Research
Study refutes findings behind challenge to Sierra Nevada forest restoration
A study led by ecologists at UC Berkeley has found significant flaws in the research used to challenge the U.S. Forest Service plan to restore Sierra Nevada forests to less dense, and less fire-prone, environments.
Predicting Pesticide Impact on River Diversity
A new model developed by members of the Resh Lab can assist researchers in studying how future climate change and pesticide runoff could together impact macroinvertebrate diversity in rivers, which could in turn affect the health of surrounding ecosystems.
When human illness rises, the environment suffers, too
Research from the Brashares lab shows that in a fishing community with high rates of disease and declining fish stocks around Kenya’s Lake Victoria, human illness exacerbates unsustainable fishing practices.
Climate change has the potential to alter natural selection, study finds
Changing rainfall and drought patterns likely play a key role in shaping natural selection among plants and animals in the wild, according to a study co-authored by associate professor Stephanie Carlson.
CRISPR research institute expands into agriculture, microbiology
The Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) will expand efforts to explore the potential of gene editing in the areas of agriculture and microbiology. ESPM professor Jill Banfield will lead the microbiology group.
Climate change could kill off parasites, destabilizing ecosystems
A new review led by UC Berkeley suggests that climate change threatens parasites with extinction, which could have big consequences for ecosystems.
Compact CRISPR systems found in some of world’s smallest microbes
Berkeley researchers found two compact CRISPR systems, CasX and CasY, nearly doubling the potential tools like CRISPR-Cas9 for genome editing.
Study finds wide exposure to environmental toxics in cohort of pregnant women
A new study measures exposure to 59 toxic chemicals in pregnant women and their newborns, and finds that the pollutants show up in higher levels in the newborns.
Wildfire management vs. suppression benefits forest and watershed
An unprecedented 40-year experiment in a 40,000-acre valley of Yosemite National Park strongly supports the idea that managing fire, rather than suppressing it, makes wilderness areas more resilient to fire.
Understanding the Effects of Previous-Year Rainfall on Grasslands
In a recent study of California annual grasslands, a new perspective on an old subject helped CNR researchers enhance their understanding of the effects of rainfall on grassland composition.
KQED takes a "Deep Look" at randy spiders
KQED's "Deep Look" series recently profiled the research of graduate student Erin Brandt, who is studying the elaborate mating rituals of colorful male jumping spiders.
Climate refuges identified for endangered snow leopards
A new study of snow leopards’ habitat has found that just one-third of their current range will be a refuge from climate change by 2070.
Climate change could be a greater threat to tropical frogs than deforestation
UC Berkeley Ph.D. student David Kurz traveled to Costa Rica and found that greater declines in population are related to the frogs' sensitivity to temperature.
The amazing recovery of Yosemite’s yellow-legged frog
The remarkable recovery of the endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog has now been documented in an expansive, data-rich study of the species in Yosemite National Park.
Italy’s famous olive trees in peril
In southern Italy’s region of Apulia, the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa is threatening the famous, generations-old olive trees that attract tourists and provide income to the rural communities there.
Replanting reduces frog diversity in oil palm
A new article lead-authored by graduate student David Kurz and published in the journal Biotropica finds that management decisions within tropical agricultural landscapes have a profound impact on biodiversity.
ESPM soil scientists gather data about Earth's climatic past
ESPM's Erik Oerter and Ronald Amundson have found a new way to tease out signals about Earth’s climatic past from soil deposits on gravel and pebbles, adding an unprecedented level of detail to the existing paleoclimate record.
Fighting fire with fire benefits forests, watersheds
Research in the Illilouette Creek Basin shows that allowing fires to burn, rather than strict fire suppression, can lead to more resilient forests with smaller future fires and lessened impacts on the environment.
Palm oil expansion triggers ecological cascade
ESPM Ph.D. candidate Matthew Luskin explains in an interview the effects that palm oil expansion has on wild pigs and macaques, and how these changes can indirectly but substantially damage the environment.
Fungal Spore Bank Regenerates Forests
ESPM Graduate student Sydney Glassman discovered that a fungal spore bank under the devastating 2013 Rim Fire has helped regenerate new forests.
