By MARLE LAMOUNTRY— science@theaggie.org 

Every 13 and 17 years, a natural phenomenon occurs in the eastern part of North America that captivates scientists and nature lovers alike — the emergence of periodical cicadas. These fascinating insects are known for their unique life cycle. They spend 99% of their lives underground as nymphs and the other 1% above ground in their adult stage. 

Currently, both the 13- and 17-year periodical cicadas are waking up, an occurrence that can only be witnessed every 221 years. The last phenomenon hasn’t occurred since 1803. 

Unlike their annual counterparts, periodical cicadas have a prolonged life cycle that lasts for 13 or 17 years, depending on the species. For the majority of their lives, these insects feed on the xylem of tree roots as underground nymphs. Only during their short adult life stage can the cicadas court, mate and lay their eggs, creating a new generation. With periodical cicadas, there is only one age class in each brood.

One of the most astounding qualities of periodical cicadas is their synchronized emergence. Each brood is packed with thousands of nymphs underground, so millions of cicadas emerge from the soil within a short window of only three weeks. Rick Karban, a professor of entomology and nematology at UC Davis, described their emergence patterns.

“[It’s] fantastic about how in sync it is,” Karban said. “Millions of individuals come out of the ground within a few days of each other. Those that come out too early or too late get eaten by predators, so there’s tight selection.”

Entomologists have found that these insects take cues from their host plants to emerge, such as the temperature of the soil. Their synchronized emergence and long odd-numbered years in their life cycles are believed to be an evolutionary adaptation, but what triggers their synchronized emergence remains unknown.

Lynn Kimsey, a professor of entomology at UC Davis and the former director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology, spoke about the mystery behind their emergence patterns.

“They [may] do this to outrun predators [or] parasites, but we don’t really know,” Kimsey said. “We don’t really know much about them.”

Despite the mysteries surrounding their behavior, periodical cicadas play a crucial role in forest ecosystems. Since they emerge in large numbers, they serve as a great food source for predators, including birds, mammals and even humans. They are also beneficial to plants, as their waste and decomposing bodies contribute to nutrient cycles. 

Louie Yang, a professor and ecologist at UC Davis, spoke about the ecological importance of these insects.

“They almost immediately get eaten,” Yang said. “A lot of animals that [traditionally] eat cicadas eat them […] They represent a substantial resource pulse and aggregate resource, especially in the forest. We can see some of their effects in the soil, microbes and plants.”

As we watch the emergence of periodical cicadas, many people have sensationalized their stories, creating a version of events that differs from reality.

Karban offers a different perspective. 

“To some extent, [these stories are] pretty different from what is getting hyped in the national media,” Karban said. “[The cicadas] will be emerging close to each other, but the same tree will not be supporting both 13- and 17-year-old cicadas. It’s actually not clear that they will be coming into contact with each other.”

Written by: Marle Lamountry — science@theaggie.org

The post The buzz behind periodical cicadas: nature’s phenomenon appeared first on The Aggie.

By ARYAMAN BHATIA — science@theaggie.org 

Researchers at UC Davis have published a study identifying a potent new fungicide that could revolutionize crop protection. Named ebselen, the chemical has shown remarkable efficacy in combating fungal infections in various crops. Additionally, it has demonstrated the ability to alleviate pre-existing fungal infections in rice.

Fungal pathogens wreak havoc on global crop yields.

“Annual crop losses are estimated to be USD 550 billion worldwide,” the study reads. “About 40% of the total crop loss is due to plant diseases of which loss by fungal pathogens is about USD 150 billion.” 

In the study, which was published in Nature Communications, UC Davis researchers explain how they targeted autophagy, a vital cellular recycling process crucial for fungal pathogenicity.

“We discovered that macroautophagy plays an important role in delimiting the PCD [programmed cell death] to the infection site,” the lab website reads. “Autophagy is a dynamic process conserved across eukaryotes that entails the engulfment of cellular components in double membrane vesicles called autophagosomes that are then targeted to the vacuole/lysosome for degradation or recycling.” 

According to senior author Savithramma Dinesh-Kumar, a professor of plant biology, ebselen’s efficacy lies in its ability to disrupt fungal autophagy, offering valuable insights into the development of next-generation antifungal compounds.

