The southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, including the Sierra de la Laguna, was formerly an island in prehistoric times. It has a distinctive flora and fauna, with many affinities to Southwestern Mexico. The Sierra is home to many
endemic species and subspecies. Some of the more common plants restricted to the region are
Bidens cabopulmensis,
Diospyros intricata,
Erythranthe lagunensis,
Heimia salicifolia,
Hibiscus ribifolius,
Indigofera fruticosa,
Physalis glabra,
Quercus brandegeei,
Sida xanti,
Stenotis asperuloides, and
Yucca capensis. '' at El Picacho The dry
San Lucan xeric scrub ecoregion extends from the sea level at the coast to in elevation. The
Sierra de la Laguna dry forests ecoregion occupy lower portion of the range, from in elevation. Above in elevation, the dry forests transition to the
Sierra de la Laguna pine-oak forests ecoregion. The composition of the
pine-
oak forests varies with elevation; oak
woodlands predominate from in elevation, with oak-pine woodlands between in elevation, transitioning to pine-oak forests above in elevation. The only pine is the local endemic species
Laguna pinyon Pinus lagunae. The upper reaches of the mountains include endemic species such as a rare
succulent plant
Dudleya rigida, and a
beargrass known as
Nolina beldingii. The forests are exploited commercially for
timber, and
cattle-raising is common in the oak woodland and dry forest zones. The Sierra holds a number of endemic bird species and subspecies, including
Baird's junco Junco bairdii and the very distinct
American robin subspecies
Turdus migratorius confinis, by some authors considered a distinct species
Turdus confinis.
Biosphere reserve UNESCO has designated the Sierra de la Laguna a global
biosphere reserve: "This semi arid to temperate subhumid climate area represents highly important and contrasted ecosystems, including arid zones,
matorrales, low deciduous forest type, evergreen oak:
Quercus devia (“encino”) woods, pine-evergreen oak mix woods and oases with palms and “guerivos” situated throughout the gallery forest following the long river basins." The Biosphere reserve was established by a Mexican presidential decree of 6 June 1994, which designated a core area and buffer zones. The core area is centered on the higher-elevation oak-pine forests, while the transition area includes the communities of
Todos Santos,
El Pescadero, El Triunfo,
San Antonio, San Bartolo, Buena Vista, Los Barriles, Las Cuevas,
Santiago and
Miraflores, Baja California Sur. ==Climate==