Facebook
X (Twitter)
Reddit
Pinterest
Tumblr
LinkedInPosts Tagged: research
UC Davis Research Scholars Program in Insect Biology: Meet Kaitai Liu
Back in 2011, three UC Davis entomology faculty members launched the campuswide Research...
UC Davis student entomologist Kaitai Liu exults after finding a rain beetle on a field trip. He plans to become an entomology professor and study rain beetles.
Bohart Museum of Entomology volunteer Kaitai Liu, a UC Davis entomology major, introduces an open house visitor, Eden Jett, 7, of Berkeley, to a stick insect. Eden has her sights set on becoming an entomologist. She and her mother, Peg, brought dragonfly cookies to a 2022 open house themed "Dragonflies and Spiders." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Large scale demonstration of chemigated rimsulfuron treatments for branched broomrape control in California processing tomato
Large scale demonstration of chemigated rimsulfuron treatments for branched broomrape control in...
Good fire is back at the Hopland Research and Extension Center
Fire has been part of indigenous stewardship in California since time immemorial. These fire practices were deeply connected to cultural traditions, food ways, and enhanced the resilience of landscapes. Using fire for research and land management at the UC ANR Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) dates back to the early 1950s and fire was used as an effective tool for maintaining the health of the landscape for many years. However, the regulations and paperwork permitting controlled burns became increasingly restrictive after the catastrophic wildfires of 2017.
Thanks to three years of perseverance by John Bailey, HREC director, and with help from trained UC ANR advisors and staff, we were able to execute a research burn once again, instead of relying on the more restrictive CalFire Vegetation Management Plan process. By carefully reintroducing fire, a tool essential for rangeland and oak woodland stewardship, we want to be able to use good fire for research and to recover biodiversity and make the landscape more climate resilient.
On Nov. 8, 2024, HREC successfully conducted a prescribed burn as part of ongoing research to advance the restoration of a unique perennial wetland. This prescribed burn is part of a larger initiative to enhance native biodiversity and control invasive species. Fire was used as a natural disturbance to open up the dense Tule stands surrounding the pond to create a habitat mosaic with a diversity of plant species and habitat structure for native frogs and other pond life.
The burn was led by UCANR staff and academics, including Jeff Stackhouse, UC Cooperative Extension natural resource advisor, and Mike Jones, UCCE forestry advisor, whose leadership ensured its successful execution. We also had significant community participation from members of theHopland Band ofPomo Indians, including their Environmental Protection Agency director, as well as Grizzly Corps members, researchers and volunteers.
This event provided an opportunity for the diverse group to learn about controlled burns, engage in fire safety education, and explore how such practices contribute to ecological resilience. By involving community members in the process, the event not only restored habitat but also fostered a deeper understanding of fire's role in ecosystem health and stewardship.
HREC plans to work with UC ANR leadership and the UC ANR Fire Network to establish clear policies for conducting regular burns for research, stewardship and extension. Additionally, HREC will continue partnering with CalFire, leveraging their capacity for larger-scale projects, ensuring a variety of pathways are available for safely conducting prescribed fire and to strengthen the UC-CalFire relationship for better land stewardship outcomes statewide.
Outstanding PBS Deep Look Video: 'Why Do Sunflowers Face the Sunrise?'
Sunflowers bring out the best in us. They bring us joy, happiness, hope and unity. But wait...
The newly released PBS Deep Look video "Why Do Sunflowers Face the Sunrise?" is a crowd favorite. (Screen shot)
A bee commonly found on sunflowers is Epimelissodes obliqua expurgata, formerly known as Svastra obliqua expurgata. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bumble Bees: Feeling Impact of Climate Change
We remember the reaction of Robbin Thorp (1933-2019), UC Davis distinguished emeritus...
UC Davis research shows that rising temperatures are particularly alarming to some bumble bee species, including the Western bumble bee, Bombus occidentalis. This one was located on Aug. 15, 2012 in the Mt. Shasta area. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
UC Davis researchers found that one of "the winners" in their climate change study is the yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, shown here heading for a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male bumble bee, Bombus bifarius, nectaring on coastal goldfield, Lasthenia minor, at Bodega Bay. A UC Davis study shows that the rising temperatures are particularly alarming to a number of species, including this one. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
