2017 - Robert's botanical adventures in Northern California

[Robert]

Brush removal is occurring on both public as well as private land. This is an example of mechanical brush removal. Arctostaphylos and Ceanothus species are the most common woody species found under the stands of pine. Obligate seeding species can be adversely affected with this type of brush removal, however species that re-sprout from burls or roots often fail to regenerate too. To date, I have observed weedy invasive species propagating effectively in such situations.



In addition to shrubby species, perennial and bulbs species suffer too. I will continue to monitor the situation over the coming years.

[Maggi Young]

We are seeing some frightening  scenes  from the fires in Southern California - we have no idea how lucky we are in this country not to have to suffer these.

[Robert]

We are seeing some frightening  scenes  from the fires in Southern California - we have no idea how lucky we are in this country not to have to suffer these.

The situation here in Northern California is quite different, however the fires in Southern California are extreme! With strong Santa Ana winds and dry conditions the destruction is bound to continue. Currently I am at the farm where there is a television (my wife and I do not own, have, or look at a television). The scenes on the television news are unreal! Once again many are losing there homes and almost everything else. To date, only two human lives have been lost, however this seems like it could easily change too. Right now, expect more bad news.

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, I wonder why the scrub is being removed from among the pines. Is it to give easier access to the trees for felling or perhaps to prevent fires from spreading. It looks from your photos. that the branches left on the ground would add fuel to any fires.

[Robert]

Ian,

I have many of the same questions. It is my suspicion that the purpose of the brush removal is to reduce competition in the pine plantations. Reducing fuel for a potential wildfire may also be a motivation for the brush removal.

The answer to many of the questions is most likely very simple, however getting an answer is extremely difficult for me. I have to use extreme caution asking questions to the “authorities”. From my past experiences with the “authorities”, I risk being seen as a troublemaker asking questions about topics that might be viewed as controversial. From my perspective, it appears that in the “mind” of the “authorities”, unlettered and ordinary citizens do not ask technical questions, have no curiosity, and who knows what else; ordinary citizens that ask technical questions are troublemakers and/or “weird”, a waste of time. If it was1650, I would have been burned at the stake by the inquisition a long time ago.

One of the big issues for me is ascertaining the past and present use of Oryzalin on public and private forestlands in El Dorado County. It is well documented that Oryzalin can lead to somaclonal variation, both genetic and epigenetic. This could help explain some of what I observe out in the field, especially where there is a history of herbicide applications.

In addition, I have concerns about the loss of populations of certain species. Viola lobata can be quite common in our area, however it is frequently a mass casualty of herbicide applications and mechanical brush removal on both private and public forestlands in our area. Sadly, less common, but not necessarily rare species suffer even more. In this case, fragmentation of populations and loss of genetic variability are some of my concerns. Years of detailed field notes in our area is slowly yielding patterns of distribution and loss, as well as a small but growing list of “common” species that I am concerned about. “God and the lamp post” only know what has already been lost. Even our part of California has a short, but highly destructive history of anthropogenic change (hydraulic gold mining as an example).

Anyway, if I get a definitive answer to some of the forest management questions I will post the answers.

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, in this country we have a system called democracy. This gives a right for anyone to ask questions about any subject. It does not mean that the right (or any) answers will be given. When it comes to questions about our environment (the most precious thing we have) everyone should ask why. If the "authorities" will not answer then those authorities do not represent the people. There are many organizations in the UK that are prepared to ask questions on the behalf of the public. If government agencies refuse to explain why they carry out procedures that seem to the public to be not within their remit then the media often asks for an explanation.Having said that, the chances are that not enough people are interested in the destruction of our habitats to make a change.

[Robert]

Ian,

Believe it or not, things do work, more or less, the same way here in the U.S.A. (or at least they did until January of 2017). There may be one difference. Here in the U.S.A. the competitive winner – loser mentality is very prevalent. Whoever has the biggest club wins and the losers get nothing. That is why 50 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we still have citizens struggling for “Black Lives Matter”. Not much has changed. Our country seems completely polarized especially with the current regime. Of coarse, the winner takes all thing never works because someone with a bigger club always comes along sooner or later, so we all lose!

