iNaturalist

Field trip

• Aliso Canyon iNaturalist Project - Aliso Canyon

• Norm's Observations

Practice with iNaturalist

• Sample photos

• Quickwrite

Postulating Cause & Effect in Species Distribution

• Habitat Reduction / Desruction:  Puma concolor (Mountain lion) vs Buteo jamaicensis (Red-tailed Hawk) - Explain the distribution differences in the Los Angeles basin.

• Urbanization:   Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak) vs. Quercus engelmannii (Pasadena Oak)    - Why is the Pasadena Oak on the endangered list, but the Coast Live Oak is not?

• Elevation:  Quercus lobata (Valley Oak) vs. Quercus keloggii (Kelogg's Oak) - Compare and contrast the distribution of these two similar deciduous oak trees and hypothesize a reason for the different distributions.

• Seed dispersal: Traxacum (Common dandelion) vs. Pinus coulterii (Coulter pine).  Describe the distributions for these two species and speculate on a cause for the distribution differences. 

• Invasive species: Muhlenbergia rigens (Deer grass, native to California) vs. Ripgut brome (bromus diandrus, native to the Mediterranean).  Compare the native and current distribution of these species. 

• Mobility:  Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard duck) vs. Ursus americanus ssp. californiensis (California black bear).  Describe the geographic distribution of these animals and suggest reasons for the differences. 

• Seasonality:   Danaus plexippus  (Monarch butterfly) vs. Periplaneta americana  (American Cockroach).  Propose reasons for the difference in the seasonality of these insects.

• Endemic Species:  Urocyon littoralis (Island Fox)  vs. Aquila chrysaetos  (Golden Eagle).  Describe the ecological relationship of these organisms and their current distributions.