Polar Science Content

H5N1 Causes Die-off of Antarctic Skuas, a Seabird

Katherine E Kerlin — February 05, 2026 - 7:00am

More than 50 skua deaths in Antarctica from H5N1 mark the first confirmed die-off of wildlife from bird flu on the continent, reports study from 51�ԹϺ�� Davis and Erasmus MC.

Expedition to Antarctica: 51�ԹϺ�� Davis Tracks Melting Glaciers

Katherine E Kerlin — January 23, 2026 - 1:31pm

51�ԹϺ�� Davis scientists are in Antarctica to deploy Gull, an autonomous underwater vehicle known as a glider, that will help us understand how fast one of the world’s biggest and most important glaciers — Thwaites — is melting. Thwaites Glacier and neighboring Pine Island Glacier are potential glacial flow from the West Antarctic ice sheets. If this system collapses, it could raise sea levels across the world.

Arctic Reindeer Could Decline by 80% by 2100

Katherine E Kerlin — August 15, 2025 - 2:29pm

Researchers predict that future climatic change is likely to cause declines in reindeer abundances and their distribution at rates rarely seen over the last 21,000 years.

Reindeer, also known as caribou in North America, are an Ice Age species that have survived many episodes of Arctic warming. They are uniquely adapted to Arctic environments, where they regulate ecosystems and sustain the livelihoods of many Indigenous Peoples.

In Greening Arctic, Caribou and Muskoxen Play Key Role

Katherine E Kerlin — November 12, 2024 - 5:30am

A 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study highlights the importance of caribou and muskoxen to the greening Arctic tundra, linking grazing with plant phenology and abundance in the Arctic tundra.

Unprecedented Arctic Wildfires Fuel Climate Warming Cycle

Katherine E Kerlin — November 08, 2022 - 3:13pm

In the Arctic, climate change is turning carbon sinks into carbon sources as wildfires send stored carbon up in smoke, explains 51�ԹϺ�� Davis polar ecologist.

Eric Post: Arctic Awe and Anxiety

Katherine E Kerlin — August 08, 2022 - 10:00am

51�ԹϺ�� Davis polar ecologist Eric Post addresses climate anxiety in the classroom to help equip future climate scientists with the emotional tools for the job.

Arctic Shrubs Add New Piece to Ecological Puzzle

Katherine E Kerlin — February 01, 2021 - 3:48pm

A 15-year experiment on Arctic shrubs in Greenland lends new understanding to an enduring ecological puzzle: How do species with similar needs and life histories occur together at large scales while excluding each other at small scales? The answer to this question has important implications for how climate change might shift species’ distributions across the globe.

Outlook for the Polar Regions in a 2 Degrees Warmer World

Katherine E Kerlin — December 04, 2019 - 2:14pm

With 2019 on pace as one of the warmest years on record, a major new study from the University of California, Davis, reveals how rapidly the Arctic is warming and examines global consequences of continued polar warming.

The study, published today in the journal Science Advances reports that the Arctic has warmed by 0.75 C in the last decade alone. By comparison, the Earth as a whole has warmed by nearly the same amount, 0.8 C, over the past 137 years.

Spring Is Springing Earlier in Polar Regions Than Across the Rest of Earth

Katherine E Kerlin — March 02, 2018 - 3:16pm

Spring is arriving earlier, but how much earlier? The answer depends where on Earth you find yourself, according to a 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study. For every 10 degrees north from the equator you move, spring arrives about four days earlier than it did a decade ago. That's roughly three times greater than what previous studies have indicated.