ECOLOGY OF MOUNT TAMALPAIS. ONE TAM SCIENCE SUMMIT HOW HEALTHY IS MT. TAM? OCTOBER 29, 2016 Joe Mueller

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1 ECOLOGY OF MOUNT TAMALPAIS ONE TAM SCIENCE SUMMIT HOW HEALTHY IS MT. TAM? OCTOBER 29, 2016 Joe Mueller

2 Objectives Global and Regional Significance Diverse Ecological Assets Legacy of Visionaries/Changes Benefits Threats, Stressors and Resiliency Understanding and Caring: One Tam, Scientists and Community

3 World Biodiversity Hotspot, Only 33 others with High Endemism.

4 Calif. Floristic Province Includes 70% of CA 5000 Species of Vascular Plants - 37% Endemic

5 Calif. has lost over 70% of it s primary vegetation. Mostly due to Ag and Urban Sprawl

6 Part of the Pacific Migratory Flyway

7 Mt. Tam Protected

8 Ecologists Ask The Question What Are The Physical Factors That Set The Stage For Life In This Area?

9 Mt. Tam Coastal Area has 3 Maritime Seasons: Upwelling, Oceanic & Davidson

10 Coastal Influence Upwelling= Nutrient Rich Waters & Fog

11 North Pacific High Reason for Dry Summers

12 Mediterranean Climate

13 Mt. Tam s Juxtaposition to the San Andreas Fault Explains Complex Geology

14 Soil: The Interdependent Link Between Geosphere and Biosphere

15 Soils Are Diverse Due To: Past Climate, Vegetation, Erosion

16 Serpentine Soils High Proportion of Endemism Edaphic Conditions Responsible for Many Subtypes of Plant Communities

17 Plant Community Diversity Due to Diverse Array of Microclimates and Geology= Spatial Heterogeneity of Soil Types Maritime Chaparral Grasslands Open Canopy Oak Woodland Douglas-Fir Forest Mixed-Evergreen Forest Scrublands Redwood Forest Sargent Cypress Seeps, Springs & Wet Meadows Riparian Forest

18 Plant Community Mosaic

19 Biodiversity Essential for Ecosystem Services Watershed for High-Quality Drinking Water Erosion Control Carbon Sequestration Clean Air Diverse topography, Terrain and Plant Communities for a Variety of Recreational Opportunities Wildlife Viewing and Other Ecological Values

20 Many Generations of Diligent Conservationists William and Elizabeth Thacher Kent Donated 200 acres-steep Ravine,611 acres-muir Woods Lead Support for Development of MMWD

21 Many Conservation Organizations Continued With Mt. Tam Conservation Club s Lead Many Grassroots Organizations Ardently Continued to Expand Mt. Tam State Park. Fully two hundred men and women who love old Mt. Tamalpais gathered at Tamalpais Centre last Sunday morning to organize a movement to secure a lease of the mountain for a great reserve

22 Changes

23 Changes Management From Conservation-Based Protect & Preserve To Stewardship-Based Adaptively Manage, Sustain, Reduce Eco-Stressors

24 Changes Significant Increase in Recreational Use in the Last Years

25 Wildlife Observation

26 Threats and Stressors Climate Change Invasive Species Altered Fire Regimes Habitat Fragmentation Plant Diseases Noise, Light and Air Pollution

27 Climate Change Temperatures are Projected to Rise Precipitation unpredictable but Irregular Fog has Been Dwindling by ~ 1/3 / 100 yrs = Drought Stress for Mesic Communities Soil Moisture Likely Lower due to Increases in Temps and Transpiration Shift to More Xeric Communities as Climatic Water Deficit Increases

28 Invasive Species Conditions from Climate Change Likely to Reduce Resiliency and Increase Risk of Spreading 30% Mt. Tam Plant Species are Non-Native 60 are Priority Highly Significant Threat to Plant/Community Diversity

29 Altered Fire Regimes Fire Suppression for 70 years + Many Plant Communities Evolved With Fire Causing Succession of Grasslands to Scrublands - Woodlands - Douglas Fir Forests Some Species are Fire Dependent Climate Change Models Predict More Frequent/Hotter Fires Fire Suppression Leads to Large/Intense Fires

30 Plant Diseases Sudden Oak Death since 1995 Killed Tens of Thousands of Trees Most (84%) Forest Types Effected

31 Like Many Natural Systems Mt. Tam Has Substantial Capacity to Maintain and Recover We Must Manage to Minimize Stress and Protect Diversity Maintains Inherent Natural Resiliency Managers and Environmental Groups Act as Mt. Tam s Immune System

32 Resurgence North American River Otter Calif. Red-legged Frog

33 Of Significant Concern Coho Salmon Foothill Yellow-legged Frog

34 Mutualistic Understanding The Key to Success The Mutualistic Relationships Between One Tam, Scientists and Our Community Provides the Foundation for Great Potential

35 Progressing From Triangle To Circle