Faunal Diversity in Chaparral Ecosystems

Abstract

Chaparral ecosystems, although known primarily for their rich plant diversity, are also home to a suite of diverse and unique animals, helping to make California's Floristic Province one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world. The air, land, and freshwater habitats in chaparral ecosystems host nearly 400 species of vertebrate fauna and an unknown number of invertebrates. These species play important roles in maintaining ecological function which also provide ecosystem services for the large human populations that live in and amidst California's chaparral. However, these human populations pose a threat to the faunal biodiversity of chaparral, putting these ecosystems at risk from loss of habitat, fragmentation, and disturbance. Preserving the integrity of chaparral systems for their human and wildlife inhabitants requires an understanding of the diversity of the species occurring in chaparral and the role they play in how ecosystems function.