Camatta Canyon amole, a plant endemic to California's La Panza Range, grows on Mima mounds—dome-shaped soil rises that create specific microhabitats. Researchers found that instead of thriving in vernal pools, the plant prefers the slopes of these mounds. More than 95% of the vernal pool habitat has been lost due to development, highlighting the importance of protecting both the species and its habitat. This research coincides with the launch of California's first virtual fencing project aimed at managing cattle grazing to support native vegetation.
"At first, we thought they were inside the pools... But now, we're seeing they actually thrive on the slopes of the mounds, not in the pool, not at the top, but that in-between space. That's a really interesting and unexpected result."
"Protecting a species also means protecting its habitat. And in this case, protecting Camatta Canyon amole means protecting the comparably rare and unique vernal pool habitat in which it occurs."
Collection
[
|
...
]