Environment Content

New Species of Spider Discovered, Just in Time for Halloween

Amy M Quinton — October 29, 2025 - 9:24am

UC Davis scientists have discovered a new species of trapdoor spider in California's coastal sand dunes.

California Schools Are Losing Tree Canopy

Katherine E Kerlin — October 27, 2025 - 8:55pm

About 85% of elementary schools studied in California experienced some loss of trees between 2018 and 2022, found a UC Davis study.

Population Decline of Franklin’s Bumble Bee Wasn’t Due to Pathogens, Museum Genomic Research Shows

Andy Fell — October 20, 2025 - 3:38pm

Franklin’s bumble bee (Bombus franklini) once inhabited a remote area spanning northern California and southern Oregon. But the bee’s numbers declined sharply after 1998 and it hasn’t been seen at all since 2006. A new study of the DNA of museum specimens, published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests this decline was most likely due to population bottlenecks and environmental issues such as fire and drought rather than infectious diseases.

These Songbirds Learn More From Siblings Than From Parents

Katherine E Kerlin — October 09, 2025 - 11:00am

The powerful role of siblings is highlighted in this UC Davis study of a songbird species with limited parental care.

Lake Tahoe Algae Experiment Suggests Seasonal Shifts Ahead

Katherine E Kerlin — October 06, 2025 - 9:06am

As the climate warms and nutrient inputs shift, algal communities in cool, clear mountain lakes like Lake Tahoe will likely experience seasonal changes, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

Periphyton, that fuzzy layer of attached algae covering the rocks as you step into the water, is a healthy and critical part of a lake’s food web. Periphyton blooms, however, signal changes that can degrade both water quality and a shoreline’s natural beauty.

Pulling the E-Brake on Methane Emissions

Katherine E Kerlin — September 25, 2025 - 12:53pm

As global emissions continue to climb, there is a growing call for rapidly reducing methane.

Among the Academies: A World Living Beneath Our Feet

Jose Antonio Vadi — September 23, 2025 - 8:29am

There is a whole world inside soil, shaping our everyday existence.

“Soil is fundamental to the functioning of Earth,” explained Kate Scow, who described soil as “alive” and “among the most biodiverse environments on the planet.”

How Improving Shade at California Public Schools Can Benefit Children and Communities

Katherine E Kerlin — September 05, 2025 - 10:02am

An interdisciplinary team of public health and environmental science researchers from across the University of California have found that despite efforts by the state and local school districts, many public schools fall short of providing sufficient shade, much less natural playing surfaces, for the 5.8 million children they serve — especially in an era of extreme temperatures.

Maternal Exposure to Crude Oil, Flame Retardants Can Affect Later Generations

Katherine E Kerlin — August 27, 2025 - 11:53am

A tiny fish with transparent embryos is helping University of California, Davis, researchers shed light on how exposure to crude oil and flame retardants can affect behavior, skeletal growth, cardiac health and other internal functions in offspring and subsequent generations.

The research on multiple generations of Atlantic killifish (mummichogs) was published across three papers in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Chromium-6, Nanosilver Detected in LA Fire Cleanup Zones

Katherine E Kerlin — August 27, 2025 - 9:53am

Air quality scientists have detected elevated levels of hexavalent chromium and silver in air samples collected from the debris cleanup zones for the Eaton and Palisades wildfires, which occurred January 2025 in Los Angeles County.