State 1
California live oak mixed woodland 1.1

Community 1.1
California live oak mixed woodland 1.1

This chaparral community is the reference community and it is dominated by California live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and redheart (Ceanothus spinosus) with a fair mix of other associated species. Common species include; bigpod ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus), Southern California walnut (Juglans californica), valley oak (Quercus lobata), sugar sumac (Rhus ovata), California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), giant wildrye (Leymus condensatus), southern bush monkeyflower (Mimulus longiflorus), white sage (Salvia apiana), San Luis purple sage (Salvia leucophylla), blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea) and Pacific poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum).

This community has developed during the absence of fire for more than 60 years. California live oak has developed into a tree, standing above the shorter statured shade intolerant chaparral species. California live oak has at least 30 percent cover. Southern California walnut and valley oak are occasionally in the overstory. Under the tree canopy it is often open with a layer of dead leaves and very little vegetation; in contrast the areas with chaparral are still impenetrable due to the multi-stemmed shrub growth habit. Redheart is the dominant chaparral species present in between the woodland patches. The California live oak and chaparral communities have a high proportion of endemic species and both plant communities are considered threatened due to loss of habitat from development and an increase in fire frequency.

Most of the dominant trees and shrubs associated with these communities produce seeds that are ready to germinate and do not require fire, heat or charate to induce germination. Some species can develop in the shade of the canopy. The ability to produce new seedlings in the absence of fire is unique to this community compared to some of the nearby chaparral communities. Continual regeneration and long life spans allow this community to remain healthy for centuries with out needing fire for rejuvenation.

However this site is adapted for fire and when it occurs in this oak woodland and chaparral community, it usually burns the canopy of the entire stand, creating transition, T1.1a which leads to stand regeneration.

State 2
State 3

Community 2.1
State 3

When fire repeatedly burns through a chaparral community, before the species reach maturity, the presence of the chaparral species may decline. Since most of the dormant seeds in the seed bank germinate the first year after a fire, there are very few seeds left to germinate after subsequent fires. Time without disturbance is needed for the shrubs to mature and produce seeds. Frequent fires also affect the ability for the resprouting shrubs to send up new shoots by depleting the carbohydrate storage in the root systems. In the absence of shrub seedlings and resprouting lignotubers, non-native annual grasses become dominate and self-perpetuate the frequent fire cycle. The minimal amount of time needed for the chaparral species to recover is not known, but some reports say that less than 20 to 40 years is detrimental.

Non-native species that may be present during this phase are the common non-native grasses (Avena fatua, Bromus sp., Cynodon dactylon, Festuca sp., Hordeum murinum, etc.) and mustard (Brassica nigra), followed by a variety of thistles (Centaurea melitensis, Salsola iberica, etc.) (Daget, 1995).

Once the non-native species become established and the chaparral species have been eliminated it is extremely difficult to restore this area. Restoration efforts should focus on reintroducing native species, eliminating non-native species and reducing the fire frequency (R2a).

State 3
Native perennials and annuals with regenerating shrubs and trees 1.2

Community 3.1
Native perennials and annuals with regenerating shrubs and trees 1.2

This community is dominated by native forbs and grasses, along with resprouting shrubs and shrub seedlings. This phase is short lived because the shrubs rapidly regain dominance in a couple of years. Data was not collected on this specific ecological site, but it is possible that many of the fire following species listed by Thanos and Rundel, 1995 and Daget, 2002 may be present. Some of these species are: whisperingbells (Emmenanthe penduliflora), largeflower phacelia (Phacelia grandiflora), black sage (Salvia mellifera), yellow bleeding heart (Ehrendorferia ochroleuca formerly Dicentra ochroleuca), bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida), Coulter's snapdragon (Sairocarpus coulterianus formerly Antirrhinum coulterianum), golden eardrops (Ehrendorferia chrysantha formerly Dicentra chrysantha), western poppy (Papaver californicum), and windpoppy (Stylomecon heterophylla). Many of the species listed above have stored dormant seeds in the soil, which will not germinate until heat from the fire, sunlight from the removal of the canopy, or nitrogen from the charred wood leachate cue germination. Most of these annual and perennial fire followers are only present the first year or two after a fire.
California live oak (Quercus agrifolia), Southern California walnut (Juglans californica), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) and sugar sumac (Rhus ovata), resprout after fire but do not reproduce abundantly from seed.

Bigpod ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus) is dependent upon fire for seed scarification. Redheart (Ceanothus spinosus) can resprout after fire, produces seeds that are ready to germinate and dormant seeds that require scarification. Ceanothus seedlings may be abundant the first year or two after a fire. Many seedlings die after the first year, and some do not grow well under the shade of resprouting shrubs.

In the absence of disturbance the chaparral species continue to grow and increase in cover. This is the natural community pathway (1.2a) in the state and transition model.

State 4
Young chaparral 1.3

Community 4.1
Young chaparral 1.3

This community is a young chaparral community still in the growth phase following a fire. The young and/or resprouting shrubs and trees are beginning to shade out the annual and perennial understory and begin to self thin.

The primary pathway for this community is 1.3a to continue with the growth and development of the shrub and tree species. This phase may last from 2 to 30 years.

If fire burns this community during this stage (initiating pathway 1.3b) it will return to the regeneration phase.

State 5
Mixed chaparral and woodland 1.4

Community 5.1
Mixed chaparral and woodland 1.4

This chaparral community is dominated by redheart (Ceanothus spinosus), with bigpod ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus), and sugar sumac (Rhus ovata). California live oak (Quercus agrifolia) is present in a shrub form. California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), white sage (Salvia apiana), and San Luis purple sage (Salvia leucophylla) are present in open areas.

If enough time passes without disturbance some of these species become taller than the chaparral canopy and develop into more of a woodland type structure. Eventually this site may become a mix of woodlands and chaparral, (pathway 1.4a).

When fire does occur in this chaparral community, it usually burns the canopy of the entire stand, creating pathway, 1.1a which leads to stand regeneration.

State 6
State 2

Community 6.1
State 2

This state develops with an altered fire regime and/or with the introduction of non-native plant species. Increased fire frequencies and low intensity fires can be detrimental to chaparral and woodland regeneration. This altered state has similar plant communities to the reference state, but non-native species, particularly the annual grasses, such as oats (Avena spp.) and bromes (Bromus spp.) are present. The overall cover of the chaparral and woodland species has declined, with more openings in the canopy. The mature California live oak woodland may be less common in this altered state because the fire return interval has become too short to allow the oaks to develop into mature trees. Increases fire frequencies may favor fire dependent chaparral species such as bigpod ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus), shifting species composition away from the historic community.

The non-native species become established after a fire or other disturbances such as road building, grazing, or foot traffic.

The non-native grasses can alter the fire regime by creating an easily flammable and continuous fuel source. If the fire frequency becomes too frequent this state may loose the chaparral species and transition to state 3 (T2a).