Using an innovative screening method based on bioluminescence, the researchers identified 30 chemicals capable of inhibiting a key enzymatic step in fungal autophagy. Among these, ebselen emerged as the most promising candidate, outperforming existing fungicides in preventing fungal growth.

By targeting this process, researchers believe they can significantly reduce fungal pathogenicity. Petri dish experiments revealed ebselen’s ability to inhibit fungal germination and growth, protecting various plant species from infection. Moreover, it showed promise in treating existing fungal infections in rice plants.

While initial tests suggest ebselen specificity in inhibiting fungal autophagy, further research is needed to assess its safety and potential cross-reactivity. The UC Davis team plans to expand their screening efforts to identify additional autophagy modulators with broader applications.

“Since autophagy is highly conserved across different organisms, including humans, more work needs to be done to test the cross-reactivity of the drug,” Dinesh-Kumar said during an interview with the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences.

The team now plans to test a larger variety of chemicals to see if they produce similar effects. 

“The chemical space is very large, and some chemical libraries have more than 50,000 compounds,” Dinesh-Kumar said. “The next step will be to screen for additional autophagy modulators that might help control not just plant fungal pathogens, but also human fungal pathogens.”

Written by: Aryaman Bhatia — science@theaggie.org 

The post Researchers uncover chemical compound to combat crop losses appeared first on The Aggie.

By HENRY ROSENBACH — science@theaggie.org 

During an argument about imagination, a close friend once shouted, “But I’m not creative!” The argument continued until we stumbled upon a collection of essays from the Mozambican author Mia Couto. In one of them, he writes about how the former Prime Minister of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, could write delicate and sensitive poetry while locked in a prison. The response given by the Vietnamese leader was, “I undervalued the walls.” The importance of imagination in human development cannot be overstated. 

Tamar Kushnir, a professor and researcher at Duke University, has researched the role imagination plays in brain development. It is a crucial aspect of creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking. Imagination allows us to explore new ideas, envision alternative realities and find innovative solutions to complex problems. When we imagine things, our brains create new neural pathways, which can lead to increased cognitive abilities and improved memory retention. This is particularly important during childhood, when the brain rapidly develops and learns new skills.

Moreover, imagination can give us a sense of purpose and direction, helping us find meaning in our lives. By imagining a better future for ourselves and society, we can set goals and work towards them. This can be especially important when forming moral and societal values in a growing child. 

Returning to the enigma of Ho Chi Minh, how do our brains manage to unearth those tiny thoughts that make our souls feel at home? Kushnir’s research provides some fascinating insights. It turns out that our brains are like master weavers, constantly intertwining different ideas and experiences. Imagination is the secret ingredient that unlocks this weaving process. By blending diverse thoughts and experiences in novel ways, we can create something extraordinary and meaningful. 

Still, as society has progressed, we have embraced a harsh reality as the ruler of all our ideas, plans and dreams. However, if you take a trip back to an elementary school playground, you will likely witness a portal between the real and imaginary worlds children create. During long playtime sessions, kids conjure up fantastic worlds, mythologies and stories that can last for hours, if not days. As we grow older, we tend to lose touch with the purity of our imagination, often undervaluing the walls and limitations we create for ourselves. In the name of “progress,” we discourage children’s ability to build new universes, neglecting the importance of imagination in our lives.

Nevertheless, we still hold on to the ones that make us feel like everything is possible – cherishing the inner child within us. Adults have shown a deep appreciation for children-targeted media in recent years, more so than the kids themselves. Abby Ohlheiser from the Washington Post wrote a report in Feb. 2023 on how the cartoon “Bluey” has a significant adult fandom. The show, which premiered in 2018, features a family of anthropomorphic dogs and their daily adventures. Despite its target audience being young children, the show has struck a chord with adults worldwide.

The emotional impact of children’s media on adults is not new. Many of us have witnessed parents shedding tears at the end of films like “Toy Story 3” or “Inside Out.” Frances Dolan, a distinguished English professor at UC Davis who is widely recognized for her research in children’s literature, explained the distinctiveness of our relationship with children’s media compared to other forms of literature.

“When we study African American, Latinx or Native American literature, we expect the stories to be written by members of such communities,” Dolan said. “However, when discussing children’s literature, we’re not exploring child authors but rather the ‘hidden adults’ who write it.”

Dolan also highlighted the security aspect in children’s literature.

