The California Naturalist Handbook, Second Edition

Greg de Nevers

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The California Naturalist Handbook, Second Edition

Greg de Nevers

Language: English

Published/Copyright: 2025

Published by

View more publications by University of California Press

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About this book

The go-to guide to California’s natural history, now updated with fresh insights on stewardship for a changing climate and diverse naturalist perspectives.

The California Naturalist Handbook offers a fun, science-based introduction to California’s natural history, emphasizing observation, discovery, communication, and stewardship. This accessible guidebook explores geology, native plants and animals, freshwater resources, forest and rangeland resources, conservation biology, and the effects of pressing environmental issues. Aspiring naturalists will learn how to keep a nature journal, practice participatory science, and improve ecosystem resilience.

Used statewide for the California Naturalist Program, this updated edition includes:

Updated overview of California’s unique ecosystems and plant and animal communities
Expanded discussions of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship
Contributions by diverse naturalist leaders including women, Indigenous peoples, and naturalists of color
A deeper dive into southern California’s urban and desert ecologies
Current climate change information, including fire and forest management, drought, flooding and groundwater issues, and recognition of climate grief
Higher quality images showing a more diverse range of habitats

Author / Editor information

Contributor: Greg de Nevers Greg de Nevers is an ecologist and botanist with broad geographical experience and a love for communicating the stories of science to the public.

Deborah Stanger Edelman is a cofounder of the California Naturalist Program and has over 30 years of experience working in natural resource restoration, conservation, and education programs.

Adina Merenlender is an internationally recognized conservation biologist and Professor of Cooperative Extension in Conservation Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	xiii
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	xv
1 California Natural History and the Role of Naturalists
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	1
CALIFORNIA’S BIODIVERSITY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	2
A TURNING POINT FOR BIODIVERSITY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	4
INTRODUCTION TO BEING A NATURALIST Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	7
INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE AND STEWARDSHIP Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	11
NOTABLE NATURALISTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	15
NOTEBOOKS AND JOURNALS: ESSENTIAL RECORDS FOR NATURALISTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	17
THE LANGUAGE OF NATURALISTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	21
GETTING OUT AND ABOUT Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	27
Explore! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	28
2 Geology, Climate, and Soils
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	29
EARTH’S FORMATION AND PLATE TECTONICS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	33
SHAPING CALIFORNIA Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	37
ROCKS IN CALIFORNIA Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	39
CALIFORNIA’S CLIMATE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	43
DIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA MICROCLIMATES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	45
SOIL STRUCTURE AND NUTRIENTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	49
NUTRIENT CYCLING Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	52
MINING IN CALIFORNIA Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	53
Explore! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	57
3 Water and Watersheds
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	58
SCALING WATER: FROM MOLECULES TO OUR ENVIRONMENT Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	59
THE WATER CYCLE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	59
WATERSHED PROCESSES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	64
GROUNDWATER Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	68
BIOLOGICAL INPUTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	71
CHEMICAL INPUTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	72
PHYSICAL INPUTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	75
ESTUARIES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	76
INTERTIDAL ZONE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	78
WETLANDS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	79
CALIFORNIA’S LAKES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	84
CALIFORNIA’S FRESHWATER FISH Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	86
RIVERS TODAY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	89
CALIFORNIA WATER USE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	95
CALIFORNIA WATER LAW AND WATER EQUITY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	95
WATER CHALLENGES FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	98
Explore! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	99
4 Plants
LIFESTYLES OF RICH AND FAMOUS PLANTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	100
PARTS OF A PLANT Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	103
PLANT COMMUNITIES OF CALIFORNIA Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	108
DECOMPOSITION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	124
PLANTS AND PEOPLE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	125
Explore! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	129
5 Shrublands, Woodlands, and Forests
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	131
HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA FORESTS AND THEIR STEWARDSHIP Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	134
LANDSCAPE DYNAMICS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	144
CALIFORNIANS AND WILDFIRE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	145
FRAGMENTATION OF FORESTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	149
CARBON SEQUESTRATION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	150
RANGELANDS AND LIVESTOCK GRAZING Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	153
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	153
Explore! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	158
6 Animals
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	160
ANIMAL ECOLOGY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	161
EVOLUTIONARY GROUPS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	167
INVERTEBRATES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	169
VERTEBRATES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	176
HUMAN ACTIVITY AND DOMESTIC AND INTRODUCED ANIMALS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	193
Explore! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	196
7 Energy and Environmental Issues
SOURCES OF ENERGY ON EARTH Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	198
THE ENERGETIC BASIS OF LIFE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	201
ENERGY USE BY PEOPLE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	204
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	211
Explore! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	234
8 Interpretation, Collaboration, and Participatory Science
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	236
INTERPRETATION: WHY, WHAT, AND HOW Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	237
COLLABORATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	247
PARTICIPATORY SCIENCE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	252
Explore! Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	255
Glossary Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	257
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	277

Publishing information

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

eBook published on:

September 12, 2025

eBook ISBN:

9780520412729

Edition:

2nd edition

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

Main content:

320

https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520412729

eBook ISBN: 9780520412729

Keywords for this book

california field guide; hiking companion; naturalist training programs; indigenous leaders; native american ecological knowledge; climate change resources; bay area wildlife; amateur naturalists; environmental justice; national parks; land management; desert ecosystems; native plants; tribal communities; wildfires; climate stewardship; environmental education; citizen science

The California Naturalist Handbook, Second Edition

Overview

About this book

Author / Editor information

Topics

Table of contents

Bibliographic data