Location of the study site and images captured during the 2014 historic drought.

<p>(a) The study site was located in the Cold Creek Canyon, Santa Monica Mountains (California, USA) at 6.5 km from the coast. The grid is represented in degrees. (b) General view of the study site showing extensive dieback taken on March 2, 2014, (c) November 1, 2014, and (d) March 21, 2015, after winter rains. The <i>Malosma laurina</i> that can be observed at the forefront right (b and c) remains green, in contrast with the middle ground chaparral shrubs where plants where sampled, because it is presumed to have access to more water since it grows along the road experiencing less competition for soil moisture and enhanced runoff. At the back of the middle ground some riparian oaks grow along a stream and remain green. These images evidence the effects that the global change type drought is having on the upland vegetation. (Photographs: R. Brandon Pratt).