![]() ![]() One hypothesis is that deer and rodents may be eating so many acorns and seedlings that not many survive past that stage. A new study, funded by the Yosemite Conservancy, began this week to try to figure out what could be keeping the seedlings and saplings from becoming mature trees. Several years ago, a population study of the black oaks looked at age or size structure of the trees. That research determined that our black oak groves are dominated by mature oak trees, with not enough seedlings and saplings being recruited, which is the addition and retention of new trees into the oak groves, to replenish the groves as the older trees die off. Needless to say, park scientists are carefully monitoring such an important resource. Additionally, the scenery that made this place famous has always been accented by the spring green and yellow fall leaves of the black oaks. Many animals eat the black oak acorns, including the iconic black bear, deer, acorn woodpeckers, and squirrels. ![]() The long human history in this place is largely dependent on the black oak, which served as a source of food for the first peoples of the park. With so many other icons, it may be easy to overlook the black oak, but it is one of the most important cultural, biological, and scenic resources in the park. It is hard to overstate the importance of the California black oak ( Quercus kelloggii) to Yosemite National Park. ![]()
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