the month of November the average high temperature through the 13th is 75.69 F (24.27 C). The record average high temperature for the month of November is 70.40 F (21.33 C), set in 1986. It is well within the realm of possibilities that this record will be broken this November.
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The high peaks of the Crystal Range are almost devoid of snow. The flow of Lyons Creek has been reduced to a trickle. This is not unusual for this time of year, but then, the weather has been very dry. The last measurable precipitation at this site was on 17 October, almost a month. There are strong discrepancies between the various forecasting models concerning the possibility of precipitation about a week from today. Given the stubbornness of the current weather pattern, I tend toward the dry forecast at this time. Temperatures are forecasted to cool a bit over the next few days, but I still think that a new record average high temperature will be set at the Placerville, California farm.
1300 UTC 14 November -
Contrary to the assemblage forecast models, my crude forecasting model agrees with the GFS, which suggests a chance of rain during the 20 November time period.
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16 November 2019
Our persistent warm and dry weather pattern continues. Although in the short-term cooler temperatures and maybe a few sprinkles seem likely over the next 5 to 7 days, the longer term dynamics show little signs of change. The monthly average temperature for this November appears poised to be the warmest in the past 40-plus years. At one of my monitoring sites at 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) in the Sierra Nevada, the average high temperature through 15 November is 61.80 F (16.6 C). The average high temperature for the whole month over the past 15 years at this site is 46.69 F (8.2 C) and the current record average high temperature is 51.33 F (10.7 C). Unless there is a dramatic shift in the weather this record will easily be broken.
Sadly a dramatic shift in the weather over the next 30 days seems very unlikely. The prime concern in my mind is adequate precipitation this season. Given the precipitation totals to date, statistically the probability of average precipitation this season is extremely low, 20%. My experimental dynamic model is likely to be somewhat accurate out 30 to 45 days at the best, and currently the dynamics do not look promising at all. Unless there is significant precipitation over the next 30 days, catch-up in the precipitation department becomes increasingly problematic. I will hope for the best (precipitation wise), but at this point my bets would be on a dry rain/snow season with above average temperatures. We will see what actually happens.
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At some point I wish to continue my discussion of plants in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The site pictured above is very interesting in many respects. Despite the small size of this plot, only a few square meters, there is a great deal to learn by observing the dynamics and interactions of the variables as they influence the patterns and progression of growth into the spring and early summer season. If indeed this is a dry winter, a completely different vegetation pattern will emerge compared to last season. There is a great deal to learn from such transient changes.
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Robert, I wish we could send you some of our rain. So far this year, and it is only a guess on my part, we have had more than average rain.
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Hi Ian,
How will flooding impact your patch? Being a wetland ecosystem, it seems that the additional moisture could be beneficial. It is clear from your diary that the site is highly managed. I am sure that management choices have a high impact at the patch. (It might be best to answer the questions on your diary page – so others can follow easily).
As for the weather – The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is a major teleconnection that influences the weather in Europe. By following the NAO and monitoring some other key variables one could get a good idea about the general trend of the weather in your part of the world. I follow the major teleconnections that influence our weather on the western coast of North America, however I use a much more dynamic approach to mid-range forecasting. As an example, I follow the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation), but I do not directly use the index for forecasting. I am far more concerned about how the oceans and atmosphere respond to the changing patterns. A strong El Niño can result in either drought or heavy rainfall in our part of California. I am far more interested in how SSTs, Wind Stress, Ekman Transport, the East Asian Jetstream (both 300mb and 200mb), and much more dynamically interact together to influence our west coast weather.
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A nice scene from my recent activities in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. :)
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Robert,
your natural meadows look similar to ours but the details are different! Wet meadows are common here on sloping terrain and the vegetation depends much on the underlying bedrock. Usually it is acidic granite or gneiss and the vegetation is poor (few species).
We still have a rather dry weather here at the west coast. They get the precipitation at the east side of the mountains. And at this time of the year that means they get snow except at the outer coastline. The temperature is about normal for the season, which means it is lower than last year. October was the coldest October in 10 years for the country. (We had slightly above normal here.)
Although we had a very cold spell about two weeks ago some plants are still in flower, like this rose.
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Hi Trond,
We are preparing for yet another north wind event with the accompanying power outages (preventive to avoid downed power lines from igniting wildfires). Some moisture is preceding this event. If we are lucky we might squeeze some rain and/or snow out of this system over the Sierra Nevada before the strong, dry, north winds arrive.
