A PRODUCTION OF: NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY VIEWER DONATIONS TO: ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY: ♪ Jim: THE ANZA-BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 75 MILES NORTHEAST OF SAN DIEGO COVERS SOME 600,000 ACRES.

IT'S THE LARGEST STATE PARK IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.

OVER A MILLION VISITORS A YEAR COME TO SEE THE SECLUDED PALM GROVES THE DESERT FIELDS OF SPRING WILDFLOWERS AND THE DRAMATIC SWEEPING VISTAS.

THE PARK GETS ITS NAME FROM CAPTAIN JUAN BAUTISTA DE ANZA A SPANISH SOLDIER WHO LED EXPEDITIONS TO THE AREA IN 1774.

BORREGO IS SPANISH FOR THE YEARLING RAM OF THE PENINSULA BIGHORN SHEEP.

HELLO AND WELCOME TO NATURE SCENE.

I'M JIM WELCH WITH NATURALIST RUDY MANCKE.

AND FOR THE NEXT HALF HOUR WE PROMISE A VERY SPECIAL VISIT TO A LAND OF HAUNTING BEAUTY.

IT'S VERY DRY, IT'S VERY ARID AND IT'S A DIFFICULT PLACE TO BE AT TIMES.

IT IS, AND YOU CAN ALMOST FEEL THE WATER LEAVING YOUR BODY AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES THAT PLACES ON PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

THE ANIMALS REALLY GET OUT OF THE HOT WEATHER-- USUALLY HIDE.

BUT THESE PLANTS, JIM ARE EXPOSED TO THIS HEAT ALL THE TIME AND WHAT CAN THEY DO ABOUT IT?

AND TODAY I THINK IT'LL BE FUN TO TALK ABOUT THEIR STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL.

SOME OF THEM ARE DROUGHT RESISTORS.

THEY PUT UP WITH DRY, HOT WEATHER AND THEY'VE COME UP WITH TRICKS TO DO THAT.

WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.

AND THEN OTHERS ARE DROUGHT EVADERS.

THEY LIVE VERY SHORT LIVES AND ARE ONLY UP WHEN THERE'S PLENTY OF MOISTURE AND WE'LL TRY TO CONTRAST THOSE TWO TODAY AND I HOPE WE'LL SEE SOME ANIMALS ACTIVE, TOO.

STRANGE DESERT HERE-- LOTS OF NAMES FOR IT.

THIS IS REALLY ONE PART OF THE SONORAN DESERT.

BUT IT'S USUALLY REFERRED TO AS THE COLORADO DESERT BECAUSE OF THE COLORADO RIVER NOT FAR AWAY-- AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER-- BUT ALSO KNOWN AS THE CALIFORNIA DESERT BECAUSE IT IS FOUND IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

AND JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE PLANTS THAT DOMINATE.

I THINK THE ONE THAT JUMPS OUT AT ME ALMOST LITERALLY, IS THE CACTUS.

COMMON NAME: TEDDY BEAR CHOLLA.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE ARMS OF A TEDDY BEAR.

YES, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH THAT ONE BECAUSE THOSE SPINES ARE REALLY DANGEROUS AND THAT'S ONE OF THOSE DROUGHT- RESISTANT PLANTS THAT PICKS UP WATER STORES IT IN THICK STEMS-- DOESN'T EVEN HAVE LEAVES-- AND THEN PROTECTS ITS INVESTMENT OF WATER WITH THOSE SHARP SPINES.

NOW, THERE'S ANOTHER PLANT, TOO, RIGHT HERE.

DOESN'T HAVE ANY SPINES-- LOW.

SMALL LEAVES... YEAH, BURROWEED IS ONE OF THE NAME FOR IT... ONE OF THE NAMES FOR IT.

BUT IT'S REALLY NOT A WEEDY PLANT.

IT'S MORE LIKE A SHRUB SO BURROBRUSH MIGHT BE A GOOD NAME FOR IT.

LOOK AT THE LEAVES, NOW-- TINY...

THEY'RE TINY, YEAH.

LEAVES ON THERE AND ALSO KIND OF A WHITISH COLOR ON IT AND THAT REFLECTS THE SUNLIGHT KEEPS IT FROM HEATING UP AS MUCH AND MAYBE CUTS DOWN ON WATER LOSS.

AND AS IS TRUE IN A LOT OF THESE PLANTS SOMETIMES THE LEAVES ARE ACTUALLY SHED WHEN IT GETS VERY, VERY DRY.

BURROS, DONKEYS WOULD FEED ON IT WHICH GIVES IT THE NAME.

I THINK ONE PLANT THAT REALLY DOES DOMINATE HERE...

ISN'T IT GORGEOUS WITH THE FLOWERS?

VERY SHOWY-- I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE IT FOR A LONG WAY OFF.

OCOTILLO IS THE NAME FOR IT.

