Introduction
California is known as being one of the most biologically diverse regions not only in this country, but also in the world (Defenders, 2006). Within its 160,000 square miles, California’s varied habitat harbors more unique species of plants and animals than any other state. The diversity of climates and landscapes, and all the barriers to migrations such as rivers, mountains, and deserts, has led over thousands of years to the evolution of a large number of isolated species and varieties of animals, many of which are found only in California. For example, there are about 30,000 species of insects recorded from California, 63 freshwater fishes, 46 amphibians, 96 reptiles, 563 birds, 190 mammals, and about 8,000 plants (Kammerer, 2004). The unique composition of the Golden State’s wildlife is what makes its landscapes so beautiful.
Yet it is also true that today, California's extraordinary diversity is being lost in many important habitats throughout the coastal state......
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Approximate Word Count: 2154
Approximate Pages: 9 (260 words per double-spaced page) |