UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Two people in a greenhouse surrounded by plants

The latest edition of Highlights has all your CA&ES news in one place, from frog love songs, egg-cellent outreach and protecting grapes, to a video about our nutrition research and details about adventures at World Ag Expo, CattleCon and elsewhere. Learn things!

mailchi.mp/ucdavis/febr...

Steel and wood structure in a public space under blue sky

Poeple sitting in swing that is part of a wooden and steel structure in open public space under sunny sky

architectural follies installed in public space in Davis on a sunny day

Kudos to our landscape architecture students whose creative architectural follies have been installed in the City of Davis! Check them out at 2nd & E Streets by Mishka’s café and near the Amtrak station on 2nd & H Streets. Learn more about the Aggie creations: caes.ucdavis.edu/news/golden-...

Two individuals are kneeling on wood chips in a playground, setting up a tripod with equipment. Both are wearing safety vests and sunglasses. In the background, suburban houses and greenery are visible. The image contains the text: "From Labs to Lives" and "UC Davis," along with "Measuring Heat Exposure to Safeguard Students."

A #UCDavis team measured temps of up to 120 degrees at schoolyards, but just one mature tree can reduce temperatures by 20 to 30 degrees. With this information districts can protect students by planting trees and preparing for a hotter future. #FromLabsToLives
https://bit.ly/4tO00oP

Adolescent Social Health May Foretell Loneliness, Aggressive Behavior, Study Suggests Teens who are lonely and those who experience conflict in their home life are more likely to act aggressively toward peers or become victims themselves. These are some of the findings in a new Univers...

A new #UCDavis study outlines how loneliness & family tension can affect the way teens connect with others, highlighting patterns that could guide support for social health in adolescence. caes.ucdavis.edu/news/adolesc...

Illustration featuring grains, olives, a green bottle, and bread on a blue cloth, encapsulated by the text "Grains of Connection: Art, Food & Conversation." Below it reads, "An afternoon of interactive experiences."

A person with curly hair smiles while looking to the side. They are wearing a teal t-shirt with "Reem's California Traditional Arab Street Food" printed on it. The background is a solid teal color.

An individual with curly hair stands against a dark background, arms crossed, wearing a sleeveless black shirt. The person gazes slightly to the side.

Join us for “Grains of Connection,” a free event that brings together art, stories & hands-on activities like bread & olive oil tastings & grinding wheat into flour. It also features a discussion w/ Professor Biltekof & chef Reem Assil.
2/28 • 1–5 p.m. • Manetti Shrem Museum https://bit.ly/4qEaFjo

a woman kneeling among grapevines in a vineyard under a hooped shade with smoke

Can a simple spray protect grapes from wildfire smoke?

UCDavis & USDA researchers applied a calcium spray to grapes to see if it would protect the fruit from smoke exposure. The spray could offer a way to protect the state’s $88B wine industry from wildfires.

caes.ucdavis.edu/news/can-sim...

What is Gut Health? Walk down the aisles of many grocery stores and you’re liable to see claims about products that are “good for gut health,” from yogurt and kombucha to supplements and even sodas. But despite its popul...

Yogurts, kombucha & sodas claim to be good for the gut. But what does “gut health” mean? An international panel led by #UCDavis Prof. Maria Marco defines gut health for the first time, offering a scientific framework for medicine, research & consumer claims. caes.ucdavis.edu/news/what-gu...

Join us on campus this Saturday for #UCDavis Biodiversity Museum Day! See inspiring exhibits on insects, plants & yeast! During the free event, visit the Bee Haven, Herbarium, @bohartmuseum.bsky.social & more! biodiversitymuseumday.ucdavis.edu

Frog Love Songs and the Sounds of Climate Change When the time is right, a good love song can make all the difference. A study from the University of California, Davis, found that temperature affects the sound and quality of male frogs’ mating calls...

Love at first croak 🐸 ❤️ A UC Davis study finds that as spring temperatures rise, male frogs turn sluggish calls into faster, more alluring love songs, which females take as a sign that breeding season is here. caes.ucdavis.edu/news/frog-lo...

A fermented pink cabbage head sliced in half with the words Uncovering the health benefits of sauerkraut

A slide that reads: Research shows that sauerkraut could be good for your gut. Researchers found that fermentation creates natural compounds, like lactic acid and other nutrients, that help digestion, support healthy gut cells and make the digestive system more resilient.