FANTASTIC PLANT-- THE FLOWERS, AGAIN, GRAB OUR EYES AT FIRST LOOK AT THOSE THINGS-- TUBULAR FLOWERS.

BUT NOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THE LEAVES.

IT ACTUALLY HAS LEAVES ON IT.

SMALL LEAVES AGAIN.

A LOT OF WATER LOSS FROM THOSE LEAVES SO USUALLY THE LEAVES ARE ON ONLY AFTER A GOOD WET SPELL AND THEN AS IT GETS VERY DRY, THE LEAVES ARE SHED.

AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE BRANCH THERE WITHOUT LEAVES ON IT AND YOU CAN SEE THE SPINES THAT ARE ALMOST HIDDEN BY THOSE LEAVES.

AGAIN, PROTECTING ITS INVESTMENT OF WATER-- DROUGHT-RESISTANT PLANT.

OCOTILLO.

YEAH, LOOK, LOOK RIGHT AT THE TOP.

LOOK AT THE HUMMINGBIRD COMING IN.

FEMALE COMING AND TAKING THAT LONG BEAK AND GETTING NECTAR AND MAYBE, TOO, SMALL INSECTS FROM THOSE FLOWERS JUST GOING FROM FLOWER TO FLOWER.

INTERESTING ANIMAL, PROBABLY COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD-- THAT'S THE COMMON ONE HERE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.

PLANTS SUPPORT ALL THE ANIMAL LIFE IN DESERTS AND ELSEWHERE.

BUT LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT PLANT.

ISN'T THAT AMAZING?

AND MANY OF THEM AROUND, TOO.

THEY DO VERY... DO VERY WELL.

AND AGAIN, AS IT GETS DRIER THOSE LEAVES SHRIVEL UP AND FALL OFF KEEPING DOWN LOSS OF WATER.

NOW, THERE'S ONE SHRUB THAT WHEN YOU THINK OF DESERTS, THE SOUTHWEST YOU ALWAYS THINK OF THIS ONE.

CREOSOTE BUSH IS ONE OF THE NAMES FOR IT.

ANOTHER NAME, LITTLE STINKER, FOR SOME REASON.

LITTLE STINKER BECAUSE WHEN IT GETS WET AFTER A RAIN HERE IT DOES HAVE AN ODD STINKY-TYPE OF SMELL TO IT.

AGAIN, IT'S GOT LEAVES ON IT BUT THEY'RE SMALL LEAVES AND THEY HAVE A WAXY COVERING ON THE SUBSTANCE THAT KEEPS DOWN LOSS OF WATER.

RUDY, LOOKING ACROSS THE DESERT THEY SPACE THEMSELVES VERY WELL.

THAT'S RIGHT-- SEE, THE ROOTS COME OUT AND TAKE MOISTURE IN A GOOD CIRCLE AROUND IT AND SO THERE'S REALLY NOT ENOUGH MOISTURE FOR ANOTHER SHRUB TO GET THAT CLOSE SO IT IS REGULARLY SPACED, DOING VERY WELL.

NOW, HERE'S SOMETHING.

LOOKEE HERE.

THINK OF DESERTS-- LOOK AT THE SCORPION DOWN HERE ON THE GROUND FLAT AGAINST THE GROUND.

GOOD-SIZE SCORPION.

YEAH, AND SEE THE WAY IT'S THAT COLOR OF THE EARTH BEHIND IT.

AND WHAT'S THAT MOVEMENT WITH THE TAIL?

CURLED UP OVER THE BODY WITH A LITTLE STINGER.

SEE THE DARK BROWN, LOOKS LIKE A FANG ON THE BACK WITH A LITTLE STINGER-LIKE THING AND IT CAN STICK YOU WITH THAT AND CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS.

THIS ISN'T ONE OF THE ONES THAT CAUSES MAJOR PROBLEMS.

LOOK AT THE PINCER- LIKE MODIFICATIONS ON THE FRONT LEGS.

BUT IT DOES CARRY POISON.

YEAH, OH, YEAH.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T WANT TO BE STUCK BY.

IT FEEDS ON INSECTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT IT FINDS USUALLY FORAGING AT NIGHT.

BUT BIRDS, NOW, ALSO EAT THAT AND A NUMBER OF LIZARDS TAKE THE SCORPION BECAUSE THE SCALES ON THE LIZARDS I GUESS, PROTECT IT FROM THE... FROM THE STING.

AND THE COLORATION HELPS IT BLEND IN SOME, I GUESS.

YEAH-- NOW, LOOK AT THE FLOWERS.

LOOK AT ALL OF THE FLOWERS RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF US.

DESERT DANDELION-- PERFECT NAME FOR THAT ONE.

ONE OF THE COMPOSITES WITH CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS THERE IN ONE HEAD.

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE PLANTS THAT IS A DROUGHT EVADER.

THEY'RE ONLY UP AFTER GOOD WET WEATHER.

THEY WAIT TILL THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT COME UP AND FLOWER.