Sadly the overall general dynamics of our weather have not shifted much. There are some transient short-term changes, however the dominant pattern conducive to above seasonal average temperatures and below average precipitation appears as if it will continue for the next 30 days. As an example, yesterday’s high temperature at the farm was 77 F (25 C), a new record for the date. The old record was 76 (24.4 C), set in both 2005 and 2008.
As time permits I will expand upon the topic of seasonal seeps and wetlands in our portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains (the dry looking photograph from my previous posting).
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Hi Trond,
Jasmin and I enjoyed your photograph greatly! 8)
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The nose of the East Asian jet has broken through to the west coast of North America. This is good news, as the short-term forecast for a major shift in our weather pattern is very likely to pan out accurately. The first significant, and much needed, valley rainfall and mountain snow is scheduled to arrive in the coming week and linger for a period of time. Snow levels are forecasted to be quite low. A week from now I hope to be tallying snow accumulations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the upper foothill region. As I tally the totals, I will keep you posted as to how they measure up to the seasonal averages.
In the 8 to 14 day time range, it appears that we will be returning to a dry weather pattern. Temperatures are likely to be average to slightly above the seasonal average for this time period. During the 15 to 30 day period, and beyond, the dynamics do not look encouraging. Above seasonal average temperatures and below average precipitation look to dominate this time frame. This does not mean that there will be no precipitation or cold weather, just a general trend with temperatures and precipitation. At this time, it appears that we will be looking to the January through April precipitation season to pull us out of a precipitation deficit, maybe the “March Miracle” as it has been referred to in our area.
Now that it appears that we are at the cusp of the snow season in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, I will be shifting to my winter activities in the mountains. The site in the above photograph is likely to be inaccessible until next spring, however there is always a great deal for me to do in the mountains. Wintertime reports are fun and can be enlightening.
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Glad you enjoyed the photograph Robert!
We are enjoying the rose! Every day. It is just outside the window of the sitting room :). I am looking at it when I write this. I am also looking at your photographs. Hope you will get a large amount of snow! I wonder, is it no option for you to use snow shoes or skis in winter?
We have mild weather now. Not uncommon though although we have had 10C during daytime here at the coast. What is more uncommon in November is lack of precipitation at the west coast and more than normal in the east. This pattern seems to continue next week and beyond. (The weather systems bringing rain are coming up from south and passing at the east side of the mountains in stead of the more normal pattern: entering from south west and hitting the west coast.)
The foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) waiting for spring! it is native and very common here.
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Trond,
The current weather pattern is extremely interesting. How often does this occur in Norway?
As for my high elevation data loggers, etc...
Yes, I can snowshoe or use cross country skis the reach some of the sites. A few sites are extremely remote and would require an overnight stay in the snow country to reach them once the snow season arrives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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Trond,
The current weather pattern is extremely interesting. How often does this occur in Norway?
I have no data on how often this weather pattern happens but it is not very often! The met says that Bergen (the major city at the west coast) hasn't had so little rain in fall since 1891. It is 1/3 of normal. Oslo has 2x normal. Another factor is wind. We have not had fall storms. They are south in France and Italy! Usually we have several during Nov.-Dec.
As for my high elevation data loggers, etc...
Yes, I can snowshoe or use cross country skis the reach some of the sites. A few sites are extremely remote and would require an overnight stay in the snow country to reach them once the snow season arrives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
An overnight stay in the snow would be nice, wouldn't it ;D I did it a lot when I was young.....
A creek close by. Although less rain than normal it is no lack of water!
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November is the driest November ever (as long as the precipitation has been measured which is 119 years) here at the west coast.
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A most welcome change in the weather occurred this week. After weeks of dry weather with near record breaking warm temperatures, the pendulum swung and now we are experiencing near record breaking cold temperatures and mountain snow. The snow levels have been quite low, with snow levels down to 2,000 feet (610 meters).
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The arrival of the snow season is very late this year, however it was not the latest arrival date.
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Now it appears that we are in for a period of unsettled weather. The 7-day GFS forecast advertises a series of storms arriving over the next week. With a split jet stream, subtropical moisture is likely going to be drawn into next weather systems. Snow levels will be much higher, yet precipitations amounts are likely to be much greater.