A slide that reads: This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helping turn lab discoveries into insights that could improve everyday diets.

UC Davis research shows that sauerkraut could be good for your gut. Researchers found that fermentation changes cabbage in ways that support digestion and help the gut stay strong. This work was supported in part by the USDA,.
#UCDavisDelivers UCDD #FromLabsToLives
caes.ucdavis.edu/news/gut-hea...

Endowment Supports Student Research in Fish Physiology, Ecology and Conservation Doctoral student Cassidy Cooper is the first recipient of a fellowship supporting conservation research at the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Funded by an endowment honor...

Congrats to Ph.D. candidate Cassidy Cooper, the first recipient of a fellowship that supports conservation research! The award is funded by an endowment in memory of Ron Ringen, a UC Davis alum who loved wildlife. caes.ucdavis.edu/news/endowme...

Egg-citement is on the menu at UC Davis! The Avian Facility currently collects about 2,000 cage-free eggs each week from its happy hens. That egg-cellant bounty helps provide nutritious meals for our Aggies & our surrounding communities through the Yolo County Food Bank. https://bit.ly/4qBCUPK

Dean Ashley Stokes to Join UC Davis Agricultural Experts at World Ag Expo Dean Ashley M. Stokes from the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, or CA&ES, will gather with fellow scientists, staff and students in Tulare at the 2026 World Ag Expo. The ev...

Dean Ashley M. Stokes, college leadership, advisors & speakers from CA&ES will be attending the World Ag Expo Feb. 10-12 to meet with industry players, alumni, prospective students & others. Stop by our booths at the Ag Career and Education Center to say hello!

caes.ucdavis.edu/news/dean-as...

UC Davis Delivers progress toward better nutrition & health for all. At the Western Human Nutrition Research Center, researchers study how people respond differently to foods & nutrients, so dietary guidance is not one-size-fits-all advice. #UCDavisDelivers #FromLabsToLives https://bit.ly/4kdhmqQ

Frontiers | Soil surface properties and implications for soil carbon sequestration in early-stage ecovoltaic grassland restoration Large, ground-mounted photovoltaic solar energy (GPV) development is expanding rapidly, but its impact on soils and ecosystem services is unresolved. The co-...

🌱 Frontiers in Environmental Science: Early ecovoltaic grassland restoration under solar panels boosts soil moisture and accelerates carbon and nitrogen gains, especially in runoff microsites. (Noah Z. Krasner, Rebecca R. Hernandez)

▶️ www.frontiersin.org/journals/env...

#PlantScience #SoilScience

Flags from nations around the globe flap in the wind before green trees and a blue sky

Hey Aggies! Do you have plans for the summer?

#UCDavis Global Affairs is offering a host of new summer abroad study programs this year, including exploring agriculture in Colombia and brewing in Europe. The deadline is March 19. Learn more:
#GlobalAggies
caes.ucdavis.edu/news/two-new...

Breakthroughs for Preventing Pistachio Hull Split When pistachio hulls split before the nuts are harvested, insects and fungi can get inside, damaging the nut, costing farmers money and contaminating the nuts. About 4% of the overall crop experiences...

🚨Research Alert🚨

Cracks and tears in pistachio hulls can damage the nuts of this billion-dollar crop and new #UCDavis research could help breeders create hardier varieties to reduce loss.

caes.ucdavis.edu/news/breakth...

The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of alfalfa & climate change threatens this crop. UC Davis researchers are scanning seed banks for traits that can be bred into more-resistant alfalfa to feed cattle.
#UCDavisDelivers…innovation #UCDD
https://bit.ly/4sYaFNn

Image Description: A photo grid of 6 photos showing various UC Davis CLEAR Center female researchers, who work with animals, conduct livestock sustainability research and more. In the center of the image, the title reads "International Year of the Woman Farmer" in white letters.