THEY DON'T LAST VERY LONG.

SO EARLY SPRING AS WE'RE HERE NOW IS THE TIME TO SEE THEM.

RIGHT, SPRING WOULD BE THE TIME TO SEE THOSE THINGS.

PINCUSHION, THERE-- SEE THE WHITE WITH THE CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS.

AGAIN, COMMON NAME FOR THAT: PINCUSHION.

ANOTHER ONE OF THE ANNUALS.

LIVES ONLY A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN IT DIES AWAY.

AND THERE'S ALSO ONE OF THE EVENING PRIMROSES HERE-- NOT A TRUE PRIMROSE, BUT LOTS OF FLOWERS ON THE END.

BOTTLE WASHER IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT-- LOOKS LIKE A BRUSH THAT YOU WOULD WASH BOTTLES WITH.

AND THEN, ONE OTHER ONE RIGHT OVER HERE.

LOOK IN THE BURROBRUSH.

SEE THE WHITE FLOWERS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THERE LOOKING LIKE FLOWERS ON THE SHRUB BUT THEY'RE NOT.

OF WHAT COMPOSITE?

YEAH, ANOTHER COMPOSITE-- DESERT CHICORY IS THE NAME FOR THAT.

IT'S NOT A TRUE CHICORY-- IT WOULD BE BLUE-- BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT ENOUGH AND THAT GIVES IT THAT COMMON NAME.

ONCE YOU START LOOKING AROUND HERE YOU SEE A GREAT DIVERSITY BUT THESE ARE DROUGHT EVADERS.

THE WON'T LAST FOR VERY LONG.

THE DESERT'S SO VARIED.

WHY DON'T WE HEAD TO ANOTHER PLACE FOR A MOMENT?

WE SAID THAT WATER REALLY DOES AFFECT THE LIVES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS HERE BUT IT ALSO CHANGES THE FACE OF THIS DESERT, DOESN'T IT?

IT SHAPES THINGS.

DRY WASH HERE-- NOT ANY WATER HERE NOW BUT ALL THIS SAND THAT WE'RE WALKING ON AND ALL THESE BOULDERS PILED AROUND US HERE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT HERE AND DEPOSITED BY WATER.

REALLY, ONE THING THAT WE OUGHT TO MENTION NOW IS THAT MOST OF THIS DESERT IS WHAT'S CALLED AN ALLUVIAL FAN.

ALLUVIAL MEANING WHAT?

ALLUVIAL MEANING MATERIAL THAT WAS CARRIED BY WATER AND DUMPED SOMEWHERE.

IT SPREADS IT OUT LIKE A FAN AT THE BASE OF THE HIGHER ROCK.

SMALLER PIECES HERE TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF IT.

RIGHT, THAT GETS CARRIED FURTHER.

BIGGER PIECES AS WE WALK FURTHER UP THIS DRY WASH. A LOT OF PLANTS DO FAIRLY WELL HERE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A ROUGH PLACE WHEN THE WATER'S UP.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ACACIAS.

IT'S CALLED CAT'S CLAW ACACIA.

LITTLE LEAVES-- AGAIN, WE SAID THAT'S IMPORTANT SO YOU DON'T LOSE TOO MUCH WATER THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GET.

AND LOOK AT THE... JIM, LOOK AT THE LITTLE SPINES ON THAT THING.

LIKE A CAT'S CLAW.

YEAH, LOOK, CURVED-- LOOK, JUST LIKE A CAT'S CLAW AND IT'LL SLOW YOU DOWN OR SPEED YOU UP, RATHER, WHEN YOU BUMP INTO IT BECAUSE IT WILL CHARGE YOU AWAY FROM IT PROTECTING ITSELF FROM ANIMALS COMING AND TAKING AWAY THE WATER.

AND SPEAKING OF TAKING AWAY THERE'S ANOTHER PLANT.

THERE IT IS.

NOW, LOOK AT IT ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH FRUIT ON IT.

AND THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE MISTLETOE.

THAT IS ONE OF THE MISTLETOES.

THIS VARIETY DOESN'T HAVE BIG LEAVES.

AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE TOO MUCH MOISTURE.

BUT NOW, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE PLANTS THAT REALLY LETS ANOTHER PLANT GET THE WATER FOR IT.

IT'S A PARASITE, RIGHT?

THAT'S THE PARASITE.

THE HOST IS THAT CAT CLAW ACACIA DOING VERY WELL HERE IN THE DESERT.

A LOT OF BIRDS FEEDING ON THE FRUIT.

NOW, LOOK AT THE BLUE FLOWER EVERYWHERE.

HERE'S ANOTHER INTERESTING ADAPTATION SHADED OUT A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT?

LOTS OF GREEN, LOTS OF BLUE.

LET ME GET DOWN HERE AND SHOW YOU ONE THING THAT'S REALLY KIND OF STRANGE.

THIS ONE IS ONE OF THE FECILIAS.

