Coast Range Ecoregion: Chapter 1 in <i>Status and trends of land change in the Western United States--1973 to 2000</i>

Sohl, Terry L.

Abstract:

The Coast Range Ecoregion, which covers approximately 57,338 km² (22,138 mi²), is a thin, linear ecoregion along the Pacific Coast, stretching roughly 1,300 km from the Olympic Peninsula, in northwest Washington, to an area south of San Francisco, California (fig. 1) (Omernik, 1987; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1997). It is bounded on the east by the Puget Lowland, the Willamette Valley, the Klamath Mountains, and the Southern and Central California Chaparral and Oak Woodlands Ecoregions. Almost the entire Coast Range Ecoregion lies within 100 km of the coast. Topography is highly variable, with coastal mountain ranges and valleys ranging from sea level to over 1,000 m in elevation (fig. 2). A maritime climate, along with high topographic relief, results in substantial, but regionally variable, amounts of rainfall, ranging from 130 cm to more than 350 cm per year. The favorable climate of the Coast Range Ecoregion has supported forests of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) along its northern coast and coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) along its southern coast, as well as Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western red cedar (Thuja plicata), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) inland (Omernik, 1987). Today, however, much of the forest is heavily managed for logging (fig. 3), although the ecoregion still supports some of the largest remaining areas of old-growth forest in the Pacific Northwest. Agriculture is a minor component of the landscape, present locally in flat lands and valleys near the coast. Urban development is minimal; Eureka, California, is the only urban center in the ecoregion, with a population of over 26,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000).

Genre:

USGS Numbered Series

ProdID:

70041516

Citation Author:

Sohl, Terry L.

Citation Contributing Office:

Western Geographic Science Center

Citation Datum:

Citation Day:

Citation Edition:

Citation Editor:

Citation End Page:

Citation Issue:

Citation Keywords:

Citation Language:

English

Citation Larger Work Title:

Status and trends of land change in the Western United States--1973 to 2000: Volume A in Status and trends of land change in the United States--1973 to 2000 (PP 1794-A)

Citation LatN:

48.75

Citation LatS:

36.0

Citation LonE:

-120.0

Citation LonW:

-124.8

Citation Month:

Citation No Pagination:

Citation Number Of Pages:

Citation Online Only Flag:

Citation Phsyical Description:

Chapter 1: 9 p.

Citation Projection:

Citation Public Comments:

This publication is Chapter 1 in Status and trends of land change in the Western United States--1973 to 2000, which is Volume A in Status and trends of land change in the United States--1973 to 2000, PP 1794. Volume A consists of 30 chapters. For access to other chapters, please visit PP 1794-A.

Citation Publisher:

U.S. Geological Survey

Citation Series:

Professional Paper

Citation Series Code:

Citation Series Number:

1794-A-1

Citation Search Results Text:

Coast Range Ecoregion: Chapter 1 in Status and trends of land change in the Western United States--1973 to 2000; 2012; PP; 1794-A-1; Status and trends of land change in the Western United States--1973 to 2000: Volume A in Status and trends of land change in the United States--1973 to 2000 (PP 1794-A); Sohl, Terry L.