The plant associations of the middle and lower canopy overlap and are affected by the density of the forest and its leaf litter. Hence, it is likely you will see many of the same species mentioned in the middle canopy section such as salal (Gaultheria shallon), evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), California wax myrtle (Myrica californica), manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.) and blue blossom (or ceanothus) (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus), as well as western poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), western labrador tea (Ledum glandulosum) and western bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens) (Barbour & Major 1977; Evens 1993; Johnston 1994; Kozloff and Beidleman 1994). In the damper portions of some bishop pine stands, particularly at Ledum Swamp, the rare deer fern (Blechnum spicant) can also be observed (Evens 1993).

Fauna

The forest floor is home to a mixture of rodents and rabbits, as well as the occasional black-tailed deer (Odocoileus columbianus) and bobcat (Lynx rufus). The dusky-footed wood rat (Neotoma fuscipes), Sonoma chipmunk (Eutamias sonomae) and brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani) are among the more common indicator species found scurrying around the forest floor. N. fuscipes has formidable predators to contend with, including the spotted owl (Strix occidentalis), gopher snake (Pituophis melanoleucus), hawk, fox, bobcat (Lynx rufus) and raccoon (Procyon lotor psora). E. sonomae is the only chipmunk found on the Peninsula and is restricted to bishop pine and Douglas fir forests. Even with its unique status, however, there is no escaping the predation of larger mammals and raptors. As for S. bachmani, unlike its relative the black-tailed hare (Lepus californicus), it is a slow moving species requiring thick understory to escape predators such as owls, hawks, bobcats and foxes (Evens 1993; Kricher 1993).

Since the 1995 fire, the rare mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) has become perhaps the most endangered mammal on the Peninsula. It is also considered a relict species and requires the dense ground cover of thickets and ferns to escape the larger aforementioned predators. It usually makes its home near streams and marshy areas and is a strict vegetarian relying on such plants as evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) and blackberry (Rubus ursinus) (Ingles 1992; Kricher 1993).