UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Genomic editing, mountain lions working the night shift and a cicada shell kraken! All this plus more research stories, accolades, thoughts from the dean and more are included in the November edition of Highlights.

Mountain lions in Los Angeles are adjusting their schedules to avoid humans, according to a new UC Davis study. By becoming more active at night, these big cats are finding a way to coexist with the city's outdoor lovers. “People are increasingly enjoying recreating in nature, which is fantastic,” said lead author Ellie Bolas, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology. “This flexibility we see in mountain lion activity is what allows us to share these natural areas together. Mountain lions are doing the work so that coexistence can happen.”

Let’s give a warm Aggie welcome to Stephanie Hampton, who will join UC Davis next spring as the new director of the Tahoe Environmental Research Center and as professor with the Department of Environmental Science and Policy! Hampton is an aquatic ecologist currently working as deputy division director at Carnegie Science Biosphere Science and Engineering. “This is a rare opportunity to align my research interests with a collaborative team of world-class scientists in a setting that is an absolute treasure,” Hampton said.

Celebrate the release of this year’s Olio Nuovo, a limited edition extra virgin olive oil produced by the UC Davis Olive Center in collaboration with Séka Hills and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. Visit campus on Saturday, November 23 for a tasting and classes on how to grow olive trees, what makes olive oil great, and more! Details and registration at https://lnkd.in/g-aHy6Sh.

CA&ES Dean Helene Dillard joined faculty, researchers and industry leaders at the California-Germany Agrivoltaics Conference held on campus this month to explore how combining farming with solar technology can help support sustainable agriculture. The event highlighted opportunities for collaboration and discussed developing business models to make agrivoltaics more accessible.

Tariff talk: Proposed trade tariffs and policies next year could hit California agriculture exports such as pistachios, wine and dairy that rely heavily on trade, costing the state’s economy $6 billion annually, new research in the #UCDavis ARE Update finds.

New UC Davis research shows how large grazing animals like caribou and muskoxen impact the timing and growth of Arctic plants. As the Arctic warms, these insights offer a clearer understanding of how climate change will affect the region's unique ecosystems.

?? Taking a moment to reflect on UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences' impactful Global Food Systems Research Day from last month! Our college united world-renowned agricultural leaders and innovators for a landmark summit showcasing University of California, Davis' leadership in global food security and agricultural innovation. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gMRctjfz ?? Key Summit Highlights from October 24: ?? World Food Prize Laureate Dr. Jan Low delivered a powerful keynote on gender-responsive agricultural development. ?? Historic MOU signing between UC Davis and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). ?? Distinguished speakers from USAID, FAO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and USDA NIFA sharing transformative insights. ?? Groundbreaking presentations from Feed the Future Innovation Labs. ?? Proud to showcase our global research network: ??Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture Regional Hub ManagersPeninah Yumbya, PhD, Naalamle Amissah, PhD, Julio López, Msc., and Krishna Prasad Sapkota. ?? Feed the Future MRR Innovation Lab's Director, Dr. Michael Carter, and Dr. Travis Lybbert highlighting innovative farmer resilience programs. ?? Gratitude to our distinguished speakers: ?? U.S. House of Representatives, Representative Ami Bera, M.D. ?? Dr. rob bertram, USAID ?? Dr. Appolinaire Djikeng, ILRI ?? Dr. Renee Lafitte, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ?? Dr. Otto Gonzalez, USDA NIFA ?? Dr. Boitshepo Bibi Giyose, FAO ?? Mr. Guido Santini, FAO ?? Dr. Hazel Malapit, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ?? Mr. Rikin Gandhi, Digital Green ?? Ms. Rashmi Ekka, Connexus Corporation ? Special thanks to our UC Davis faculty experts: ?? Dr. Christine Diepenbrock ?? Dr. Huaijun Zhou ?? Dr. Amanda Crump ?? Dr .Mark Bell ?? Dr. Josette Lewis! ?? Proud to see our International Agricultural Development graduate students presenting cutting-edge research, demonstrating our commitment to training the next generation of agricultural leaders under Department Chair Dr. Dan Potter's leadership! ?? Under the theme "Seeding Food Systems Resilience," we explored crucial solutions for global food security through locally-led partnerships and innovative research. ?? Tremendous thanks to Dr. Erin McGuire and Dr. Ermias Kebreab for organizing this transformative event, and to our leaders Dr. Gary S. May and Dr. Helene Dillard for their visionary support of global engagement. The conversations and partnerships forged at this summit continue to inspire our work toward more resilient and sustainable food systems! #GlobalDev #AgInnovation #GlobalAg #FoodSecurity #AgResearch #GlobalPartnerships #GoAgs #GlobalAgDay

Congrats to Associate Professor Clare Cannon with the Department of Human Ecology for earning two new roles, including a chapter author for a section of the federal Sixth National Climate Assessment that focuses on the impacts of climate change on rural communities. Cannon was also appointed as faculty advisor in the UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement to help develop a program to provide faculty support to colleges, schools and departments on campus. Read more here. Kudos, Clare!

We had such an interesting and informative visit to the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, UC Davis. The museum is such an important resource for faculty teaching 50 courses across 10 departments, reaching thousands of students each year. UC Davis also supports wildlife training conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Parks and Recreation, National Park Service,?U. S. Forest Service and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, among others. I am so proud that the museum is playing a key role as we face environmental issues such as endangered species recovery, native fish decline, wildlife conservation, and landscape ecology. Many thanks to UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean Helene Dillard, Department Chair Nann Fangue, Museum Curator Andrew Engilis, Jr., Collections Manager?Irene Engilis,?and the entire team of staff and students for the wonderful tour. Photo: From left are UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology Curator Andrew Engilis, Jr., Museum Collections Manager Irene Engilis, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Croughan, Provost's Assistant Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff Jason Stewart, Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology Department Chair Nann Fangue, and College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean Helene Dillard. The group stands in an aisle in the museum with tortoise shells and large mammal skulls used for teaching in the foreground. Behind them are floor-to-ceiling closed cabinets and open shelves that house more than 35,000 specimens of birds and mammals, a core component of the museum's holdings.