BUT IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY SEE THE WAY THE STALK WITH ALL THE FLOWERS ON IT CURLS OVER KIND OF LIKE THE TAIL OF THAT SCORPION WE SAW EARLIER?

SO SCORPIONWEED IS ANOTHER NAME FOR THIS THING.

WHY DOES IT CURL OVER?

AND DOING VERY WELL... HAVE NO IDEA, BUT IT OPENS UP AS THE FLOWERS OPEN.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT STRAIGHTENS OUT AS THE FLOWERS OPEN UP.

BUT ONE OF THE FECILIAS DOING WELL WHEN THERE'S EXTRA MOISTURE.

LIKE WE'VE SAID, SOME PLANTS ARE HERE ALL THE TIME.

OTHERS REALLY BLOOM, IN A SENSE WHEN THERE'S LOTS OF EXTRA RAIN.

THERE'S ANOTHER FLOWERING PLANT ACROSS THE WAY.

SEE THE STALK WITH PEA-LIKE FLOWERS?

NO QUESTIONS THAT'S IN THE PEA FAMILY.

YOU KNOW THAT ONE?

NO, I DON'T.

VERY DIVERSE... ONE OF THE LUPINES.

YOU SEE SOME IN THE MOUNTAINS AND OTHERS THAT ARE DOING VERY WELL EVEN ALONG THESE DRY WASHES HERE.

A LITTLE EXTRA MOISTURE HERE AND THAT'S ATTRACTIVE TO THE PLANTS BUT ROUGH WHEN THE WATER'S UP, I WOULD IMAGINE.

AND ANOTHER BUSH OVER THERE.

WE'VE SAID THAT A LOT OF THESE PLANTS HAVE SMALL LEAVES THAT ARE WHITISH- LOOKING.

LOOK AT THE WHITE GLOSS ON THAT ONE.

TO REFLECT THE SUN, I GUESS.

YEAH, TO REFLECT IT AWAY KEEP IT COOLER, LOSE LESS MOISTURE.

I SEE BARELY THOSE PURPLE FLOWERS ON THERE.

INDIGO BUSH IS ANOTHER NAME-- ONE OF THE COMMON NAMES FOR THAT ONE.

NAMED FOR THE COLOR OF THE FLOWER.

YEAH-- INTERESTING, THOSE ROOTS ON THAT PLANT ACTUALLY CAN COLLECT NITROGEN OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE FOR THE PLANT-- GIVES IT A LITTLE BIT OF AN EDGE, SEE?

NITROGEN-FIXING BACTERIA IN THE ROOTS SO IT HAS A BETTER CHANCE.

ALL SORTS OF NEAT STRATEGIES HERE.

LET'S HEAD ON UP THE WASH. WARMING UP IN THE DESERT MIDDAY, THE END OF FEBRUARY.

SPRING'S APPROACHING AND THE ANZA-BORREGO STATE PARK HAS SO MANY TRAILS THAT LEAD YOU TO SOME VERY SPECIAL THINGS IN THE PARK AND THEY'RE MARKED WITH NICE SIGNS... YEAH, THAT INTERPRETATION, SURE REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE INTERPRETING SOMETHING AS STRANGE AS THIS PLANT.

I'M AMAZED WHEN I LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THE COMMON NAME MAKES SENSE.

LOOK AT THE TRUNK... CORKY-LOOKING TRUNK FOR ABSORPTION OF WATER.

LOOKS ALMOST LIKE THE LEG OR THE TRUNK OF AN ELEPHANT.

SO ELEPHANT TREE IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THIS.

IT HAS SORT OF A REDDISH SAP THAT OOZES OUT IF YOU WERE TO CUT IT.

AND THEN, LOOK AT THE LEAVES.

VERY SMALL.

TINY, TINY COMPOUND LEAVES DOING VERY WELL HERE.

REALLY, THIS IS AS FAR NORTH AS THIS TREE IS KNOWN.

IT'S VERY SENSITIVE TO FROST.

THE FARTHEST NORTH KNOWN IS IN THIS STATE PARK.

THANK GOODNESS THIS PARK PROTECTS IT.

NEAREST KNOWN RELATIVE OF THIS TREE IS A TREE THAT LIVES WAY DOWN IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA CALLED A GUMBO LIMBO TREE.

IT IS SOMEWHAT REMINISCENT OF THAT.

AND THE OILS THAT COME OUT OF THIS-- THERE ARE SOME RELATIVES OF THIS ONE THAT... YOU TAKE THE OILS FROM TREES LIVING IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND YOU MAKE MYRRH AND FRANKINCENSE SO THAT'S AN INTERESTING CONNECTION THERE.

LEAVES VERY AROMATIC ON THIS THING.

IF YOU CRUSH THEM, IT ALMOST SMELLS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A CEDAR KIND OF SMELL.

NOW, THERE'S ANOTHER STRANGE PLANT.

LOOK RIGHT DOWN THERE-- FLOWERING.