The last storm produced average precipitation amounts at our Sacramento home and the El Dorado County farm. At the farm precipitation amounts for the season, to date, are only 47% of the 37-year average. In the Sierra Nevada, orographic lift produced some good snow accumulations. At one of my high elevation monitoring sites there was approximately 36 inches (91 cm) of snow, with a water content of 3.57 inches (91 mm). This is 112% of the 15-year average to date. This is certainly a good start to the snow season, despite getting off to a late start this year.
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Looking into the crystal ball, the 7-day GFS forecast seems very reasonable. In the 8 to 14 day time frame, precipitation is likely to wind down as a drier weather pattern develops. Temperatures are likely to be average to above average, with below average precipitation. It is likely there will be another outbreak of arctic air, at some point, as the northern split of the jet stream continues to be shunted to the north and is then driven southward into the U.S.A. Initially, I expect the trajectory to be farther to the east, creating a drier weather event for us in California. If this pattern continues, the arctic air is likely to arrive farther to the west with each occurrence.
It is extremely difficult arriving at a somewhat accurate 8 to 14 day forecast. Day 15 to 30 is even chancier, however I will continue to take a swing at this (This is a great learning tool for me, even if I am incorrect with my original assessment). At this time, it appears that the general blocking pattern will persist. Below average precipitation and above average temperatures seem most likely. With a split in the jet stream, out breaks of arctic air and advection of subtropical moisture are still possibilities.
Stay tuned and we will see what happens.
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Robert, it looks good with snow!
Here also the weather pattern has changed the last two days. We got 2mm of snow yesterday evening but it rained away during the night. The dry period has ended and we are in for a lot of rain this week. Today it is 3C here but during the week we will have 8-10C. Most of the country has snow now except the outer coast.
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Over the past week I have been analyzing meteorological data from a high elevation site in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) where I conduct my research. The above graph illustrates the monthly water content of the snow distributed over the precipitation season, July through June. Very typical for our region, snow pack and water content peak in April. The seasonal distribution and water content of the snow pack has a major impact on the hydrology of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and plant ecology.
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The number of days with snow cover, each season, impacts both water hydrology and plant ecology/physiology. Over the 12-year period, 2007-2008 through 2018-2019, the number of snow cover days declined by 1.5%. This is a significant percentage; however there can be a large variance in snow cover days season-to-season. With time I will include additional data back to 1972. This will provide a much more accurate and meaningful representation of this data set.
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The above chart depicts the change in the average annual temperature over the 13-year period, 2006-2007 through 2018-2019. The 1.2 F (0.67 C) rise in the average annual temperature over this time period is alarming and may represent acceleration in the rate of climate change in our region.
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This chart compares the change in the average annual temperature at our Placerville farm and the above referenced study site over the same 13-year period. The Placerville farm site is at 1,460 feet (445 meters) elevation and within 50 miles (80 km) of the study site. The Placerville site is an excellent proxy for the comparison of the rate of temperature change at the study site. The Placerville data, dating back to 1982, also helps put the temperature trends into a longer-term perspective.
Subtle changes in temperature and water availability can impact plants and plant communities. For example, above 77 F (25 C) the solubility of CO2 in plant tissues decreases more rapidly than that of O2. This begins to change the more typical 4:1 carboxylase:oxygenase ratio found at the rubisco site (in most temperate plants). The carboxylase:oxygenase ratio can drop as low as 2:1, severally impacting carbon fixation and plant growth. In addition, with dry soil conditions the closure of stomata to limit water loss can further increase the rate of oxygenase at the rubisco site. Of course, temperature and the availability of water (too much or too little) can impact plants and plant communities in many other ways.
Human activity is having a profound impact on plants and plant communities in our region. In our region, healthy unmanaged ecosystems are clearly much more resilient to the stresses occurring in our area. There are limits and thresholds. If crossed, change could accelerate and create unforeseen undesirable consequences very quickly and reduce the ability of modern human society to adjust to the changes in our environment. It is because of these circumstances, I feel an urgency to proceed persistently with my work.
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Your findings are consistent with these graphs show. The temperature has increased more in Svalbard than any other place I have heard of. Also Oslo has had a significant temperature increase since 1970.
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Hi Trond,
Thank you for sharing the graphic, it was very interesting. The rising temperatures recorded in Norway are very similar to those recorded in Alaska and other arctic regions. Due to the rising temperatures, profound ecological changes are taking place in Alaska. Do you see and/or hear about similar changes in Norway?
