UC Blog
UC researcher reports on climate change effects
UC scientists have outlined specific changes to Yolo County agriculture expected over the next 50 years because of global climate change. A preview of the scientific report appeared in an article in the Woodland Daily Democrat by UC Davis Cooperative Extension plant physiologist Louise Jackson.
According to the article, some likely effects of global warming in Yolo County are:
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Warm-season horticultural crops (tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn and peppers) will be less viable, encouraging a shift to hot-season crops such as melon and sweet potato.
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Grains will benefit very slightly from elevated carbon dioxide concentrations.
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Higher temperatures will decrease yields of walnuts and table grapes, but almonds may be less sensitive.
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Almonds, walnuts and citrus will benefit from a decline in winter freezes.
The article said that the projections in the report have not adequately considered the potential for adaptation, and are based on current agricultural practices and crop varieties.
"Support for investments in technology, plant breeding and cropping system research will be necessary to ensure yield reliability, and greater agricultural sustainability," Jackson wrote.
Other projected effects of global climate change outlined in Jackson's article:
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Precipitation may be higher, lower or similar to current conditions.
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More Sierra Nevada precipitation will arrive as rainfall, and snowmelt will come earlier in spring.
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Western Yolo County, where agriculture relies on local rainfall and Coast Range water supplies, may be more vulnerable to water shortages. Eastern Yolo County is expected to be less vulnerable to water shortages.
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Reduced Sierra snowpack will increase flooding along the Sacramento River, presenting economic and ecological tradeoffs for ecosystem restoration vs. farming.
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Rangeland livestock production in grasslands and woodlands along the western margin of the county will be particularly vulnerable to future drought.
Jackson's article said the report will soon be released by the California Energy Commission, which provided financial backing for the study.
Lack of research on Santa Anas stokes scientist's anger
The introduction to an in-depth story on Santa Ana winds in Los Angeles Magazine says the predictable and powerful hot desert winds that annually fan Southern California fires "push tempers toward violence." That comment may have been prompted by reporter David Gardetta's telephone interview for the article with the co-director of the UC Berkeley Fire Center, Max Moritz.
As quoted in the story, Moritz strongly lamented the fact that fire research has largely focused on fuel instead of wind.
“This is the source of my frustration and the story of my latest crusade. I’ve been yelling for years that winds like the Santa Anas are one of the key missing pieces in understanding fire," Moritz was quoted.
“Right now (June 2008) we have a thousand fires burning in California, and we can’t say what the fire weather will be in two weeks," Moritz continued. "The California Department of Forestry throws billions of dollars at wildfire, they’re losing every year, and not a scrap of funding goes to the question of wind.”
Gardetta wrote that Moritz "reeled off" what scientists could know, if research had been funded:
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Where will Santa Anas blow?
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When will Santa Anas hit?
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How bad will Santa Anas be for fire crews?
"It's amazing," Moritz was quoted, "we don’t even have fire severity maps that include weather patterns like the Santa Anas. The last comprehensive study was done in the ’60s.”
Moritz's comments are found on the fifth of six full pages of text in the story's online version.
Max Moritz
UC experts weigh in on Sarah Palin's comments
Sarah Palin's dismissal of fruit fly research (criticized in a Salon.com article that was covered in this blog) is reverberating on the Internet. In the news blog "The Scientist," writer Bob Grant included reaction from two UC entomologists and other scientists.
Here's the YouTube video in which the vice presidential candidate derides "fruit fly research in Paris, France":
UC Davis entomologist Frank Zalom was quoted in The Scientist blog:
"[Palin's comment] does kind of bother me. Clearly there's no understanding about the problem of the pest or the methods being studied to control them."
From UC Berkeley entomologist Kent Daane:
"I doubt [Palin] has any idea what the funds were being used for. Almost any politician would not understand the complexity of any project that they just gloss over in a one-line joke like that."
4-H appears in LA Times animal blog
The Los Angeles Times' animal blog, "LA Unleashed," included a picture and caption about a recent UC Cooperative Extension pet seminar in East Los Angeles. Staff blogger Francisco Vara-Orta wrote that children from throughout Los Angeles County participated in workshops and activities geared toward promoting responsible pet care. The caption also included a link to the LA County 4-H Youth Development Web page.
4-H member with canine pet.
Butte county director honored for community service
Congratulations to Susan Donohue, the director of UC Cooperative Extension in Butte County. According to an article in the Chico Enterprise-Record, she received the "community service award" at the 28th Annual Farm City Celebration yesterday.
The article said Donohue's UC Cooperative Extension career spans 30 years. It noted that she helped secure funds to start the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in Northern California and recently spearheaded the establishment of a Master Gardener Program in Butte County.
The Farm City Celebration continues with a variety of events this week.
EFNEP instructs low-income families about smart shopping and healthy eating.