“People love stories that make them feel seen,” Dolan said. “We are all inadequate, and children’s literature usually provides a refuge for our insecurities. I have also observed an incredible increase in diversity in children’s books — stories highlighting kids with disabilities, anxiety and different identities. Books like this didn’t exist some decades ago, and it is so important that they are around now.” 

Digressing back to imagination and brain development, Dolan emphasized how children’s media can serve as a nostalgic element that can protect or heal our inner children. When we look at picture books or illustrated stories, different parts of our brains are activated, most significantly when healing past traumas. Children’s literature can help us re-invent and re-signify pivotal events in our lives with a broader sense of protection. Dolan explained that through their vivid imagination triggers, children’s stories can do more than review our childhood.

“[They serve] as a tool to find what should have been there,” Dolan said. 

Imagination takes an editing role in the weaving process of memory and cures some of our deepest wounds. Dolan expressed how she always observed students paying close attention to picture books during her lectures. 

“There is something magical about the three-way relationship between reader, listener and book — students appear to have a sense of protection and curiosity for them,” Dolan said. 

While usually undervalued, children’s literature has magical properties beyond childhood itself. It allows us to search for meaningful wounds in the past and present. Our favorite books as children usually activate a mechanism in our brains to supply needs that might have been neglected. Considering such a healing effect, Dolan left one last important message: “Never stop reading children’s literature […] it will make a bigger difference than you can imagine.” 

Written by: Henry Rosenbach — science@theaggie.org

The post Unlocking childhood’s treasure trove: the nostalgia and healing magic of children’s media appeared first on The Aggie.

By ARYAMAN BHATIA — science@theaggie.org 

Researchers at UC Davis have published a paper explaining how autocracies control the internet through transit providers, which are largely unknown to the public.

“Recent years have seen an increase in governmental interference in digital communication,” the study reads. “Most research on this topic has focused on the application level, studying how content is manipulated or removed on websites, blogs or social media. However, in order for governments to obtain and maintain control of digital data flows, they need to secure access to the network infrastructure at the level of internet service providers.”

In non-autocratic states, people access content on the internet first through access providers, such as Comcast, and then to content sources, such as Facebook and Google. However, the internet in autocratic states must go through an intermediary, known as a transit provider, before people access content sources.

Alexander Gamero-Garrido, UC Davis assistant computer science professor, provides an explanation into how these transit providers are detrimental to internet privacy and decentralization. 

“The first reason is that people don’t know about them,” Gamero-Garrido said. “They don’t have a contract with users. For example, if I told you the name Level 3, which is a pretty important transit provider in the United States, you wouldn’t probably know about them because they’re just not highly publicized.”

Gamero-Garrido also mentioned that this centralization of the internet leads to cybersecurity risks.

 “It actually also creates a kind of risk to the country, because if a foreign adversary takes control of this transit network — let’s say that they run a phishing campaign — and they obtain the administrative password of [the] network administrator, then they might be able to observe or disrupt the connection to the entire country,” Gamero-Garrido said. 

Phishing is a deceptive cyberattack technique in which attackers impersonate legitimate entities to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security. By bringing out these statistics, the team hopes to bring changes in the centralization of the internet. 

“We hope that revealing this information will exert some pressure on the governments that are really overtly [centralizing] the infrastructure of their countries, which is exposing them to risks,” Gamero-Garrido said.

Gamerro-Garrido also stated methods to help internet users protect their privacy, including the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and proxy services, which are tools that enhance online privacy and security by encrypting internet connections and masking IP addresses.

“I think the impact on ordinary people’s lives can be enormous,” Gamero-Garrido said. “As computer scientists, we benefit a lot from the fact that our field is growing.”

Written by: Aryaman Bhatia — science@theaggie.org

The post Researchers uncover the role of autocracies in internet censorship appeared first on The Aggie.

By MARLE LAMOUNTRY — science@theaggie.org 

It’s often said that bigger is better, and in the case of human brains, this holds true — new research has found evidence of their growing size. Researchers at UC Davis Health have found that human brain sizes have grown 6.6% more in volume when comparing data of people born in the 1970s versus the 1930s. This compelling study not only offers insight into humans’ evolutionary history but also holds significant implications for our understanding of cognitive health, especially concerning dementia prevention.

