Natural Communities

The San Joaquin Valley, including the Tulare Basin, is an area of approximately 40,000 km² (16,000 m²) south of the San Joaquin/Sacramento Delta between the California Coast ranges and the Sierra Nevada. Prior to the settlement of the Valley by peoples of European ancestry and culture, it contained a vast mosaic of upland and freshwater ecosystems which supported a diverse collection of species, including many endemic to the region.

The Image and description for this slide were taken from: Phillips, S.E., P.A. Kelly, and D.F. Williams. 2005. Landscape Change in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Pre-European Settlement to 2000.