I am frequently asked two questions concerning climate change in the Sierra Nevada Mountains: 1.) Are temperatures increasing in the highest regions of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the same rate as those recorded in the arctic? 2.) Are the Sierra Nevada Mountains becoming drier? I am still working on the answer to the first question, but at this time the answer appears to be no. As for the second question, over the last 150 years there is little evidence of any major shift in the average annual precipitation (at least in our area- the Crystal Range). However, this does not mean that the Sierra Nevada Mountains are not becoming drier. There have been plenty of droughts and extremely wet phases. A great deal of investigation is still required, but progress is being made using multiple methodologies.
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The above graphic is of the average annual temperature, based on the complete data set, 1987-1988 through 2018-2019, at the Placerville farm. The last few years have been relatively cool, but nothing in relationship to those seen in previous years. The next few years need to be watched closely. There are many factors that could easily lead to new high temperature extremes in the coming years.
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I spent a good portion of the day in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The misty clouds in the American River canyon were beautiful to watch.
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Most of the snow that fell earlier in the week, about 40 cm, had melted. I recorded 9.5 cm at this site, 5,125 feet (1,562 meters).
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Despite the cloudy conditions, I avoided most of the heavier rainfall. Temperatures were in the low 40’s F (plus or minus 6 C) most of the day.
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Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka is one of three Arctostaphylos species found at this site. Considerable phenotypical variance is seen among the plants. Hybrids between the other two species, Arctostaphylos patula and A. viscida ssp. viscida, are a possibility.
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Arctostaphylos patula is quite common at this site.
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Aspidotis densa is a very tough little fern. Senescence is slow to set in this season.
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This seasonal wet spot is extremely interesting. I closely monitor this site and have logged a few rare plant species that grow annually in this unique habitat. A large brush-clearing machine with caterpillar treads passed within a few centimeters of this site. A direct hit would have severely damaged this fragile ecosystem.
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Later in the day I moved down the mountain, a bit, to check another site. At this elevation, 4,000 feet (1,219 meters), one starts to encounter Buckbrush, Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus.
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My primary purpose for stopping at this site was to check on a stand of Johnsongrass, Sorghum halepense. I am quite concerned that this C4 grass species is becoming established at this elevation. If temperatures continue to increase in the coming years it is very possible that this C4 grass, and other invasive C4 species, could obtain, in some cases, a competitive advantage over the native annual and perennial C3 species in this area. In addition, the plants are highly resistant to herbicides. They have been sprayed repeatedly and have not only persisted, but appear to be thriving. There is also the possibility that this species will never become an invasive pest, but it is a strong indicator of the climatic shifts that are taking place. It also joins a long list of other noxious, invasive species that have invaded the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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Hi Trond,
Thank you for sharing the graphic, it was very interesting. The rising temperatures recorded in Norway are very similar to those recorded in Alaska and other arctic regions. Due to the rising temperatures, profound ecological changes are taking place in Alaska. Do you see and/or hear about similar changes in Norway?
Robert, it is written a lot about the changes following the rising temperature. The soil is thawing (less permafrost) and this lead to landslides and methane release in summer. In winter periods of mild weather and rain instead of snow changes the snow cover to solid ice. Animals like the Svalbard reindeer suffer as they usually easily dig through the snow to reach the plants they eat in winter. The sea ice decrease and now the west coast of Svalbard is free of ice most winters.
On the mainland warmer temperatures lead to the tree line steadily creeping higher. Combined with less grazing (less livestock) the tree line will at least go 150 - 200m higher vertically in a few years. This easily seen. I encounter small birches where I never saw any before. And pine and spruce follow.
Nice to see some of the beautiful Arctostaphylos shrubs again!
I didn't know the Johnson grass. Had to read about it. Seems to be a nasty weed in more than one sense.
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Hi Trond,
Thank you again for all the information. I just saw a report on TV (while visiting my mother) that Victoria Falls had dried up due to a persistent drought in the region. The reporter stated that scientist believe this may be due to global climate change. Basically all atmospheric scientists understand that anthropogenic global climate change is a reality. I monitor OLR daily (outgoing long-wave radiation). The western Indian Ocean has been very active since ~ October of 2019. A persistent pattern of upper level convergence has been in the vicinity of the Maritime Continent since ~ July/September 2019. Even the MJO has been inactive or has been tending to retrograde in the vicinity of the Indian Ocean. I would strongly speculate that this persistent pattern might be related to the drought in Africa. I do not know, but it sure seems suspicious.
