climate change

USDA's New Research Center Set to Advance Innovation in Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, broke ground this week on its new Agricultural Research and Technology Center – a facility located in Davis that will feature specialized labs, greenhouses and research space to tackle key issues in agriculture. In this new center, UC Davis and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will continue its long-standing collaboration to advance projects in sustainable agriculture, invasive species, water management, soil health and more.

Student Entomologists Gain Hands-On Skills in Insect Biology

Distinguished Professor of Entomology Jay Rosenheim noticed a trend during his office hours a few years ago: Many of his undergraduate students wanted research lab experience but were unsure how to get started. Alongside colleagues Louis Yang and Joanna Chiu, they collectively decided to try something different in 2011.

“Our basic idea was to get students into the labs really early in their undergraduate programs,” Rosenheim recalled. “There’s a whole new set of skills that are very different from what students are typically working on in their formal coursework.”

Mapping the Future’s Sweet Spot for Clean Energy and Biodiversity

Climate change is driving both the loss of biodiversity and the need for clean, renewable energy. It is also shifting where species are expected to live in the future. Yet these realities are rarely considered together. Where can clean energy projects be built without impacting the future habitat ranges of threatened and endangered species?

Professor Reflects on Role at the Council of Economic Advisers in D.C.

After memorable encounters with the president and collaborating with some of the world’s top economic experts, Frances C. Moore, an associate professor with the Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), is shedding light on the relationship between research and real-world decision-making.

Genetic Diversity of Wild North American Grapes Mapped

Wild North American grapes are now less of a mystery after an international team of researchers led by the University of California, Davis, decoded and catalogued the genetic diversity of nine species of this valuable wine crop.

The research, published in the journal Genome Biology, uncovers critical traits that could accelerate grape breeding efforts, particularly in tackling challenges like climate change, saline environments and drought.

Heat Waves Negatively Impact Bird Reproduction in Agriculture

Bird populations are in rapid decline across North America. While climate change is just one of the many factors influencing North American birds, its effects are significant and can interact with other stressors, such as habitat loss. A team of University of California, Davis, researchers found that the effects of extreme temperatures on avian reproduction can vary depending on the type of environment that birds call home.

USDA Awards Research Grants to Study Triticale, Snap Beans and More

Craft bakers love adding a little triticale to breads for its subtle blend of nutty and earthy flavors and its moist, slightly chewy texture. Farmers love the grain mainly for forage: It produces bigger yields with less water and fertilizer compared to wheat. Now, Joshua Hegarty and colleagues across the country will work on combining those qualities to create new varieties of triticale that are good for bread-baking at commercial scale.