Читать книгу The Pacific Crest Trail. Hiking the PCT from Mexico to Canada онлайн

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Plant and wildlife

Vegetation

The mountain vegetation of California and Oregon has to deal with a difficult climate. Most of the precipitation at higher altitudes comes in winter, in the form of snow, and there is very little rain in summer. It has to survive high summer and low winter temperatures, as well as the poor quality soils in areas where granite is the predominant rock type.

The first thing Northern Europeans will notice on the PCT is the absence of grass and the poor quality of the meadows. Grass requires a lot of water and it isn’t until you reach Washington that it seems to thrive.

The second feature Europeans will notice in Southern California is the absence of trees at lower altitudes, except along creeks. Only at higher altitudes are temperatures cool enough and water plentiful enough for trees to survive. Below tree-line chaparral predominates. Chaparral is composed of broad-leaved shrubs, bushes and small trees, usually below 8ft high, which have evolved to cope with hot dry conditions. At the lowest altitudes, in the drier areas, only true desert vegetation survives and you will see various species of cactus and yucca.