A new Center for Plant
Diversity!
We are continuing to raise funds for our new facility in 2005, and we need your help. Do you know someone with an interest in conservation, botany, ecology, or systematics that would like to hear about our campaign? Give them this Website address, or have them contact us [Ellen Dean (eadean@ucdavis.edu) or Jean Shepard (jvshepard@ucdavis.edu), phone: 530-752-1091].
Why we moved the herbarium out of Robbins Hall?
Insect Damage to Specimens
In its previous location, temperatures in the herbarium routinely exceeded 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperatures get this high, various species of beetles multiply and enter our herbarium cases. "Herbarium beetles" are the number one cause of damage to herbarium specimens in the United States. Some of the specimens of the UC Davis Herbarium have been greatly damaged by insects over the years.
Exceeding Floor Capacity
The herbarium outgrew its prior location in the early 1970s, at which time herbarium cases were stacked on top of herbarium cases, already exceeding the floor capacity which could not support new rails and carriages of a movable aisle system. The new facility has a movable aisle storage system that provides us twice as much case space as stationary aisles.
Out of Room!
There was not enough case space and we had stopped all incoming specimens except for researcher loans from other institutions. Our specimens were space impacted in their cases and
plant parts were breaking off, due to compaction.