SORT OF A GHOSTLY WHITE.

IT IS WHITE... GHOSTFLOWER: COMMON NAME FOR IT.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT COMES UP WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT AND THERE'S PLENTY OF MOISTURE.

ALMOST TRANSLUCENT, RUDY.

DOESN'T LAST LONG.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE ANNUALS THAT COMES UP WHEN EVERYTHING IS PERFECT.

STAYS A SHORT TIME, FLOWERS, PUTS SEED OUT AND THEN WAITS FOR THE NEXT RAIN FOR THOSE SEED TO GERMINATE.

DROUGHT-EVASIVE PLANT.

AND THEN DOWN THE WAY THERE THE BARREL CACTUS... AH, YES.

IS ONE OF THOSE DROUGHT-RESISTANT PLANTS.

BOY, YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MUCH WATER IS STORED IN THERE.

LOOK AT THE WAY IT'S TILTING.

LEANING TOWARD, I GUESS, THE SUN.

LOOKS LIKE IT, YEAH.

ALL OF THEM AROUND LEANING.

PLANTS GENERALLY AIM IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SUN AND YOU SEE IT WORKS VERY WELL HERE-- GIVES IT PLENTY OF SUNLIGHT AND ALSO ALLOWS THOSE SPINES I GUESS, TO SHADE A LITTLE BIT.

LOOK DOWN THE ALLUVIAL FAN, NOW INTO THE DISTANCE.

VERY DIVERSE PLACE HERE.

WHY DON'T WE JUST TURN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND HEAD UP TOWARD A CANYON WHERE IT'S A LITTLE MORE MOIST AND THE WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE AGAIN FOR US.

OKAY.

WE SAID EARLIER, NOW THAT WATER MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD AND HERE WE ARE IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA AT THE UPPER END OF ONE OF THESE CANYONS.

AND THAT WATER RUNNING NEXT TO US HAS CHANGED THE WORLD.

LOOK AT WHAT DOMINATES HERE, JIM.

PALMS.

THE BIG PALMS.

THE ONLY SPECIES OF PALM FOUND IN WESTERN NORTH AMERICA.

LOTS OF NAMES FOR IT.

IT WAS NAMED AFTER THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SO THE GENUS NAME IS WASHINGTONIA-- WASHINGTON PALM.

FAN PALM-- LOOK AT THE FRONDS HANGING DOWN UP THERE.

I LIKE THE COMMON NAME, PETTICOAT PALM BECAUSE IT LOOKS ALMOST LIKE A PETTICOAT AND THEY STAY ON.

AND, BOY, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT SPEND TIME IN THERE NESTING AND OTHER THINGS.

THERE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THESE GROVES IN THE DESERT AREA.

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?

HOW DID THEY GET HERE?

WELL, REALLY, THIS IS A GOOD SIGN THAT THIS AREA USED TO BE MUCH MORE LUSH.

A LOT OF THAT DRY BASIN THAT WE WERE WALKING ALONG EARLIER USED TO BE EDGES OF A RELATIVELY LARGE LAKE-- LUSH ENVIRONMENT ALL AROUND IT.

THESE PALMS WERE EVERYWHERE DOWN THERE.

THEY CAME UP THESE CANYONS.

NOW THE CLIMATE'S CHANGED.

THE LAKE IS BASICALLY GONE AND WE HAVE JUST LITTLE REMNANT POPULATIONS OF THESE.

WHEN THAT LAKE WAS THERE THERE WERE ELEPHANTS, CAMELS, HORSES, BISON-- ALL SORTS OF STRANGE THINGS.

HOW FAR BACK DO THESE PALMS GO?

20,000 OR SO YEARS AGO DURING PLEISTOCENE TIMES WAS WHEN THE LAKE WAS THERE.

THAT'S WHEN THEY WERE DOING WELL.

AND SLOWLY DISAPPEARING, THOUGH.

YEAH, AND FIRE, YOU SEE, HAS COME IN AND DAMAGED THIS GROVE, I'M AFRAID.

WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH SPECIAL TREASURES LIKE THIS.

THAT COOL FEELING UP HERE AND THE SOUND OF THE STREAM MAKES IT A VERY SPECIAL PLACE.

IT'S NICE-- AMAZING PLACE.

NOW WE'RE AT THE HEAD OF THIS CANYON.

LET'S WALK BACK DOWN TOWARD THAT ALLUVIAL FAN AGAIN AND SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND ALONG THE WAY.

THIS ALLUVIAL FAN HERE, NOW, IS MADE UP OF SOME PRETTY BIG HUNKS OF ROCK, ISN'T IT?

GRANITELIKE MATERIAL.

( chuckles ): YES.

IT'S AMAZING-- THE FURTHER UP THE CANYON YOU ARE THE BIGGER THE HUNKS OF MATERIAL.

WELL, THERE'S SO MUCH TO SEE AND SO LITTLE TIME.

