McLaughlin Natural Reserve

University of California's Natural Reserve System


	McLaughlin
	Contact Information Paul Aigner and Cathy Koehler Reserve Managers McLaughlin Reserve 26775 Morgan Valley Road Lower Lake, CA 95457 Phone: 707-995-9005 mclaughlin@ucdavis.edu
	Location Napa, Lake, and Yolo Counties, northwest of Davis; two-hours from Davis campus. Map Quest
	Facilities Interim research station with computers, bunkroom, classroom, and kitchen provided by Homestake Mining Company with future facilities to be provided; storage space.
	Databases Natural History Handbook with species lists; meteorological, air quality, water quality, and aquatic ecology databases available in various formats.
	Personnel Two staff reserve managers and a roving steward.
	Size 2,800 ha (7,050 acres)
	Elevation 366 - 732 m (1,200 - 2,400 ft)
	Average Precipitation 62 cm (24 in) per year
	Average Temperatures July: 25°C (77°F) January: 8°C (46°F)
	Transect Articles specific to McLaughlin
	Mathias Grant Research specific to McLaughlin
	Site Spec Sheet (PDF)

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Natural Reserve

Established in 1992

Northern Elephant Seal at Ano Nuevo Island Reserve

McLaughlin Website

At 2,800 hectares (7,050 acres), the McLaughlin Natural Reserve is one of the NRS’s largest sites, and it is one of only a few sites in California that protects unusual serpentine habitats for research and teaching. The McLaughlin Reserve encompasses several geologic formations, two watersheds (Putah and Cache Creeks), and a variety of vegetation that includes oak woodlands, nonserpentine chaparral, serpentine chaparral, and grasslands. Overlain on this natural diversity is a mosaic of human land-use, yielding grazed and ungrazed grasslands, relatively pristine habitats, and reclaimed mining areas. Surrounding the reserve are 30,000 hectares (75,000 acres) of accessible public land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Photo Gallery

Baseline data
The Homestake Mining Company has collected baseline data on the site’s geology, soils, hydrology, air and water quality, archaeology, and terrestrial and aquatic ecology; ongoing environmental monitoring adds to the computer database.

Field courses
The site is visited by university courses in plant ecology, California floristics, geology, and creative writing.

Expanded facilities
Establishment of the reserve as an environmental-research field station is part of the long-term reclamation plan for the gold mine.

Selected Research
• Serpentine habitats: Dynamics and succession of serpentine chaparral; the spread of exotic grasses on serpentine.
• Ant studies: Ant specificity to unique isolated habitats; determinants of polymorphism and foraging strategies in ants.
• Host-association effect on herbivory of the Indian paintbrush species.
• Ecological and evolutionary responses to habitat mosaics: integrating across spatial and temporal hierarchies of plant biodiversity.

Computer generated TOPP Map of Pinnipeds route at sea

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last updated 9/22/05