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Welcome to the Global Serpentine Ecology Database |
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In order to submit publications or edit content (articles), registration and logging-in is a requirement. All articles on the website can be edited and saved and new content can be added. Some sections are easily edited and added by all users, while other sections will go through peer-review before changes are published online. It is also possible to comment on each others texts. This will hopefully generate vast amounts of reliable knowledge on serpentine ecology around the globe by a principle of ‘integrative reflective and self-corrective’ authoring by a multitude of different experts from different backgrounds/disciplines. This database is live, but is a work in progress and therefore needs to be filled with information. You can upload and list your own papers, articles and theses, of which already some 200 are posted. The main aim is to provide an extensive, searchable, online resource about serpentine localities around the globe. At the moment about 500 localities in 6 continents and 38 countries are listed. We would like to invite you to make a write-up of one locality that you are familiar/knowledgeable about and post it to us at:
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). Your entry will be placed (under your name as author) in the respective place on the website. In a later stage it will be possible to edit and add to these entries. |
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Introduction to The Cedars |
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Soldiers Delight, Maryland |
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The Cedars, Sonoma Co., California, USA |
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The Cedars – A Combination of Protected Reserves and Sensitive Ecologies At Risk |
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The Cedars is a case study in both human disturbance and conservation of an ultramafic ecosystem. Until recently, The Cedars had no levels of conservation protection. Some areas were disturbed by human use. In the first half of the 20th century, prices for chromium and magnesite increased. Significant levels of human disturbance that included three surface mines and the access roads to them were the first major disturbances to this otherwise pristine ultramafic ecosystem. During the second half of the 20th century, demand for recreational properties increased, thus new roads were created which further fragmented the natural habitat. Today, off-road vehicle use, bull-dozing of new roads, and rural residential uses in the area continue to be the biggest threats.
Starting in 1981, Roger Raiche began to explore and document The Cedars. As Museum Scientist for the University of California at Berkeley Botanical Gardens, he started to bring more attention to this unique ecosystem. In the 1990’s the largest privately owned parcel at The Cedars and the most critical hot spot of biodiversity, the 520 acre Main Canyon, came onto the real estate market. After Raiche was unable to secure a conservation agency buyer for the lands, he made the commitment to purchase the property with his partner David McCrory. Read the full story here. |
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