This thoroughly revised, entirely rewritten edition of what is the essential reference on California’s diverse and ever-changing vegetation now brings readers the most authoritative, state-of-the-art view of California’s plant ecosystems available. Integrating decades of research, leading community ecologists and field botanists describe and classify California’s vegetation types, identify environmental factors that determine the distribution of vegetation types, analyze the role of disturbance regimes in vegetation dynamics, chronicle change due to human activities, identify conservation issues, describe restoration strategies, and prioritize directions for new research. Several new chapters address statewide issues such as the historic appearance and impact of introduced and invasive plants, the soils of California, and more.

A qualitative ecological survey of the plant communities of San Nicolas Island, California, was accomplished during three on-site visits. Eleven plant communities are recognized, of which six are grouped together into a formation. The historical evidence for development and change of these communities is also discussed. Collection was made of 239 specimens of 100 species. To this collection was added the recent unreported collections of several botanists and the previously reported collections were reviewed in the herbariums. The resulting annotated list of plants has 147 species and varieties, of which 94 are native; 35 previously reported species were not included in this list pending location of specimens. A summary of the literature on the geology, history, climate, and fauna is also presented. (Author).