YEAH, YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING ABOUT THE WAY THIS CANYON WORKS.

TAKE A LOOK BACK WHERE WE WERE WITH THE PALM GROVE-- NARROW CANYON THERE.

THEN AS WE COME DOWN IT GETS WIDER ON THE SIDE... LIKE A FAN.

LIKE...

EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND JUST TAKING THAT MATERIAL AND SLOWLY BUT SURELY WORKING IT DOWN.

AND BIG, MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF ROCK AND JUST... WELL, LOOK ON THIS SIDE OVER HERE.

THE ROCK THAT'S COMING OUT, BREAKING OFF WEATHERING, SLIDING DOWN THE HILL AND BECOMING EVENTUALLY A PART OF THAT ALLUVIAL FAN.

NATURE IS ALWAYS REWORKING THE WORLD, RESHUFFLING THE CARDS AND I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER AMAZING THINGS IS THAT THESE ARE BIG BOULDERS BUT THEY'RE PLANTS THAT COME IN HERE AND DO REALLY WELL.

AND I GUESS THE ONE THAT GRABS ME... JUST LOOK AT THE BRILLIANT RED ON THE CHUPAROSA.

CHUPAROSA?

AND THAT NICE LITTLE LIP ON THAT FLOWER.

FOOD FOR ANIMAL?

BRILLIANT RED.

QUITE A FEW INSECTS WILL COME TO THAT AND A HUMMINGBIRD.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE COSTA'S OR ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IN THE DESERT COMES TO THESE FLOWERS, TOO.

AND, REALLY, CHUPAROSA IS SPANISH FOR HUMMINGBIRD.

OH!

SO THERE'S A...

THERE'S KIND OF A... YOU KNOW, AN INTERESTING CONNECTION THERE.

A BRILLIANT RED AND THEN, RIGHT NEXT TO IT THE BRIGHT YELLOW-- ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE COMPOSITES.

BRITTLEBUSH IS THE COMMON NAME.

GETS ITS NAME BECAUSE IT IS INDEED BRITTLE?

IT'S STIFF.

THE BRANCHES THERE ARE VERY STIFF.

AND THEN LOOK AT THE WAY THE FLOWERS COME UP ABOVE THOSE LEAVES A GOOD BIT.

LEAVES WHITISH, AGAIN TO KEEP DOWN EVAPORATION.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT.

AND NOW LOOK AT... LOOK AT THE BEETLE ON THE FLOWER STARTING, PULLING AT THOSE DISK FLOWERS-- THOSE SMALL FLOWERS IN THE MIDDLE.

WHAT KIND OF BEETLE?

ONE OF THE BLISTER BEETLES.

AND THEN, NOW, LOOK AT HIM TAKING THE RAY FLOWER AND JUST, AT HIS LEISURE, EATING.

LOOK AT THOSE MOUTH PARTS WORKING...

EATING ON THAT RAY FLOWER.

SO THAT'S A...

IT'S DINNERTIME IN THE DESERT.

SO THAT'S A WHOLE CLUSTER OF FLOWERS.

AGAIN, PLANTS SUPPORTING ALL OF THE ANIMAL LIFE HERE.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY ANIMALS BUT THERE'S A LIZARD ON TOP OF THAT ROCK.

OH, YEAH, AND LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT THING.

GRANITE SPINY LIZARD IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT.

GETS ON GRANITE ROCK AND OTHER BIG HUNKS OF ROCK.

FEEDS ON INSECTS AND SPIDERS AND I GUESS IT GETS PROBABLY A SCORPION OR TWO.

IT'S ONE OF THE LARGER LIZARDS-- ABOUT SIX INCHES LONG?

YEAH, REALLY DARK, ISN'T IT?

VERY, VERY DARK-- LITTLE BIT OF SHEEN ON IT, BUT MOSTLY DARK.

SO MUCH TO SEE, SO MUCH DIVERSITY HERE.

WHY DON'T WE JUST FOLLOW THIS ON DOWN TO WHERE THE CANYON OPENS UP A LITTLE WIDER?

THIS MIXTURE OF ROCKS AND PLANTS IS SO NICE.

QUITE A GEOLOGICAL STORY, I'M SURE.

YEAH, AND IT KEEPS CHANGING AS WE HEAD OUT OF THE CANYON AND IT BEGINS TO OPEN UP A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND THE ROCKS REALLY DO TELL KIND OF A... AN INTERESTING STORY... AND REALLY QUITE A FEW STORIES.

WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT A LAKE THAT WAS ONCE OUT HERE IN THIS DRY BASIN.

BUT FROM RIGHT HERE I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR SOMETHING ELSE WENT ON.

SOMETHING PUSHED THEM UP.

YEAH, LOOKS LIKE LAYERING THERE THAT'S TILTED AT ALMOST A 45-DEGREE ANGLE.

THAT'S MAINLY METAMORPHIC ROCK OUT THERE.