Claudia Satizabal and Sudha Seshadri of the Framingham Heart Study found that the incidence of dementia is declining. Charles DeCarli, an author of the study, as well as a professor and director of the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, wanted to investigate these changes in the brain’s biology. 

“As a species, we’re getting taller, but what else has changed?” DeCarli said.

The study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Neurology, used data from the Framingham Heart Study and included data spanning as far back as the 1930s. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans as recent as 2019 quantified the scans, allowing researchers to analyze brain regions known to be correlated with dementia. These regions include the cortex, white matter and hippocampus.

DeCarli commented on factors that may have caused the increase in brain size.

“There are cultural changes for people born in the 1930s; they were born during the Great Depression and World War II, [and they] just came out of World War I around that time,” DeCarli said. “During the 1950s, after World War II, there was an expansion in the US population [and] social and economic boom — a fantastic period of time.”

Although genetics play a large part in brain health, other outside factors can also alter brain size. The researchers hypothesized that general enrichment in the environment, better overall health — especially concerning prenatal and postnatal care — and better food have led to the development of a “better” brain. 

Matthew Pase, an associate professor from Monash University and co-author of the study, commented on these findings.

“What we found, essentially, is that people born in later decades have bigger brains and a larger head size compared to people born in older decades,” Pase said. “It’s quite cool when you think about it, that people’s brains are getting larger.”

One challenge the researchers faced was limited patient data, which only included a population of middle-class white individuals from Framingham, Massachusetts. This limited cohort representation does not accurately represent the entire US population, making it difficult for researchers to understand if their findings apply to everyone.

Researchers’ findings of the trend of increasing human brain size indicate hopeful prospects for dementia prevention and overall cognitive well-being. By exploring the connections between brain size, environmental influences and dementia risk, researchers may be able to transform the way we understand brain health and lessen the impact of dementia.

Written by: Marle Lamountry — science@theaggie.org

The post Human brains are getting larger — what does this mean for dementia risk? appeared first on The Aggie.

By MARLE LAMOUNTRY— science@theaggie.org

Do you love fish? Well, we do! Researchers at the UC Davis Fish and Wildlife Department have discovered new species of lamprey fish through the use of genetic testing. 

If you’re unfamiliar with lampreys, these jawless creatures have suction-based feeding and vampire-like features, including a diet consisting of blood from nearby fish. They also have prominent migratory behaviors and are often overlooked in research — until now. 

Researchers at the UC Davis Genomic Variation Lab stumbled upon the fish with the help of Pascale Goertler of the Delta Stewardship Council. Researchers in the lab, including Grace Auringer, a UC Davis graduate student, used mitochondrial gene analysis to study their unique inheritance patterns. These patterns helped differentiate the two groups of fish from other populations along the west coast. 

The gene of interest is mitochondrial cytochrome b, which researchers sequenced to find diversity.

“Lamprey individuals (N = 87) from 19 sites in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River basin, San Francisco Bay, and Klamath River basin were sequenced for the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene, and the data were combined with publicly available lamprey cyt b sequences for analysis,” the study reads.

The two new species were discovered in the Napa River and Alameda Creek, near the Bay Area. Auringer was surprised by this, as the lampreys managed to swim unnoticed beneath a widely populated area and remained completely concealed until their discovery. 

“Lampreys are understudied, and I wish I had references to understand the patterns I was seeing,” Auringer said. “After colonization, certain fish were considered pests or ‘trash fish.’ Lampreys look like eels and have scary mouths. People judge a fish by its cover and call it bad.” 

Lampreys are viewed as a delicacy in some parts of the world — namely in England, Nordic countries and indigenous populations of North America. In California, lampreys hold a significant historical presence, once serving as a vital food source for indigenous communities as one of their earliest cultural staples. However, these fish populations are now facing a decline.

The scarcity of recorded data on lampreys is a global phenomenon. These ancient creatures have roamed in Earth’s waters for over 300 million years, outlasting the dinosaurs, yet their populations are currently dwindling. Their story reflects narratives seen worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for human stewardship to restore lamprey habitats.

Written by: Marle Lamountry — science@theaggie.org

The post New fish species alert! appeared first on The Aggie.

