Scientists can now study the genome of the bristlecone pine, nature's longest-living individual organism, thanks to research led by David Neale of the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences.
Scientist Zane Moore, of the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, discusses his passion for coast redwoods in the documentary film, "Giants Rising," by Lisa Landers/Tangent Productions. Streaming and broadcasting on PBS nationwide.
Most schools in California have lost tree cover, while temperatures are rising -- exposing nearly 6 million students to glaring sun and depriving them of contact with nature. Researchers from the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences ask: How can we use trees to help? This research was funded, in part, by the United States Forest Service.
Dr. Donald J. Durzan was chair of the former UC Davis Department of Pomology from 1981 to 1985. He is remembered for groundbreaking research in conifer biochemistry and his contributions to the forestry industry, as well as to advances in fruit and nut crops.
In hotter, drier areas where natural regeneration is weaker, well-timed tree planting can boost post-fire forest recovery by up to 200 percent, according to research by Andrew Latimer and Derek Young, in the Department of Plant Sciences.
UC Davis research shows low- and moderate-severity wildfires can reduce future fire intensity for up to 20 years. Using satellite data, scientists found past fires help manage fuel loads, offering insights for forest resilience and wildfire mitigation.
Two UC Davis graduate students, Jennifer Cribbs and Nina Venuti, received nearly $100K each from CalFire to support forest restoration. Their research on tree resilience and seed collection aims to aid reforestation and ecosystem management in California.
UC Davis researchers developed a tool to predict forest survival under drought by linking rainfall to tree growth and carbon reserves. It helps identify when forests hit tipping points and guides climate and conservation efforts.
UC Davis ecologist Derek Young is leading the Open Forest Observatory project, combining drone photography, machine learning, and big data to map and manage forests. This $1M NSF-funded initiative aims to enhance forest recovery from wildfire, drought, and disease.
Professor David Neale showed in preliminary research that it is feasible to sequence the coast redwood, a complex hexaploid plant (with six sets of chromosomes, compared to humans' two sets). The redwood has a genome 10 times larger than that of humans.
