51�ԹϺ�� Davis Science and Climate News

Prescribed Burns Saved Thousands of Giant Sequoias

Katherine E Kerlin — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:00:00 PDT

When two major wildfires burned through the Sierra Nevada in 2020 and 2021, they took thousands of giant sequoia trees with them. Without prescribed burns, thousands more would have died, according to a new study from the University of California, Davis.

A Native California Wildflower Isn’t Keeping Up with Climate Change

Katherine E Kerlin — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:00:00 PDT

The mountain jewelflower inhabits a wide swath of California and Oregon, from summer-scorched foothills to high mountains where snow falls during winter. But it is already suffering from climate change, with plants in the mountains struggling to survive both summers and winters, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

Surfing Webcams Help Demystify Oregon’s Coastal Fog

Katherine E Kerlin — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:00:00 PDT

Webcams commonly used by surfers are helping scientists measure Oregon's coastal fog, shows a study from 51�ԹϺ�� Davis and the USDA Forest Service.

Tahoe State of the Lake Report Released

Katherine E Kerlin — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:43:11 PDT

The University of California, Davis, Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) today released its “Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2026” which presents data from 2025 in the context of the long-term record.

The report provides an annual update for non-scientists on the Lake Tahoe Basin’s ecological health. It includes data related to temperature, precipitation and snowmelt, nutrients, algae, water clarity and more.

Melting Icebergs Can Weaken a Massive, Far-Off Ocean Current System

Katherine E Kerlin — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:00:00 PDT

Melting and breaking icebergs in the far-off, northeastern region of the Pacific Ocean can weaken a massive current system in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a University of California, Davis study published in Nature Communications.

2025 Lake Tahoe Clarity Report Released

Katherine E Kerlin — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 08:30:00 PDT

Staring into the depths of Lake Tahoe, you might think the view goes on forever. But researchers at the 51�ԹϺ�� Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center have been tracking precisely how far a person can see through the famed lake’s waters for nearly 60 years and sharing the results in the annual Lake Tahoe Clarity Report.

After the Fires: Protecting LA’s Trees While Learning Lessons for the Future

Jocelyn C Anderson — Tue, 26 May 2026 08:55:40 PDT

Southern California is emerging from yet another round of wildfires just as the wildfire season gets underway.

These California Wildflowers Could Save Other Plants

Jocelyn C Anderson — Tue, 26 May 2026 08:50:40 PDT

The jewelflower, a small California wildflower, may help scientists understand how more plants could survive changing weather patterns.

Forest Fuel Treatments Reduce Wildfire Spread, Prevent $2.8 Billion in Damage

Amy M Quinton — Thu, 07 May 2026 11:00:00 PDT

A 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study finds every dollar spent on forest fuel treatments saves $3.75 in wildfire damages.

Study Projects Plant Extinction Rates Through 2100

Katherine E Kerlin — Thu, 07 May 2026 11:00:00 PDT

A 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study in Science found that 7% to 16% of global plant species studied face high risk of extinction by 2100 under current climate change projections.

Climate Change Increases Spillover Risk of Rodent-Borne Arenaviruses

Katherine E Kerlin — Mon, 04 May 2026 09:00:00 PDT

Climate change is likely to drive rodent-borne arenaviruses into parts of South America that have never faced these diseases, putting new communities of people at risk, finds a study from the University of California, Davis.

For the study, published in the journal npj Viruses, scientists incorporated climate projections, shifting rodent populations and the risks of human infection into a model to offer an early risk projection for arenaviruses and other diseases in the next 20 to 40 years.

Stop-and-Go Science: Researchers Pivot to Try to Salvage Important Work

Jocelyn C Anderson — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:00:13 PDT

When climate change is faster than the speed of science and unstable funding threatens discovery, 51�ԹϺ�� Davis scientists pivot to try to save important research.

Wildfire-Driven Deforestation Rates in California Among Highest in World

Katherine E Kerlin — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:00 PDT

California has one of the highest rates of wildfire-driven deforestation in the world, and the trend has accelerated over the past three decades, according to a 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study.

Managed Wetlands a Culinary Hot Spot for SF Bay Fish, But They Need Delivery Options

Katherine E Kerlin — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:47:03 PDT

A 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study shows that part of the San Fransisco Estuary is teeming with fish food — the managed wetlands of Suisun Marsh. Timing seasonal flood releases from them could feed more fish.

Unlocking Longevity Insights From Ancient Bristlecone Pine

Katherine E Kerlin — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:00:00 PDT

Scientists have sequenced the bristlecone pine genome, which could help unlock the secrets of this tree's exceptionally long life.

Frog Love Songs and the Sounds of Climate Change

Katherine E Kerlin — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 PST

A good love song tells female frogs when the time is right for mating, finds a 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study showing male frogs change their tune as the weather warms.

Some Corals Can Stand the Heat — Could They Help Those That Can’t?

Jocelyn C Anderson — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:45:57 PST

51�ԹϺ�� Davis researchers are studying why some corals can stand heat and heal from bleaching. The answers could help protect coral reefs from climate change.

Lessons from the Caldor Fire’s Christmas Valley ‘Miracle’

Katherine E Kerlin — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:00:00 PST

The Lake Tahoe communities of Christmas Valley and Meyers were spared during 2021's Caldor Fire. A 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study reveals which pre-fire fuel treatments worked best to bring about the Christmas Valley "miracle."

Record Returns: 2,100 Salmon Spawned in Putah Creek

Katherine E Kerlin — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:32:36 PST

A record-breaking 2,100 Chinook salmon returned to spawn in restored Putah Creek this fall. 51�ԹϺ�� Davis fish biologists and partners are tracking and monitoring the run.

Federal Budget Cut Halts Solar Heat Technology Project

Andy Fell — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:35:11 PST

A project to capture solar heat for industrial use — with potential spinoffs in other energy areas, including nuclear power — has been canceled by the U.S. Department of Energy on the cusp of its final phase. The University of California, Davis, received a letter from the federal agency stating that the work “does not effectuate the Department of Energy’s priorities.”

51�ԹϺ��� Davis Science and Climate News