By ARYAMAN BHATIA — science@theaggie.org 

Researchers at UC Davis have published a study that has shown the Engrailed-1 (EN1) protein supports the advancement of pancreatic cancer and its spread to other parts of the body (metastasis) using laboratory cultures and mouse models. 

“Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States with [a] 12% 5-year relative survival rate, lowest among all common cancers,” the study reads.

The researchers discovered a correlation between high levels of EN1 and the severity of pancreatic cancer, particularly its tendency to metastasize, in human patients. This finding can lead to possible treatments for pancreatic cancer, which is currently one of the hardest cancers to treat.

The project started out by studying the metastatic process of pancreatic cancer. The metastatic process refers to the spread of cancer cells from the original (primary) tumor to other parts of the body, where they can form new tumors. 

“​​Metastasis is an important component of pancreatic cancer progression, but researchers have not been able to identify genetic mutations responsible for it,” an article from UC Davis states.

Reno Jihao Xu, a doctoral student involved in the project, commented on the process of discovering the protein.

“Initially, we were studying the metastatic process of pancreatic cancer and through various analyses we identified a transcription factor which is a protein,” Xu said. “Transcription factor goes into the cell nucleus, turning on or off the transcription of certain genes. What this means is that it controls the genotype to phenotype process, therefore carrying out a subsequent function; in this case, promoting the metastatic process. So this project is about characterizing the functionality of this protein by looking at what genes this protein targets as well as how the protein regulates this gene through various experiments.”

In order to identify this protein, the teams used a non-traditional technique.

”We identified this protein through the utilization of a technology called Organoid, which is a 3D modeling of cells,” Xu said. “This technology well-preserves the biological characteristics of a tissue, in this case, the cancer cells, which allows us to characterize or identify the differences between the different stages of cancer progression, such as primary tumor versus metastasis.” 

Due to the recently discovered nature of EN1, finding effective ways to stop the progression requires less traditional methods and creative thinking.

“There are no therapeutics that can target this protein on the market because of the unique structure that does not allow for the development of therapeutics,” Xu said. “So, what we can go about is identifying what other proteins can interact with this protein that are important to carry out its downstream pathways. To do this, we perform an experiment called immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry. This experiment allows us to identify all the proteins that interact with this protein, and one of them is called DH2. It modifies the histones on the genetic level to regulate gene expressions, so perhaps we could combine these DH2 inhibitors with chemotherapy to see if there’s any differential regulation or differential response from the combination of therapy.”

Finding the protein responsible was incredibly difficult and complicated for the team. 

“For a very long time we tried different strategies to identify the genomic binding regions of the EN1, and that took up about two years,” Xu said. “We tried almost everything and finally it worked out.”

When further asked what helped make the project successful, Xu highlighted the importance of collaboration and communication amongst all members of the scientific community. 

“I started the project when COVID first hit,” Xu said. “So, it was basically just myself inside a lab, and it was really difficult to interact with other labmates. Science is a collaborative effort, so I definitely felt powerless doing the science by myself.” 

Xu mentioned what he finds to be one of the most important parts of making the project come to life.

“I would really like to emphasize teamwork because innovation doesn’t come through one single individual; it comes through daily interaction with colleagues, or with other investigators,” Xu said. “All of this is teamwork, and without teamwork, there is no discovery, [and] there is no scientific achievement.” 

Written by: Aryaman Bhatia — science@theaggie.org

The post Researchers uncover protein responsible for driving pancreatic cancer progression appeared first on The Aggie.

By ARYAMAN BHATIA — science@theaggie.org 

Researchers at UC Davis have published a study that has shown the Engrailed-1 (EN1) protein supports the advancement of pancreatic cancer and its spread to other parts of the body (metastasis) using laboratory cultures and mouse models. 

“Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States with [a] 12% 5-year relative survival rate, lowest among all common cancers,” the study reads.

The researchers discovered a correlation between high levels of EN1 and the severity of pancreatic cancer, particularly its tendency to metastasize, in human patients. This finding can lead to possible treatments for pancreatic cancer, which is currently one of the hardest cancers to treat.

The project started out by studying the metastatic process of pancreatic cancer. The metastatic process refers to the spread of cancer cells from the original (primary) tumor to other parts of the body, where they can form new tumors. 

“​​Metastasis is an important component of pancreatic cancer progression, but researchers have not been able to identify genetic mutations responsible for it,” an article from UC Davis states.