It was been pouring rain here in our part of California. As of yesterday, we had average precipitation to date. After today, we are certainly above average. The stormy weather gave me a chance to work on my dynamic weather model. I ran the model with known starting points and known outcomes, 2000 through 2011. The model preformed well with temperatures, 78% accuracy; with precipitation not so well, 56% accuracy. Concerning the precipitation, well, I could flip a coin and most likely get the same percentage, however there are three potential outcomes, above, below, and average, so I guess I did a little better than flipping a coin. As you can imagine, to get any sort of dynamic model to work on a laptop I am doing mega parameterization. It is kind of amazing that it works at all. Even this extremely simple model is more complex than one might think. I spent all day working on equations for just one small portion of the model. Since there are other things to do, it will be months (most likely a year or more) before I can test the new version completely. Working on this model is good practice for the plant/ecosystem model I will be creating for my study area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I always liked Jack LaLanne’s saying, “use it or lose it”, so I put this saying to practice. :)
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Robert,
Do you pull weeds out, or just observe them?
Diane
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Robert,
Do you pull weeds out, or just observe them?
Diane
Hello Diane,
Thank you for taking an interest in the diary.
I am hoping that I understand your question correctly.
No, I do not pull weeds.
Later today I will be conducting my weekly snow survey. Recent storms have delivered a great deal of snow to the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains (my study region-Crystal Range) during the past week. Unfortunately, at the mid-elevations much of the precipitation fell as rain, severely eroding the existing snow pack. Currently at 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) there is no snow. This is well below the 30-year average (I will have the exact numbers on this later).
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Climate change is impacting our region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. For example, the above chart plots the average number of days with low temperatures ≤ 32 F (0 C) each year for the 13-year period, 2006-2007 through 2018-2019 at 6,700 feet (2,042 meters) in the Sierra Nevada. In our region, the winter of 2018-2019 was one of the coldest and snowiest in the last few decades. During the 2018-2019 season there were 204 days with temperatures ≤ 32 F (0 C). The 13-year average is 195.4, with last year’s 204 day total being well within the standard deviation (17.8 - ) over this same time period.
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Comparing the Sierra Nevada site data with the same data from the Placerville farm is useful in creating an accurate analysis of the relatively sort-term data from the Sierra Nevada site. The above chart plots the average number of days with low temperatures ≤ 32 F (0 C) each year for the 31-year period, 1988-1989 through 2018-2019 at the Placerville farm. During the 2018-2019 season there were 34 days with low temperatures ≤ 32 F (0 C). Over the 31 year period, the average number of days with low temperatures ≤ 32 F (0 C) each year is 47.8, with a standard deviation of 13.0. The 34 days of last season are well below average and barely within the standard deviation!
From the above data one can understand how the snow/albedo feedback loop influences low temperatures at the 6,700 feet elevation site. In addition, there is a clear trend; the number of days with low temperatures ≤ 32 F (0 C) in our region is decreasing dramatically both at 6,700 feet in the Sierra Nevada and at 1,425 feet in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
At the 5,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where the number of snow cover days is decreasing rapidly, many changes are taking place that alter the seasonal water hydrology and the natural patterns within ecosystems. Detrimental human activity within this region is accelerating the climate change processes now taking place. A few months ago, I gave a tour of this area to some veteran scientists. Their comment on the human activity in this area was that it looked risky and questionable.
As long as “business as usual” can continue to function nothing is going to change. The need for change is now (from my perspective 50 years ago i.e. it is already far too late the avoid very undesirable changes to the Earth’s systems). In the U.S.A. trying to transform public opinion on this subject is very counterproductive and will never work, so I will continue to “preach to the choir”. :)
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I conducted a mid-elevation snow survey the other day. It was easy as there was no snow below 5,600 feet (1,707 meters). Currently precipitation is running about 117% of average to date, however both snow cover days and accumulated snow is running well below average to date, specifically at the mid-elevations.
I am still working off the older version of my dynamic forecasting model. Out 30 days, temperatures look to be average to slightly above average, with precipitation running slightly below average. Cold weather looks to be shunted into the eastern portion of the U.S.A. and our best chance for large amounts of precipitation are from the subtropics, however currently the chances of this occurring appear to be low. Siberian air masses need to be watched. It appears that this air will continue to be funneled back to the north and then into the eastern U.S.A. My track record with precipitation has not been very good, so I am just adding my human judgment into the equation. The improved version of the forecasting model will not be operational any time soon; there are plenty of other things that need to be done.
