By: Cathy Jacobs, PH.D, Dept. of Biology
California State University Dominguez Hills

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Valley Grasslands

View of the Grasslands

Monarch Chrysalis

Bunch Grass Giant Wild Rye

Valley grassland used to cover the major valleys of Southern California, and consisted mainly of native bunchgrasses. However, these perennial grasses were not well adapted to disturbances created by grazing herd mammals and humans, and have been largely replaced by imported Mediterranean weeds from Europe. In addition, in Southern California, much of the former expanse of this habitat has been built on, and the habitat so completely altered that it is no longer a grassland. By

Monarch Butterfly Caterpiller on Milkweed

importing water, and planting ornamentals, much of urban LA has been transformed into a semi-tropical forest full of exotic plants. Some animals have adapted well to the human presence, and flourish alongside people. Some of these are exotics, such as rock doves (pigeons), starlings, house sparrows, black rats, and opossums. Others are native, such as mockingbirds, house finches, scrub jays, mourning doves, Brewerís blackbirds, crows, raccoons, and coyotes.