Reno Jihao Xu, a doctoral student involved in the project, commented on the process of discovering the protein.

“Initially, we were studying the metastatic process of pancreatic cancer and through various analyses we identified a transcription factor which is a protein,” Xu said. “Transcription factor goes into the cell nucleus, turning on or off the transcription of certain genes. What this means is that it controls the genotype to phenotype process, therefore carrying out a subsequent function; in this case, promoting the metastatic process. So this project is about characterizing the functionality of this protein by looking at what genes this protein targets as well as how the protein regulates this gene through various experiments.”

In order to identify this protein, the teams used a non-traditional technique.

 ”We identified this protein through the utilization of a technology called Organoid, which is a 3D modeling of cells,” Xu said. “This technology well-preserves the biological characteristics of a tissue, in this case, the cancer cells, which allows us to characterize or identify the differences between the different stages of cancer progression, such as primary tumor versus metastasis.” 

Due to the recently discovered nature of EN1, finding effective ways to stop the progression requires less traditional methods and creative thinking.

“There are no therapeutics that can target this protein on the market because of the unique structure that does not allow for the development of therapeutics,” Xu said. “So, what we can go about is identifying what other proteins can interact with this protein that are important to carry out its downstream pathways. To do this, we perform an experiment called immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry. This experiment allows us to identify all the proteins that interact with this protein, and one of them is called DH2. It modifies the histones on the genetic level to regulate gene expressions, so perhaps we could combine these DH2 inhibitors with chemotherapy to see if there’s any differential regulation or differential response from the combination of therapy.”

Finding the protein responsible was incredibly difficult and complicated for the team. 

“For a very long time we tried different strategies to identify the genomic binding regions of the EN1, and that took up about two years,” Xu said. “We tried almost everything and finally it worked out.”

When further asked what helped make the project successful, Xu highlighted the importance of collaboration and communication amongst all members of the scientific community. 

“I started the project when COVID first hit,” Xu said. “So, it was basically just myself inside a lab, and it was really difficult to interact with other labmates. Science is a collaborative effort, so I definitely felt powerless doing the science by myself.” 

Xu mentioned what he finds to be one of the most important parts of making the project come to life.

“I would really like to emphasize teamwork because innovation doesn’t come through one single individual; it comes through daily interaction with colleagues, or with other investigators,” Xu said. “All of this is teamwork, and without teamwork, there is no discovery, [and] there is no scientific achievement.” 

Written by: Aryaman Bhatia — science@theaggie.org

The post Researchers uncover protein responsible for driving pancreatic cancer progression appeared first on The Aggie.

By KATIE HELLMAN — science@theaggie.org

Climate change is responsible for a dramatic increase in extreme weather events, like droughts and heat waves, as well as natural disasters like hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. These issues are becoming more prevalent with every passing year as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.

Temperatures around the world have been increasing at alarming rates, according to a study published in JAMA. 

“Primarily due to greenhouse gases released via combustion of fossil fuels, global average temperatures between 2011 and 2020 increased to 1.1 °C (approximately 1.9 °F) above preindustrial levels and are estimated to increase to 1.5 °C (approximately 2.7 °F) by 2040,” the study reads.

Infectious diseases can be caused by a variety of organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. They can also be transmitted to and from many hosts, like from animals to humans (zoonotic diseases) and from humans to other humans.

George R. Thompson, lead author of the study and professor at the UC Davis School of Medicine, elaborated on how these diseases spread.

“Numerous infectious diseases are dependent upon environmental conditions for growth or their normal life cycle,” Thompson said via email. “This is highly pathogen-dependent, as some live in soil [and] others [are] propagated by ticks, mosquitoes, etc. A changing climate impacts all of these potential mechanisms of spread.”

Serious diseases like Zika, malaria and dengue are vector-borne diseases, meaning they are caused by pathogens transmitted from animals like fleas, ticks and mosquitoes to humans. Since climate change is leading to altered rain patterns, short and warmer winters and longer summers, there are subsequent alterations in the time periods in which these vectors are active. The regions in which vector-borne diseases are diagnosed are shifting as well, with increasing rates of disease being detected further north and west than they have been previously.

