Human & Animal Health

CABA personnel keeping an eye on fish

In a remote section of campus west of Highway 113, Matthew Stone and a few students are looking after the well-being of thousands of fish at the UC Davis Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture. Stone is the assistant facilities manager at CABA.

“We have quite a large number of fish that we’re trying to take care of and they all have different needs that we need to address,” he said. “These are things we simply cannot skip over during a time like this.”

California Agricultural Employers, Workers Approach Smoke Concerns Differently

UC Davis Examines Health and Safety Awareness Around Mounting Threat

In 2018, California wildfires burned more than 1.8 million acres and caused smoke to drift hundreds of miles. As the frequency and intensity of wildfires increases with climate change, California agricultural workers are at greater risk of smoke exposure as they often have no option but to work outdoors.

A Sleeping Giant in the Electrical Sector

A faculty member’s 2019 book about electric utility co-ops is receiving renewed attention amid Gov. Gavin Newsom’s threat of a state takeover of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and a state senator’s legislative proposal to do the same.

The book’s author, Keith Taylor, community economic development specialist in the Department of Human Ecology, said: “What I am hearing a lot about is, a) Can we swap out PG&E for a co-op, and b) Do they work?

Improving Human Health from Inside and Out

Even when he was a boy growing up in Marin County, Daniel Choe wondered why some kids were more prone to behavioral problems.

“Some of my peers got involved with drugs, fighting and crime,” said Choe, who is now an assistant professor in the CA&ES Department of Human Ecology. “I felt bad seeing them damage their minds and bodies and futures. In retrospect, I see it gave me empathy for why people make certain choices. It made me wonder, ‘How can we prevent and treat behavioral problems so people can lead more fulfilling lives?’.”

Decoding Fat to Improve Human Health

There are good and bad fats, nutritionists say. But not all polyunsaturated fats, the so-called good fats, are created equal. CA&ES food chemist Ameer Taha is exploring whether eating too much linoleic acid—a type of polyunsaturated fat found mainly in vegetable oils and processed foods—can cause chronic inflammation, migraine headaches and other health problems.

UC Davis welcomes new Goat Dairy and Creamery

UC Davis loves its goats. For more than 100 years, goats have played a starring role in the teaching, research and outreach at the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES). That connection grew stronger than ever this week with the formal opening of the UC Davis Noel-Nordfelt Animal Science Goat Dairy and Creamery. 

Bats May Benefit From Wildfire

Fire Plays Important Role for Sierra Nevada Bats

Bats face many threats — from habitat loss and climate change to emerging diseases, such as white-nose syndrome. But it appears that wildfire is not among those threats, suggests a study from the University of California, Davis, published today in the journal Scientific Reports. It found that bats in the Sierra Nevada appear to be well-adapted to wildfire.

Can Salmon Eat Their Way Out of Climate Change?

Abundant Food Helps Offset Higher Temperatures for Fish. But There’s a Catch.

Warm waters are a threat to cold water fish like salmon and trout. But a study led by researchers at University of California, Davis suggests that habitats with abundant food sources may help buffer the effects of increasing water temperature.

Best of Frenemies: Unexpected Role of Social Networks in Ecology

Social networking, even between competing species, plays a much bigger role in ecology than anyone previously thought, according to three biologists at the University of California, Davis. 

“There’s mounting evidence that different species pay attention to each other in the wild, especially if they share predators,” said Mike Gil, postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis. “The theory of ecology has lagged behind.”