San Diego

===Ecology===
{{see also|California coastal sage and chaparral}}
[[File:Cabrillo Monument 04.JPG|thumb|left|View of [[Coronado, California|Coronado]] from [[Cabrillo National Monument]]]]
Like much of [[Southern California]], the majority of San Diego's current area was originally occupied on the west by [[coastal sage scrub]] and on the east by [[chaparral]], plant communities made up mostly of drought-resistant shrubs.<ref>Pryde, Philip R. 2014. "The Nature of the County: San Diego's Climate, Vegetation, and Wildlife". In: ''San Diego: An Introduction to the Region'', by Philip R. Pryde, pp. 29–45. 5th ed. Sunbelt Publications, San Diego.</ref> The steep and varied topography and proximity to the ocean create a number of different habitats within the city limits, including [[tidal marsh]] and [[canyons]]. The chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitats in low elevations along the coast are prone to [[wildfire]], and the rates of fire increased in the 20th century, due primarily to fires starting near the borders of urban and wild areas.<ref name="FireVegetation">{{cite journal|last1=Wells|first1=Michael L.|first2=John F. |last2=O'Leary |first3=Janet |last3=Franklin |first4=Joel |last4=Michaelsen |first5=David E. |last5=McKinsey|title=Variations in a regional fire regime related to vegetation type in San Diego County, California (USA)|journal=Landscape Ecology|volume= 19|issue= 2|pages=139–152|date=November 2, 2004| doi = 10.1023/B:LAND.0000021713.81489.a7|bibcode=2004LaEco..19..139W |s2cid=40769609|id=1572-9761}}</ref>

San Diego's broad city limits encompass a number of large nature preserves, including [[Torrey Pines State Reserve]], [[Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve]], and [[Mission Trails Regional Park]]. Torrey Pines State Reserve and a coastal strip continuing to the north constitute one of only two locations where the rare species of Torrey Pine, ''[[Torrey pine|Pinus torreyana]]'', is found.<ref name="TorreyPine">{{cite web|last1=Strömberg |first1=Nicklas |first2=Michael |last2=Hogan |title=Torrey Pine: Pinus torreyana |publisher=GlobalTwitcher |date=November 29, 2008 |url=http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec.asp?thingid=62498 |access-date=April 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116150148/http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec.asp?thingid=62498 |archive-date=January 16, 2009 }}</ref> 
Due to the steep topography that prevents or discourages building, along with some efforts for preservation, there are also a large number of canyons within the city limits that serve as nature preserves, including [[Switzer Canyon]], Tecolote Canyon Natural Park,<ref name="TecoloteCanyon">{{cite web | url=http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/osp/tecolote/ | title=Tecolote Canyon Natural Park & Nature Center | publisher=The City of San Diego | access-date=April 22, 2009}}</ref> and Marian Bear Memorial Park in [[San Clemente Canyon]],<ref name="MarianBear">{{cite web | url=http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/osp/marianbear/index.shtml | title=Marian Bear Memorial Park | publisher=The City of San Diego | access-date=April 22, 2009 | archive-date=May 5, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505224949/http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/osp/marianbear/index.shtml | url-status=dead }}</ref> as well as a number of small parks and preserves.
[[File:Cowles Mtn. from Lake Murray - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|[[Cowles Mountain]] from [[Lake Murray (California)|Lake Murray]]]]
[[File:Old Town, San Diego, CA, USA - panoramio (11) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Serra Museum at [[Presidio Park]]]]
San Diego County has one of the highest counts of animal and plant species that appear on the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service list of endangered species|endangered list]] of counties in the United States.<ref name="legacy.utsandiego.com">{{Cite web|url=http://legacy.utsandiego.com/news/politics/20070328-9999-1n28esa.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021134521/http://legacy.utsandiego.com/news/politics/20070328-9999-1n28esa.html|archive-date=October 21, 2012|title=SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics – White House seeks limits to species act|date=October 21, 2012|access-date=August 7, 2018}}</ref> Because of its diversity of habitat and its position on the [[Pacific Flyway]], San Diego County has recorded 492 different bird species, more than any other region in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdnhm.org/archive/research/birdatlas_draft/index.html|title=San Diego County Bird Atlas Project|work=San Diego Natural History Museum|access-date=June 20, 2014}}</ref> San Diego always scores high in the number of bird species observed in the annual [[Christmas Bird Count]], sponsored by the [[Audubon Society]], and it is known as one of the "birdiest" areas in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corpus Christi Recognized as Birdiest City |url=http://www.corpuschristidaily.com/article_detail_new.cfm?id=1353 |newspaper=Corpus Christi Daily |date=December 2004 |access-date=April 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025155936/http://www.corpuschristidaily.com/article_detail_new.cfm?id=1353 |archive-date=October 25, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/36229005/Corpus-Christi-Remains-'Birdiest-City-in-America |title=Corpus Christi remains 'birdiest city in America' |date=June 25, 2008 |publisher=Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau |access-date=April 13, 2011}}</ref>

San Diego and its backcountry suffer from periodic wildfires. In October 2003, San Diego was the site of the [[Cedar Fire (2003)|Cedar Fire]], at that time the largest wildfire in California over the past century.<ref name="CedarLargeFire">{{cite journal|last=Goldstein|first=Bruce Evan|title=The Futility of Reason: Incommensurable Differences Between Sustainability Narratives in the Aftermath of the 2003 San Diego Cedar Fire|journal=Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning|volume=9|issue=3 & 4|pages=227–244|date=September 2007|doi=10.1080/15239080701622766|bibcode=2007JEPP....9..227E |s2cid=216142119}}</ref> The fire burned {{convert|280000|acres|km2}}, killed 15 people, and destroyed more than 2,200 homes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/cdf/incidents/Cedar%20Fire_120/incident_info.html |title=CalFire website |publisher=Fire.ca.gov |access-date=July 1, 2010 |archive-date=July 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711214728/http://www.fire.ca.gov/cdf/incidents/Cedar%20Fire_120/incident_info.html }}</ref> In addition to damage caused by the fire, smoke resulted in a significant increase in emergency room visits due to asthma, respiratory problems, eye irritation, and smoke inhalation; the poor air quality caused San Diego County schools to close for a week.<ref>{{cite journal| last1 = Viswanathan |first1 = S.| first2 = L. |last2=Eria |first3=N. |last3=Diunugala |first4=J. |last4=Johnson |first5=C. |last5=McClean| title = An Analysis of Effects of San Diego Wildfire on Ambient Air Quality| journal = Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association| volume = 56| issue = 1| pages = 56–67| date = January 2006| url = http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=ENV&recid=6707765&q=wildfire+%22san+diego+%22&uid=&setcookie=yes| access-date = December 15, 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081227170026/http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=ENV&recid=6707765&q=wildfire+%22san+diego+%22&uid=&setcookie=yes| archive-date = December 27, 2008| doi = 10.1080/10473289.2006.10464439| pmid = 16499147| bibcode=2006JAWMA..56...56V | s2cid = 27215815| doi-access = free}}</ref> [[October 2007 California wildfires|Wildfires four years later]] destroyed some areas, particularly within [[Rancho Bernardo, San Diego|Rancho Bernardo]], as well as the nearby communities of [[Rancho Santa Fe, California|Rancho Santa Fe]] and [[Ramona, California|Ramona]].<ref name="legacy.utsandiego.com"/>