Data has shown that these vectors have more time to infect people due to temperature shifts, according to an article by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Mild winters, early springs, and warmer temperatures are giving mosquitoes and ticks more time to reproduce, spread diseases, and expand their habitats throughout the United States,” the article reads. “Between 2004 and 2018, the number of reported illnesses from mosquito, tick, and flea bites more than doubled, with more than 760,000 cases reported in the United States.”

Weather pattern disturbances are also causing changes in the migration patterns of animals and significant habitat loss. As a result, wildlife territory has more overlap with human territory, creating increased opportunities for disease transmission.

Clinicians are being urged to increase infectious disease surveillance methods so that pathogens can be detected and dealt with before they significantly affect human health.

“Surveillance is largely dependent upon reporting to state/federal agencies,” Thompson said. “Newer methods use wastewater for pathogen detection and can hopefully provide notice when the incidence is rising.”

Written by: Katie Hellman — science@theaggie.org

The post Climate change is contributing to the spread of infectious diseases appeared first on The Aggie.

By EVELYN KUEI — science@theaggie.org 

After a large wildfire, such as the 2013 Springs Fire in the Santa Monica Mountains, many native species are expected to blossom. However, with recent uprooting from alien and invasive species, our native wildlife cannot sprout.

Since 2011, Justin Valliere, an assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, has been working with the National Park Service in the Los Angeles region to investigate the adverse effects of vehicle and urban pollution in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. 

“The park knew that nitrogen deposition was likely something they were facing,” Valliere said. “However, evaluating it as a risk to native species and for invasions hadn’t been studied yet, so that’s how the project started.” 

Valliere and his team used observational studies to study nitrogen deposition naturally without manipulating the environment, along with a controlled experiment in which the researchers deposited known quantities of nitrogen onto different plots of land. 

“The physiology of native species has evolved in the context of low nitrogen availability, so in some ways, they don’t know how to behave with added nitrogen,” Valliere said.

Although nitrogen is one of the most essential nutrients for plant growth, too much nitrogen threatens native wildflowers. When exposed to far more significant portions of nitrogen than needed, native plants are overrun by invasive species that benefit from the nitrogen and use it to grow faster. 

This added nitrogen can also exacerbate the negative effects of drought on native species. In addition to the nitrogen deposition already caused by vehicle and industry emissions, the dry drought season has also brought many challenges –– including the increased chance of more significant and damaging wildfires. 

“In 2013, there was a massive wildfire called the Springs Fire,” Valliere said. “When that happened, it was unexpected, but we realized it would be a cool opportunity to understand how nitrogen deposition does not just impact natives in the park and invasive [species] but how it impacts post-fire recovery.” 

Valliere’s recently published research highlights weed damage to coastal sage shrubs and fire-following species in the Santa Monica Mountains. With native species needing more time to bounce back after a drought and fire season, weeds can displace the native flora due to their ability to grow more rapidly. 

“This work provides strong evidence that [nitrogen] deposition can exacerbate the negative impacts of other drivers of global environmental change, including extreme drought and nonnative plant invasion,” Valliere’s website reads. “Together, these drivers may contribute to converting native coastal sage scrub to invasive-dominated annual grasslands. Loss of native habitat will further impact native biodiversity and ecosystem services.”

Many fire-following species are only seen after a wildfire, requiring intense heat to sprout. However, with weeds taking over the available space, these flowers can not grow from their seeds and blossom. Valliere is currently focusing on the relationship between dry drought seasons, high nitrogen deposition and the impacts of wildfires. 

A study on fire and invasive species in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems of California discusses the factors that contribute to the success of invasive species.

“Alien grasses that invade woody associations often have characteristics that alter the fire regime in ways that favor aliens over the indigenous vegetation,” the study reads. “In their new setting, these alien annuals succeed partly because of their propensity to shift the fire regime away from one that favors shrub reestablishment to one that favors further annual establishment.”

Although the weeds take up the available space, they are more flammable and thus more dangerous. If a fire were to occur under these conditions, it would start faster, become more robust and ultimately cause more damage to our climate and environment. 

The threat of larger, more exacerbated wildfires looms over our lives. These wildfires, paired with the takeover of more flammable weedy species, threaten the livelihood of our households and communities and are an ever-growing threat to our planet. 

Written by: Evelyn Kuei — science@theaggie.org

The post A deep dive into the detrimental effects of nitrogen deposition in the Santa Monica Mountains appeared first on The Aggie.