I have my environmental concerns, but I also realize there is not much I can do as an individual. This summer, yet again, I experienced first hand how this works. I experienced the callousness of government policy makers and leaders who will completely disregard and abuse average citizens that voice their concerns over a development in an environmentally sensitive area near their homes. Absolutely no effort was made to find consensus, compromise, or even consider objective facts, nor even hide the fact that they were going to do whatever they pleased. The project was stopped, at least temporarily, not by us citizens, but by a lawsuit, i.e. someone with a bigger club.

I have learned by the school of hard knocks that I am much more effective staying invisible and well under the radar of the plutocratic oligarchy. Sooner or later someone with a bigger club will come around. Maybe my information will help the cause at that time.

I dislike the winner-loser mentality greatly. I have talked with the loggers. They have very legitimate concerns. Many are very nice, hard working, and ethical. Like so many others, they have families, hopes and dreams. They are not evil. The same goes for the U.S. Forest Service. The bureaucracy certainly can have its problems, however I have met and know so many nice, everyday folks that work for the Forest Service. There are always bad apples, but most folks I run into are very decent, friendly, and hard working.

Unfortunately, I do run into the bad apples from time-to-time. It can be discouraging, however I think of one of my teachers, Mr. Tri. He always told me to keep persisting when I did not think I was making any progress. “Progress is being made, if you persist it will eventually manifest itself.” Time and again, this has proved true for me.

[ian mcdonald]

It is the same in the uk Robert. Those who administer the large public organisations are more concerned about their own status than helping to Conserve Wildlife. Those are the ignorant.

[hamparstum]

Robert, I've been wondering who does the replanting of felled trees. Is it privately paid or comes out of tax money? After giving a lengthy thought it is clear to me that there are at least different issues at stake over that piece of public ( mainly) land: the forestry industry, the recreational use and the environmental concerns of ecosystem integrity, wildlife habitat preservation, water management etc. Common sense would indicate that the are might (ought) to be managed by some kind of master plan that considers all the above. In developed countries master plans usually are brought to public scrutiny where hearings are made where different parties voice their concerns. All of this is a permanent ongoing process where all constituents sense that their case is taken into consideration. From your comments I should gather that your government system is somewhat failing in that direction. This ongoing process is an alternative to the big club strategy which in my view is a regressive attitude towards a barbaric state of affairs...

[Robert]

It is the same in the uk Robert. Those who administer the large public organisations are more concerned about their own status than helping to Conserve Wildlife. Those are the ignorant.

It is the exact situation here in the U.S.A. I had a "back door' look at how the large conservation groups work in the U.S.A. I am not interested in subsidizing huge salaries and the large bureaucracies of our large conservation groups, so I am not a member.

[Robert]

Arturo,

The timber companies on privately held land pay for the replanting of coniferous forest trees on their land. Public (taxpayer) money is used to pay for trees planted on Forest Service land (public land). And yes, the Forest Service does have a master plan, and you are spot on, that the issues and special interests are many and very complex. Generally, large special interest groups dominate all decision-making processes in the U.S.A. The Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy, or at times the California Native Plant Society might represent “environmental interests”, however except on highly localized situations, the general public is not included. An example is the Sacramento Delta tunnel project. The citizens in this delta region, that have the most to lose from this project, are disenfranchised from the process. Technically, they can come and speak at the hearings, however this is just a joke. They would be completely disregarded if they spoke, even through the decisions made would directly effect their lives, homes, families, everything. In this case, you would be correct in stating that our government is not doing very well.

[Robert]

This photograph was taken yesterday, 8 December, from the top of Peavine Ridge, facing north. This part of Peavine Ridge did not burn during the 1959 Ice House Fire, however it did burn during the 1992 Cleveland Fire. On the far mountainside you can see some of the old standing snags that were never removed after the Cleveland Fire. In the foreground, remnants of the pre-existing forest can be seen. The Manzanitas in the foreground are Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka. Where I was standing Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka is growing side-by-side with Arctostaphylos patula. Behind me, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida is growing with the first two Manzanitas, as well as possible hybrids.



Where I was standing much of the pre-existing forest remained intact, however the undergrowth did burn during the Cleveland Fire. Both Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka and A. patula have burls that can resprout after a fire. Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida is an obligate seeder (no burls).