Now to see how this works out.
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Robert, I agree with your "business as usual" comment. It is the same in the UK. Big business runs the country, not the peoples elected representatives.
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Hello Ian,
I have to confess that I am very cynical, as in pessimistic, skeptical, distrustful. It is a bad habit that I acquired a long time ago. It would be nice if I could learn to be charming and a gentleman, as in Jane Austen’s character, Mr. Bingley. I have a long way to go on that one!
For me, the concept of “Business as usual” encompasses much more than business interests. But, this is off point! For me the real issue is what I see as the wholesale destruction of the Earth by humans. It is everywhere in our portion of California, the cities, the mountains, etc. I feel cut to the heart by what I see happening and wish to do something about it. Blaming business, government, or something else evades the issue, and just adds to the abuses taking place on this planet.
In my mind, if I want to change the situation, I need to change myself. I understand this avenue is 100% ineffective, so the real issue becomes one of living with personal integrity. My passion for my current project (How climate change is impacting plants and ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada Mountains) is motivated by my desire to live authentically, true to myself. I put forth my whole vital force into my training and work, and continue to push myself to higher levels of excellence. I do all of this knowing full well that I will change nothing on this planet except myself.
This diary is about one person attempting to make the best with what they have to work with. I have made large strides of progress in the last year, however I have a minimum of 6 more years of intense training before I will be ready to truly take on my assignment (the climate change project). Things like my forecasting model are really just training tools preparing me for the larger task of the project. Climate change is impacting all of our gardens. Here and there, hopefully there are helpful ideas and concepts within this diary that are useful for gardeners.
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I am now completing and reporting on my first full year working on my new project. There has been a large shift in the readership of this diary during the past 3 to 6 months. Most of those responding to the diary (direct via email) are “locals” (people in which I have personal contact). The format of this diary will shift, reflecting the nature of my work and the majority interest of those that respond to the diary. At this point the diary is a challenging balancing act between sharing appropriate information (there is much I cannot share), simplifying information that can often be very complex and detailed, and finding relevant connections between the nature of my work and the interest of gardeners and gardening.
I enjoy writing this diary and wish to continue well into the future. Atmospheric science – climatology and the relationships with plants/ecosystems is a passion. My wife and I also delight in our beautiful garden. I hope that I can continue to balance these two passions through this diary in a way that a diversity of readers can enjoy.
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Robert,
I also hope you will balance the two passions! Although I read both your weather reports and garden/outings reports with interest I like the last ones best! Your weather/climate reports are probably more important though. Your observations are the same to what we observe here (I rely on the official statistics, not my own measurements ;) but I use my eyes and my memory (which isn't always reliable). Both my memory and this figure tell the same story, change.
Years with a white Christmas in a 30 year period (1961-1990 and 1988-2017):
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Hello Trond & Robert.
Another illustration of the warming climate is the 'eflstedentocht' in the Netherlands. Translated : 'the eleven cities journey', where you will go to all eleven cities of the province of Groningen in The Netherlands, only by skating on natural ice.
The last edition of this marvelous event was in 1997. Since then there has never been enough ice on the frozen canals to be able to organize the tour.
En have a look at the history of the event :
First one on 2 january 1909
7 february 1912
27 january 1917
12 february 1929
28 february 1929
16 december 1933
30 january 1940
6 february 1941
22 january 1942
8 february 1947
3 february 1954
14 february 1956
18 january 1963
21 february 1985
26 february 1986
4 january 1997
The last 22 years there was no elfstedentocht, where on average in the period 1909 -> 1997 there was one every 5 to 6 year on average. Between 1963 & 1985 there have also been 22 years without elfstedentocht. I remember the two winters of 1985 & 1986 - in both winters we had more than a month uninterrupted frost of about -10C by day. This shows that since the golden sixties winters tend to be less harch on average. Of course, there may be one winter to come, where if we get a month of frozen air directly from Siberia the canals will once again be frozen solid enough to allow for the event to take place. And that will also be the winter that kills many slightly too tender plants in our gardens. But the trend shows the average winter is getting warmer.
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Trond – Francois
Thank you for sharing the interesting charts and statistics.
