Abstract
BackgroundThe California Coastal Prairie has the highest biodiversity of North America's grasslands, but also has the highest percentage of urbanization. The most urbanized part of the California Coastal Prairie is its southernmost area, in Los Angeles County. This southernmost region, known as the Los Angeles Coastal Prairie, was historically dotted with vernal pools, and has a unique biodiverse composition. More than 99.5% of its estimated original 95 km2 (23,475 acres), as well as almost all its vernal pool complexes, have been lost to urbanization.The Madrona Marsh Preserve, in Torrance, California, safeguards approximately 18 hectares (44 acres) of Los Angeles Coastal Prairie and includes a complex of vernal pools. Its aquatic biodiversity had been studied, predominantly to genus level, but its terrestrial macro-invertebrates were virtually unknown, aside from butterfly, dragonfly, and damselfly observations.New informationIn order to better understand the biodiversity at the Madrona Marsh Preserve, a minimally-invasive macro-invertebrate inventory was conducted. The results of this inventory, with 689 invertebrate organisms recorded, covering eight phyla, 13 classes, 39 orders, and 222 families, are presented in this document.
Highlights
More than 99.5% of its estimated original 95 km2 (23,475 acres), as well as almost all its vernal pool complexes, have been lost to urbanization
The California Coastal Prairie has the highest biodiversity of North America's grasslands Stromberg et al 2002, and has the highest proportion of urbanization Loveland and Hutcheson 1995
The orders with the largest number of recorded taxa are, in decreasing order: Diptera (155 taxa), Coleoptera (106 taxa), Hymenoptera (101 taxa), Lepidoptera (84 taxa), Hemiptera (82 taxa), and Araneae (48 taxa)
Summary
The California Coastal Prairie has the highest biodiversity of North America's grasslands Stromberg et al 2002, and has the highest proportion of urbanization Loveland and Hutcheson 1995. The most urbanized part of the California Coastal Prairie is its southernmost area, located in Los Angeles County. This southernmost region, known as the Los Angeles Coastal Prairie, was historically sequined with vernal pools, and has a unique biodiverse composition Mattoni and Longcore 1997. The remaining estimated thirty hectares (approximately 74 acres) has undergone considerable degradation Notwithstanding these urbanization pressures, the remaining fragments of the Los Angeles Coastal Prairie harbor a rich and understudied macro-invertebrate biodiversity. The most urbanized part of the California Coastal Prairie is its southernmost area, in Los Angeles County This southernmost region, known as the Los Angeles Coastal Prairie, was historically dotted with vernal pools, and has a unique biodiverse composition. Its aquatic biodiversity had been studied, predominantly to genus level, but its terrestrial macro-invertebrates were virtually unknown, aside from butterfly, dragonfly, and damselfly observations
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