Several years after the Cleveland Fire, the shrubby regrowth on large tracts of the burn area were sprayed with herbicides. Ceanothus integerrimus var. macrothrysus and Arctostaphylos species generally dominate this regrowth at this elevation. I was not involved in the spraying, however I was a first hand witness of the spraying and know that Glyphosate was used. I did not see any cans of Oryzalin, however this does not mean it was not used. Fortunately, I can check the public record and find out if it was used.

Arctostaphylos viscida is a diploid; Acrostaphlos mewukka is tetraploid. My microscope is not powerful enough to examine and count chromosomes, however I know some people who might give me access to microscopes that can. Oryzalin can be used like colchicine to double chromosomes. If I find that some of the Arctostaphylos viscida are tetraploid this might suggest the doubling of chromosomes via Oryzalin, however there are other means in which the chromosomes could double. In addition, it would be much easier for a tetraploid A. viscida to hybridize with the tetraploid A. mewukka. Diploid x tetraploid hybrids are possible, and it is also possible for triploid offspring to produce viable seed that is diploid (think seedless watermelons that produce a few viable seeds). So there are many possibilities that need to be examined.

Keep in mind that I am also using the knowledge gained by this research to better understand the breeding system of the Genus Arctostaphylos, improve seed germination rates, and create superior garden worthy Manzanitas. All of this takes time.

[Robert]

9 December 2017

It is hard to believe, but I was able to drive into Gerle Creek on Saturday. The road is not ploughed of snow beyond the electric utility company junction into Gerle Creek Reservoir. There were a few patches of slush on the pavement, but nothing that even a Prius could not handle easily. This is highly unusual.



Generally there would be at least a minimum of 1 foot (0.3 meters) of snow on the ground this time of year. This Saturday, I found patches of snow 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) deep only in the most shaded locations. In addition, the temperatures have been extremely mild in the mountains. It was 55 F (12.8 C) at 2:15 p.m. in the afternoon. This is an extremely mild temperature for this time of year at 5,384 feet (1,641 meters), and cold air drains into this site! At the ridge top of Peavine Ridge, the temperature was 65 F (18.3 C) at 1:15 p.m. The temperatures may not be record breaking for the date, but it has been consistently mild like this day after day with no end in sight.



Despite the fact that there is not much snow, there was not much for me to check on along this section of Gerle Creek. It gets a tremendous amount of environmental pressure from visitors during the summer; thus the habitat is somewhat degraded. I did spot a few interesting lichens. Tuckermannopsis orbata is fairly common on conifer twigs, but takes closer inspection to spot. I usually find it with a Hypogymnia species that is giving me fits in the identification department. It just does not fit anything I know about. I will keep working on this one. I enjoy the challenge immensely.

Earlier in the day, I was able to tag additional specific specimens of Arctostaphylos on Peavine Ridge. The specimens were in a section where I suspect Oryzalin may have been used in the past. Although somaclonal variation is associated with tissue culture, there is evidence that genetic alterations can occur in other instances. Frequently, diploid seed treated with Oryzalin will become altered, germinating and growing on as an auto-tetraploid. Elsewhere on Peavine Ridge there is a highly unusual population of Lathyrus lanszwertii var. aridus that I want to monitor, but this will have to wait until next spring.

My next all day outing is less than two weeks out now. I have plenty to do. Depending on the weather I will visit a low elevation site in El Dorado County or I will return to Peavine Ridge and continue my work with the Arctostaphylos.

[Robert]

Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka is getting ready to bloom. This is a bit early!

I was on Peavine Ridge yesterday plotting Arctostaphylos species. The weather was extremely mild, 63 F (17.2 C) at 5,146 feet (1,569 meters). In addition, much of the snow on the Crystal Range is melting and the bare rock can be seen.



Leaf disease is often observed on Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida.



Nascent inflorescences on Arctostaphylos patula.

If anyone is interested, I am down loading data of selected species to the Calflora website. With Calflora one can see the plotted observation points of specific plants on a map, as well as read more detailed information on each observation. This may help those reading my botanical diary understand where I travel and what it is like. With Goggle map, one can get a view of a site as though one is in an automobile, as long as the site is near a well-traveled road. It is possible to get a 360 view of a location.

[hamparstum]

Robert, have you any clue what kind of disease markings you observe on A. viscida? Is it a rust of some sort? Are these markings natural disease that occurs variably throughout its range?Could those be markings of residues of chemicals sprayed for management purposes?. From the image this far away I can't tell... If natural they are part of the diversity but if not....