Home Reserves UCSD Reserves More Information About This Reserve		Administering Campus UC San Diego Established 1965 Location Western San Diego County, within the cities of Carlsbad and Vista; 48 km (30 mi) north of San Diego. Size 94 ha (235 acres) Elevation 67 to 179 m (220 to 587 ft) Latitude: 33° 08' 30" N Longitude: 117° 15' 20" W USGS Maps: San Luis Rey 7.5', San Marcos 7.5', Oceanside 15' Average Precipitation 21 cm (8 in) per year Average Temperatures September maximum: 23°C (73°F) January minimum: 7°C (45°F) Facilities Trailer with laboratory on site; library, laboratory, and dormitory support available on San Diego campus. Databases Aerial and historic photo archive; plant-recovery records from post-fire monitoring since 1982; species lists for vascular plants, birds, mammals; reserve-based publications since 1995; preliminary archaeological survey report. Personnel Reserve manager and academic coordinator on San Diego campus; no personnel on site. NRS Publications Reserve brochure published 1989. Contact Information Isabelle Kay Natural Reserve System APM Prime Room #2802 9500 Gilman Drive University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA 92093 Phone: 858-534-2077 E-mail: ikay@ucsd.edu Flowing through the bottom of the Dawson Los Monos Canyon Reserve is Agua Hedionda Creek, one of the few perennial streams in Southern California, as it winds its way through the San Diego county foothills to the Pacific Ocean. Along the stream banks of the canyon floor grows a lush riparian woodland, which gives way to dense chaparral spreading up the steep north- and south-facing slopes. The wide upper canyon opens out onto old pastures of introduced annual grasses, the result of a century of grazing. Other reserve habitats, some of which were once common throughout Southern California, include coast live oak woodland, inland sage scrub, and a mixed grassland of native bunchgrasses and introduced annuals. Downstream from the reserve’s western boundary lie the coastal wetlands of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, which are preserved through state and federal legislation. These neighboring protected lands enable the movement of species between open spaces, which in turn encourages diversity and helps keep the reserve from becoming an isolated natural island in this growing region. The varied landscape of Los Monos Canyon supports a rich fauna, with more than 75 species of birds, including several pairs of nesting black-shouldered kites. Selected Research The effects of floral predation on the pollination biology and reproductive success of Yucca whipplei. Parasite diversity of small mammals in fragmented areas. Suitability of soils and habitat types for the federally endangered Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus). Special Programs Restoration ecology: Stream bank restoration. Fire ecology: Old-growth and post-burn chaparral monitored since a 1982 fire. Field courses: Site visits by university courses in ecology, human biology, and natural history; facilities are expanding to enhance teaching use. Public outreach: The San Diego Natural History Museum collects plant specimens. 6/12/01 REV1 sgr Copyright 2002-2003 University of California, Natural Reserve System     Send feedback to Web Coordinator. Last Updated: 1/6/03