It's important that we join in on the 2026 – international year of the woman farmer. At the UC Davis CLEAR Center, we have a number of women making waves in animal agriculture, and we are incredibly proud of everything they have accomplished in livestock sustainability research and more. 1/

A pink goo being dripped onto a petri plate by a person wearing blue gloves

A student in blue lab coat and gloves works with a pink, goopy bacteria on a petri dish

It’s goopy, gross and slippery. Meet the Ralstonia bacteria, which causes wilt in hundreds of tomato, potato and other plant crops, threatening global food security. #UCDavis unlocked just how Ralstonia evolved and became an aggressive threat.

caes.ucdavis.edu/news/biologi...

A handheld scanner with a person placing a lead in between the base and a lens for scanning.

Researchers across U. of California are using AI to improve technology and develop new tools. Read more about these advancements, including LeafMonitor, a #UCDavis mobile app that scans leaves to diagnose plant health in the field.

www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/how-uc-...

In our Jan. Highlights newsletter: meet the new faculty director of the Olive Center, see how cones from trees can help post-wildfire forest recovery, why heat is changing monarch caterpillar behavior, & landscape architecture students built new designs for all to enjoy! mailchi.mp/ucdavis/janu...

Finding that Ripe Cone Sweet Spot: Looking Back to Help the Future California’s wildfire seasons are becoming more intense, and the state’s public bank of seeds to help replant and reforest lands after blazes is understocked by thousands of pounds. A new research pro...

California’s wildfire seasons are becoming more intense & the state’s public bank of seeds to replant lands is understocked. New #UCDavis research aims to predict when & where cones will ripen so they can be collected, the seeds removed, dried & stored for later use.
caes.ucdavis.edu/news/finding...

Researchers are working on extracting rare elements from industrial wastewater for use in electric vehicles, wind turbines & electronics. The effort will reduce waste while supporting energy & manufacturing w/ support from U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E. #UCDavisDelivers https://bit.ly/3L2nyoH

Selina Wang Named Faculty Director of the UC Davis Olive Center For nearly 20 years, the Olive Center at the University of California, Davis, has worked to improve the olive and olive oil industry through research, education and outreach. The center, known for its work in sustainable olive growing and improving oliv...

We have some freshly pressed news! 🫒

We’re excited to announce Selina Wang as the new faculty director of the UC Davis Olive Center! Wang will help guide the next phase of research and innovation for the state’s growing olive industry.

Kudos, Selina! 🫒

The Built Environment  - Possibility Lab

Energy bills keep going up & most people feel like there’s nothing they can do about it. @keithataylor.bsky.social with #UCDavis and #UCANR is working on practical ways to give communities more say & more options. Check out his latest work: possibilitylab.berkeley.edu/the-built-en...

students are holding equipment and building with wood and tools

Cheers to 50 years of creativity! UC Davis landscape architecture students are turning their designs into fun, real-life structures, bringing fresh ideas to campus and beyond. caes.ucdavis.edu/news/golden-...

Graphical representation of a molecule with an overlay of sugar structures, highlighting UC Davis's research on using sugars to support sustainability.

Text on blue textured background explaining UC Davis researchers' discovery on converting grasses to chemicals for a greener economy with less waste. The logo "UCDavisDelivers" is visible.

Promotional image featuring a blue watercolor background. Text states "Grants from the U.S. Department of Energy supported this research." The UC Davis Delivers logo is at the bottom.

UC Davis researchers discovered how to access the sugars locked up in grasses, weeds & plant byproducts to convert them into new products like fuels & chemicals without using fossil fuels.

#UCDavisDelivers…sustainability #UCDD #FromLabsToLives

https://bit.ly/48OmM7Q

A white truck loaded with red tomatoes parked in an agricultural setting with the text "Keeping an Eye on Climate Effects" and the logo for UC Davis Delivers at the bottom.

Graphic with a blue background and text discussing how your favorite pizza sauce and ketchup might be made from tomatoes grown in California, analyzing their digestion and impact due to climate change. The text highlights UC Davis's research on climate change efficiency, with the logo 'UCDavisDelivers' at the bottom.

Promotional image featuring text that states 'The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative supported this research,' on a blue textured background. Logo of UC Davis Delivers at the bottom.

Chances are your favorite pizza sauce was made from tomatoes grown in California. Researchers analyzed how intensifying heat & traffic could affect losses. The climate bright spot? Efficient transport = minimal losses.
#UCDavisDelivers…insights #UCDD #FromLabsToLives
https://bit.ly/4pSxAaY

Burps, not farts. 🐮💨