This is the big question I keep asking myself concerning Global Climate change:
Given our starting point as of today, has the world started on a comprehensive and inclusive program to produce an energy dense, low carbon energy source? Currently, solar and wind energy generally have relatively low EREI ratios and are not reliable energy sources (i.e. nighttime, overcast weather, a calm wind day). Are the EREI ratios of solar and wind energy great enough to sustain a desired rate of economic growth (i.e. the desired life styles within developed countries)? Breeder reactors have an energy dense fuel; however currently there is resistance to this course of energy production.
So let’s say the world started on this huge project today and followed the path of “Green Energy” (including the above, biofuels, etc.) and breeder reactors. Some progress has already been made in this regard, however to date it has not been enough to slow the 2% growth rate in atmospheric CO2. But lets say the world gets started today with this program and can achieve a carbon neutral state in 20 years (just consider the inconceivable costs, let alone, how many can afford this, even in the developed world, and there are many, many, other enormous obstacles to over come, and the world needs to cooperate together – does any of this seem likely?). At the end of this time we are still left with an Earth with atmospheric CO2 concentrations of well over 400 ppm. This level has not occurred on this planet since the Eocene Epoch, 40 million years ago. It has been estimated that during the Eocene Epoch global temperatures averaged 9 to 14 C warmer than today. There was no Arctic ice, and little or no Antarctic ice. Sea levels were much higher than today. It took millions of years for CO2 levels to drop to levels measured before the start of the industrial revolution. Humans have increased global atmospheric CO2 concentrations from pre-industrial revolution levels to over 400 ppm in just a few centuries.
At this time an enormous amount of atmospheric carbon needs to be sequestered and placed somewhere (old coal mines?). Humans have destroyed much of the Earth’s natural capabilities to sequester carbon. Currently there is no viable alternative, however if one is found, how much space will this require, and/or how much energy will be required, how long will this take to implement, and how much will this cost?
Currently, global radiative forcing has surpassed a planetary boundary. The momentum toward continued climatic warming is almost inconceivable. Climatic warming has progressed much more rapidly than forecasted 20-30 years ago. The question now is, has the rate of climatic change increased, or was the rate just greater than forecasted? If the rate of change is accelerating, have we passed some planetary threshold(s)? The latest World Climatic Summit just ended with no agreement on anything. As stated “time for action is quickly running out”.
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François,
you reminded me of something I had seen many years ago! The elfstedentocht was always reported in Norwegian TV :)
Robert,
You don't seem to be too optimistic regarding the ongoing climate change. I am not either. Our societies need energy and I can't see any way to produce the amount of energy needed in the near future without emitting CO2. In my opinion things like electric cars are just moving the emissions from one country to another. The mining needed to extract the rare earths and metals needed destroy a lot of vegetation. Building wind turbines also destroy a lot of vegetation. Vegetation that could bind CO2. Breeder reactors and other energy production depending on fission are very unpopular now. I do not see any easy way out of this dilemma.
I am sorry that the politicians can't agree but I am not astonished.
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Just to show an optimist!
In the garden a few days ago (it is still there trying to open the flower in the dull weather we have): Gentiana verna
[attachimg=1]
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Fortunately, there is a new technology arriving : solar panels making directly hydrogen out of atmospheric humidity. It's still waiting for the first commercial production, but scientists of the Leuven University have build the first prototypes which already have a good yield. They claim 15 of their panels covers the domestic energy needs of one Belgian household, double that and it also covers energy needs for transportation. We will see if this new technology will break through, but it has major advantages : storing and transporting hydrogen is easier then for electricity, definitely the storing. No rare earth metals are needed in these solar panels, and fuel cells also only need a fraction of rare metals compared to batteries.
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Francois
Very cool. 8) 8) 8)
This is great news! :) I have read about the development of artificial photosynthesis, but did not know that so much progress had been made. It will be even better when the production of hydrogen can be bypassed. A photosystem II type system that produces a proton gradient that can drive an artificial ATP synthase-like enzyme/catalyst to produce an ATP – ADP-like energy that can be stored for later use, as well as be recycled (something similar to the ATP –ADP arrangement in all life forms on Earth). In addition, there will be a flow of electrons (i.e. an electric current)! My hope is that such a system will have a relatively high EREI ratio, has a minimal need for toxic metals and substances for its functioning and production, has a very long useful operational cycle, and is easily recycled or reprocessed for reuse.
If there is an English language web site that further explains their progress to date, I would be extremely interested.