WHAT DID THE SQUEEZING?

AT ONE TIME THAT WAS FLAT.

NOW IT'S PUSHED, TILTED UP ON ITS SIDE.

NOW IT'S PUSHED UP.

PROBABLY WHAT'S GOING ON IS THAT A...

SORT OF A SUBDIVISION OF THE PACIFIC PLATE-- WE NOW BELIEVE THE CRUST OF THE EARTH IS BROKEN INTO CERTAIN PLATES THAT ARE MOVING-- WAS FORCED UNDER THE PLATE WITH MOST OF NORTH AMERICA IN IT AND AS THAT PLATE WENT DOWN, IT FOLDED PUSHED UP LOTS OF ROCKS FORMING THESE MOUNTAIN RANGES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND ELSEWHERE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, AS THEY'RE FORMED THEY BEGIN TO ERODE AWAY AND BREAK DOWN.

AND IT DIDN'T JUST PUSH UP A LITTLE BIT HERE AND THERE.

IT ACTUALLY PUSHED IT UP IN LONG LINES-- FRACTURES IN THE ROCK AND I MEAN BIG FRACTURES IN THE ROCK.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE MOVEMENT ALONG THE FRACTURE YOU CALL THAT FRACTURE A "FAULT."

FAULT, SURE.

AND CALIFORNIA IS KNOWN FOR ITS FAULTS.

AND ONE WHICH IS TO THE EAST OF US HERE THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT ACTUALLY SEPARATES THE NORTH AMERICAN PLATE FROM THE PACIFIC PLATE SO WE'RE REALLY NOT IN NORTH AMERICA PROPER ANYMORE.

WE'RE ON ANOTHER PLATE.

EVER-CHANGING.

AMAZING, AND THEN WHEN THE WATER COMES DOWN... WELL, HERE'S YOUR DRY WASH AGAIN.

WE SAY WATER COMES DOWN, MOVES THESE BOULDERS.

IT'S DRY NOW.

TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE DROUGHT-EVADER PLANTS THAT CAME UP ALL OVER THERE-- ONE OF THE MONKEY FLOWERS.

AND I BET YOU YOU WON'T SEE THAT EVERY YEAR HERE.

IT'S JUST IN THE YEARS WHEN THERE'S BEEN EXTRA MOISTURE-- HEAVIER RAINS IN THE WINTER.

THE END OF FEBRUARY AND SOME RAINS-- YOU DO SEE DIFFERENT THINGS RIGHT NOW.

IT REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, YEAH.

LIZARD RIGHT DOWN HERE, JIM.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET HIM.

CAN YOU GET HIM?

YEAH.

LET'S SEE... GOT HIM.

EASY CATCH.

IF I CAN GET HIM OUT FROM UNDER THE ROCK.

YEAH.

DON'T WANT TO HURT HIM.

ONE OF THE REALLY COMMON VARIETIES OF LIZARDS: SIDE-BLOTCHED LIZARD.

WHY DO YOU CALL IT SIDE-BLOTCHED?

THIS THING REALLY DOES HAVE A DARK BLOTCH RIGHT BEHIND THOSE FRONT LEGS.

IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT.

BUT YOU SEE THE YELLOW STRIPING THERE ALONG THE SIDES OF THE FACE ALMOST-- LITTLE BIT OF BLUISH SPECKLING ON THE BACK?

GOOD COLORS.

YEAH.

AND SEEMS TO PUT UP WITH THIS HOT WEATHER PRETTY WELL.

SEE IF I CAN JUST EASE HIM AROUND TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT... YEAH, THAT BLOTCH ON THE SIDE RIGHT BEHIND THE LEGS.

AWFULLY HARD TO SEE THAT WHEN THE LIZARD'S ON THE ROCK BUT ONCE YOU GET HIM IN HAND IT'S REALLY PRETTY OBVIOUS.

DON'T WANT TO LEAVE HIM IN THE SUNSHINE TOO MUCH BUT THESE THINGS SCURRY AROUND HIDING UNDER THE ROCKS SUNNING ON THEM FEEDING ON INSECTS AND SPIDERS AND OTHER SMALL INVERTEBRATES THAT THEY FIND.

AND THAT'S ONE YOU'RE MOST LIKELY TO SEE ON THIS TRAIL.

YEAH, AND LET ME SEE IF I CAN SHOW YOU THIS, JIM.

I THINK I NOTICED THIS WHEN I GOT HIM.

LOOK AT THE TAIL.

SOMETHING GOT HIS TAIL.

YEAH, SEE, THE TAIL HAS BEEN BROKEN OFF.

THIS ANIMAL CAN ACTUALLY LET THE TAIL BREAK OFF WITHOUT HURTING HIMSELF TOO BADLY.

WHOA!

WITHOUT HURTING HIMSELF TOO BADLY.

AND THEN HE'LL REGROW THAT TAIL AND THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD DEFENSE MECHANISM AGAINST SO MANY PREDATORS OUT HERE IN THE DESERT.

