Award Abstract #0542320
RCN: SERNEC: SouthEast Network of Expertise and Collections

NSF Org:	DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure
Initial Amendment Date:	June 20, 2006
Latest Amendment Date:	June 3, 2008
Award Number:	0542320
Award Instrument:	Continuing grant
Program Manager:	William Carl Taylor DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	July 1, 2006
Expires:	June 30, 2009 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$293085
Investigator(s):	Zack Murrell murrellze@appstate.edu (Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Appalachian State University P.O. Box 32068 Boone, NC 28608 828/262-8249
NSF Program(s):	BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH COLLECTION
Field Application(s):
Program Reference Code(s):	BIOT, 9183, 1664, 1197, 1171, 1165
Program Element Code(s):	1197

ABSTRACT

The SouthEast Regional Network of Expertise and Collections (SERNEC) includes 150 herbaria in 15 states throughout the southeastern United States. The central vision for SERNEC is to engender a wider understanding of one of the most botanically diverse regions of the earth, which will lead to better botanical research, improvements in rational biodiversity and land-use management, and a better-informed public. The Southeast contains a significant amount of undeveloped land, has a well-documented record of past plant migrations, and is home to a large number of herbarium collections, all of which make it an ideal model for evaluating our changing biota. By integrating collections at a regional scale, linking smaller herbaria and larger research collections, the SERNEC network will make information and expertise broadly available to researchers and educators interested in habitat fragmentation, global warming, invasive species, and other pressing regional, national, and global biological issues.

The goals SERNEC is pursuing in achieving its vision are: 1) developing plans to make regional collections available in digital form to the scientific community and general users, 2) coordinating research activities among network members and participants to help address the impact of humans on the biota and how that impact can be ameliorated, 3) coordinating teaching and learning activities to train new botanists, to help K-12 teachers develop new and richer curricula, and to spur greater botanical awareness among the general public. The network will hold five annual regional symposia/workshops in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB), the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society (SABS) and The Society of Herbarium Curators (SHC) and state level symposia/workshops. An electronic discussion list serves to coordinate activities of the core network participants and a second has been created to coordinate a larger group representing 45 herbaria. The SHC/SERNEC website is available online at http://www.newberrynet.com/sabs/shc/ and an electronic newsletter is being developed that can be distributed in hard copy to reach other interested parties.

Databasing collections on a regional scale will provide information to address taxonomic, ecological, evolutionary, conservation and plant natural products research questions. This network of regional expertise complements other large-scale data gathering and dissemination initiatives to generate a synergy of ideas for future research endeavors. Interactions among experts at various institutions provides a "virtual campus" to assist in training biologists and serves as a resource for finding needed expertise for federal, state and local agencies, and community colleges. Herbaria and their curatorial expertise are an excellent source of information for K-12 teachers, students, and the broader community, and this network provides the information needed to assist each herbarium in maximizing their outreach to educators and the local public. Finally, this network will ensure the long-term preservation of and public access to unique research materials.

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