HARTMAN MULTIMEDIA
Nature Based Multimedia Information Systems
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HARTMAN MULTIMEDIA
Nature Based Multimedia Information Systems |
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The Marine Corps' Camp Pendleton covers over 50,000
hectares (125,000 acres) of rolling and mountainous terrain, ranging from sea
level to over 900 meters (3,000 feet), and contains at least seven plant
communities. The major community is chaparral, consisting of scrub
oak, Quercus sp, Ceanothus spp., laurel sumac, Malosma laurina, sugar bush,
Rhus ovata, toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, and chamise, Adenostoma
fasciculatum.
Coastal sage scrub, with California sagebrush, Artemisia californica, and
California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum, the dominants, covers significant
portions of the area. There also are
stands of southern oak woodland with interior live oak, Quercus wislizenii, coast
live, Quercus agrifolia, and Engelmann, Quercus engelmannii. Several excellent stands of grassland occur in the
uplands (see Camp Pendleton Grasslands). Along the
coast there are both salt marshes (see Santa Margarita
River Estuary) and some coastal strand.
The more conspicuous species in the latter are an introduced ice plant, Mesembryanthemum
nodiflorum, and the sand verbena, Abronia umbellata. Along the watercourses, particularly the Santa Margarita River and San Mateo Creek, are good stands of a riparian community,
with sycamore, Platanus racemosa, white alder, Alnus rhombifolia, canyon live
oak, Quercus chrysolepis, black willow, Salix gooddingii, and California bay,
Umbellularia californica, which here is nearing its southern limit. Animal life is typical of the coastal and inland areas
and includes such mammals as the mountain lion, Felis concolor, bobcat, Lynx
rufus, and badger, Taxidea taxus. Among
the more noteworthy reptiles found on the base are the orange-throated whiptail
lizard, Cnemidophorus hyperythrus, rosy boa, Lichanura trivirgata, the red
diamond, Western, and speckled rattlesnakes, Crotalus ruber, Crotalus
viridis and Crotalus mitchelli, California lyre snake, Trimorphodon
vandenburghi, black-headed
snake, Tantilla planiceps, and the patch-nosed snake, Salvadora
hexalepis. Geologically, the area is quite complex and includes
rocks ranging in age from the early Mesozoic metavolcanics and
granitics,through upper Cretaceous sedimentaries, to Pleistocene marine terrace
formations and recent alluvium. Of
note is the grayish-green outcrop of the mid-Miocene San Onofre breccia on the
slopes of San Onofre Mountain. Also
in this area can be seen six marine terraces, some with westerly dips up to 25
degrees. The Christianitus fault
passes to the north of the mountain and separates the breccia and upper Miocene
Capistrano formation from the Pliocene San Mateo formation. Integrity: There
are numerous buildings and other facilities, and portions of the area are
farmed. However, despite the use of the area for intensive training purposes,
portions are in excellent condition, others are not.
The vast open space allows for a free movement of wildlife. Use: Restricted. April 1977
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