SHOULD WE LET HIM...?

SIDE-BLOTCHED LIZARD.

LET HIM GO AGAIN?

YEAH, I THINK IT'S TIME WE JUST PUT HIM RIGHT BACK ON THE SAME ROCK AND WISH HIM WELL.

THERE'S ANOTHER INTERESTING GEOLOGICAL STORY WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT NEXT.

LET'S JUST HEAD OFF IN THIS DIRECTION.

Rudy: NOW WE'RE BACK REALLY, WHERE WE STARTED AT THAT DESERT ON THE DRY BASIN.

BUT NOW LOOK-- WE'RE EVEN BELOW THE DESERT LEVEL.

WATER'S COME IN HERE AND ERODED AWAY A GOOD BIT AND GIVEN US A BEAUTIFUL CROSS-SECTION.

YEAH, LOOK AT THE PIECES OF ROCK AND PEBBLES.

YEAH, LAYERED IN THERE, SEE?

SAND AND THEN A LAYER OF PEBBLES AND SAND AND PEBBLES...

THE ACTION OF WATER IN THE PAST, NOW PUTTING DOWN THESE LAYERS.

THEN THE PLANTS GREW ON THEM AND NOW MODERN-DAY WATER ACTION IN THIS DRY WASH IS TAKING MATERIAL AWAY.

CONSTANTLY CHANGING.

ABSOLUTELY, CONTINUING TO CHANGE.

FLOWERS BEGINNING TO COME BACK IN WHERE THEY CAN.

RIGHT, WHEN THE SAND SORT OF ERODES DOWN HERE THAT PLANT COMES IN AND IT IS APPROPRIATELY NAMED SAND VERBENA.

LOTS OF FLOWERS.

YOU SEE THEY COME OFF BASICALLY AT THE SAME POINT AND THICKENED LEAVES TO STORE WATER.

AND ONE OF THE MOST FRAGRANT FLOWERS REALLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENING YOU CAN NOTICE IT.

AND ISN'T IT INTERESTING-- THAT'S SORT OF A MINIATURE CANYON RIGHT THERE WITH ITS OWN LITTLE ALLUVIAL FAN DOWN HERE.

ONE OTHER GREAT VIEW RIGHT UP THE WAY.

ALL ALONG OUR WALK, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW WATER AFFECTS THE LIVES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS AND HOW IT KIND OF SHAPES THE FACE OF THE LAND.

GOT A GOOD FEELING FOR EROSION BACK AT THAT DRY WASH.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE THE BORREGO BADLANDS TO LET US KNOW ABOUT THE POWER IN RAINDROPS, JIM.

WHAT A DRAMATIC PICTURE THIS MAKES.

OH, ISN'T THAT PHENOMENAL?

AND RAINDROPS ARE THE CAUSE OF ALL OF THIS EROSION.

YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE STREAMS THERE THE LITTLE DRY WASHES THAT FILL WITH WATER WHEN RAIN COMES.

YOU CAN ALSO GET A FEELING, NOW FOR LAYERING OUT THERE-- JUST LIKE THE FEELING WE GOT BACK A MOMENT AGO EXCEPT THIS IS MUCH DEEPER IN THE GROUND.

AND WHERE DID ALL THAT STUFF COME FROM?

HOW DID IT GET HERE?

CAME DOWN FROM UP NORTH SOMEWHERE, THAT'S FOR SURE.

IT CAME DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER.

THIS IS A PART OF THE DELTA OF THE COLORADO RIVER BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN IT WAS DIGGING OUT A RATHER LARGE CANYON.

GRAND CANYON.

THE GRAND CANYON AND THIS IS SOME OF THE SEDIMENTS THAT WAS DUMPED BUT THE COLORADO RIVER, THEN FILLING UP WHAT USED TO BE AN OCEAN AREA OUT THERE LEAVING REMNANTS OF IT.

THAT LOW AREA OUT THERE, CALLED THE SALTON SEA IS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT USED TO BE THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA FILLED BY THE COLORADO RIVER.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE CALL THIS THE COLORADO DESERT.

SO MANY DIFFERENT FEELINGS, DIFFERENT SCENES DIFFERENT FACES TO THIS AREA.

WELL, THIS PLACE IS VERY DIVERSE.

I MEAN, THE DIVERSITY WE'VE SEEN IS PHENOMENAL AND WE'VE REALLY JUST SCRATCHED THE SURFACE.

LARGE PART, THANK GOODNESS, IS PROTECTED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

THIS WAS A GRAND PLACE TO END THE VISIT TO ANZA-BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK.

WE'RE HERE AT FONT'S POINT.

THIS IS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NOT FAR FROM THE MEXICAN BORDER.

COME SEE IT FOR YOURSELF AND JOIN US AGAIN ON THE NEXT NATURE SCENE.

LET'S TAKE ANOTHER LOOK OVER HERE.

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