The social eating habits of fish may play a central role in protecting coral reefs, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, published April 10 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Fish provide a critical service for coral reefs by eating algae that can kill coral and dominate reefs if left unchecked. The study, which analyzed the social feeding behavior of reef fish, suggests that overfishing not only removes vital algae-eaters, but it may cause remaining fish to eat less.

To most of us, HDLs, or high-density lipoproteins, are simply tiny, cholesterol-rich particles that act as the biochemical “good guys” in the battle against clogged arteries and coronary heart disease.

But a team led by University of California, Davis, researchers found that not all HDLs are alike. The amounts and specific structure of complex sugars called glycans in these particles can powerfully influence the body’s inflammatory and immune responses.

A dozen CA&ES studies rank top 7 in the world

UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES) is ranked first in the world in agricultural economics and policy—and among the top 7 in 11 other subjects—in the prestigious Center for World University rankings.

lumna Ann Evans has updatedThe Davis Farmers Market Cookbook with 75 seasonal recipes. A portion of proceeds from her book sales will support the CA&ES Dean's Circle Scholarships Fund, a program that provides essential support to our students. The book is available at regional stores, online at ucdavisstores.com, and at the Davis Farmers Market.

International farmers can protect their yield for pennies

How do you see dryness? Solar drying is a simple way for smallholder farmers to preserve their harvest, but knowing when food is dry enough to store is complex. UC Davis researchers invented a low-cost, easy-to-use tool that farmers can use to measure food dryness, called the DryCardTM.

Five little known soil facts revealed

Newborn animals herald springtime at UC Davis

A sure sign of spring at UC Davis is in the wind. It’s the sound of newborns in our animal facilities, a tradition that goes back more than a century to the founding of the University Farm when the first calves were born at the campus dairy.

CA&ES picks up three awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education

Dean Helene Dillard congratulates Pam Pacelli (center) and Charleen Floyd (right) at the CASE awards conference.

The CA&ES College Advancement Team earned three awards at the 2017 District VII regional conference of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) held in San Diego in early March.

Researchers find salt-tolerant gene in tilapia

Most fish live either in freshwater or saltwater, but others, including tilapia, have the remarkable ability to physiologically adjust to varying salinity levels — a trait that may be critically important as climate change begins to alter the salinity of ocean and coastal waters as well as the water in desert lakes and creeks.

Ozone pollution threatens rice crop; researchers see hope

High levels of surface ozone are damaging rice yields at an alarming rate in China, the world’s largest agricultural producer and one of its most polluted nations, report researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in China.

For the first time, the research team identified a specific stage of the rice plant’s development as being vulnerable to ozone pollution, which they warn has the potential to impact the international rice market and compromise global food security.