California Ag Network

Tag: UCLA

  • New UCANR Climate Scientist to Deliver Keynote at Upcoming Irrigation Conference

    Daniel Swain joined University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources on Nov. 1 as a climate scientist in the California Institute for Water Resources. Swain studies the changing character, causes and impacts of extreme weather and climate events on a warming planet – with a particular focus on the physical processes leading to droughts, floods and wildfires.

    “We are very excited to have Daniel Swain join UC ANR,” said Glenda Humiston, UC vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “He brings a unique blend of skills and expertise that are crucial to meet the challenge of climate change, here in California and across the globe. Daniel’s research – and his ability to clearly explain the latest findings in climate science – can equip fellow academics, policymakers and communities with the vital tools they need to forge effective and sustainable solutions.”

    Swain is known for his exceptional science communication skills, explaining weather and climate in terms easily understood by the public.

    “I spend a great deal of time engaging directly with the public in California and beyond on weather, climate and disaster-related topics, so I’m thrilled to be joining UC ANR—where broad dissemination of research-based information is a key part of the mission,” Swain said. “I’m grateful for ANR’s support for my unusual hybrid climate research and science communication role, and look forward to helping expand ANR’s virtual and statewide reach in the years to come.”

    In November, Swain was named one of Vox’s Future Perfect 50 – “the thinkers, activists and scholars working on solutions to today’s (and tomorrow’s) biggest problems.” Vox wrote: “Our communities and institutions are largely unequipped to fully understand, let alone deal with, the impacts of climate change. That’s where climate experts should, theoretically, come in. But knowing the science is one thing – being able to effectively communicate it is a whole other ballpark. Climate scientist Daniel Swain is that desperately needed liaison.”

    On his widely read Weather West blog, Swain has been sharing his perspectives on California weather and climate since 2006. He hosts regular “virtual office hours” for the public on YouTube. On X/Twitter, he has more than 101,000 followers.

    The “Weather Whisperer” fields hundreds of calls from reporters every year and has been the single most-quoted expert in recent years at UCLA, where he was a climate scientist in the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Last year, when Swain was seeking institutional support that would allow him to do science communication as well as research, a Los Angeles Times columnist wrote, “I certainly rely on Swain and other scientists to tell environmental stories.”

    The term “Ridiculously Resilient Ridge” was coined in 2013 by Swain on his Weather West blog to describe the large, formidable high-pressure mass that persisted over the West Coast during winter and diverted storms away from California, contributing to the state’s 2013-2017 drought.

    Before joining UC ANR, Swain, who grew up in the Bay Area, was at UCLA and held a concurrent appointment as a research fellow in the Capacity Center for Climate and Weather Extremes at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research since 2018. While holding a 100% appointment with UC ANR, he will maintain his associations with UCLA and NSF NCAR.

    Swain holds a Ph.D. in Earth system science from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science from UC Davis.

    He will be the keynote speaker at the California Irrigation Institute’s annual conference on Jan. 27 in Sacramento. His talk is titled “Drier and Wetter in 21st Century California? Managing Increasing Hydroclimate Whiplash in a Warming World.”

    In addition to posting on his blog at weatherwest.com, Swain is also on Twitter/X @Weather_West, Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/weatherwest.bsky.social, YouTube https://youtube.com/@weatherwest, Threads https://threads.net/@weather.west and Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@weatherwest.

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings UC information and practices to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, economic growth, nutrition and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu and support our work at donate.ucanr.edu.

  • California Farmers’ Perception of and Adaptation to Climate Impacts Survey

    California is home to the largest and most diverse agricultural industry in the United States, with over 76,000 farms and ranches leading the production of the nation’s vegetables, fruits, nuts, and dairy products. However, this industry is heavily reliant on water availability and favorable weather conditions. Consequently, the state faces significant risks if climate variability and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are not effectively addressed.

    The FRISBE project (Reinforcing Climate Risk Management from Farmers’ Behavior and User-Driven Indicators) aims to gather farmers’ knowledge on climate variability and its effects on crops and livestock. Farmers are uniquely positioned to provide first-hand observations of climate extremes and their impacts, thereby contributing to understand the local reality more accurately and efficiently. Coordinated by Professor Alvar Escriva-Bou (University of California, Los Angeles) and Professor Sandra Ricart (Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy), the project developed an online survey to capture farmers’ experiences and expertise on perceived impacts, implemented adaptation measures, and identified barriers. This survey addresses the increasing frequency, intensity, and duration of heat extremes, which lead to higher growing season temperatures, more volatile precipitation patterns, reduced winter chill hours, diminished snowpack, and accelerated soil erosion.

    This information will be utilized to enhance our understanding of farmers’ perspectives and needs, including the potential heterogeneity among their experiences and practices. It will also help estimate the socio-economic consequences of the perceived impacts and proposed actions, thereby contributing to the transition toward more resilient, robust, and climate-proof decisions at the local scale to reduce the vulnerability of farming systems.

    As farmer, you are invited to participate in the FRISBE project through this web-based online survey. The survey is structured in six blocks with a majority of questions to be answered with yes/no options, and the response time is no more than 10-12 minutes. Click HERE to take the survey.

    PARTICIPATION
    Your participation is voluntary. You may refuse to participate or cancel your participation at any time, and you may refuse to answer any question for any reason.

    BENEFIT
    You will not receive any financial compensation for participating in this study. However, responses are essential to gaining a deeper understanding of farmers’ needs and enhancing their preparedness to face climate risks. Trusting in farmers’ knowledge, this survey aims to redefine precise interventions that align with their interests and the local climate reality.

    RISKS
    There are no risks derived from participation in this study.

    CONFIDENTIALITY
    The platform hosting the online survey does not collect information that allows identifying sensitive personal data, so your responses will remain completely anonymous and confidential. The individualized responses will be stored in an electronic format protected with a double security factor and only accessible to restricted personnel directly linked to the investigation.

    DATA USE
    Your data, including de-identified data may be kept for use in future research.

    CONTACT
    If you have any questions about the study or its procedures, please contact the lead researchers, Prof. Alvar-Escriva-Bou (aescriva@ucdavis.edu) or Prof. Sandra Ricart (sandra.ricart@polimi.it). Additionally, you may contact the UCLA Office of the Human Research Protection Program (ohrpp@research.ucla.edu).

  • New Study Links Dietary Flavonols in Grapes with Reduced Risk of Alzheimer Dementia

    A new study, published in the scientific journal Neurology found that a higher intake of plant compounds known as flavonols, is associated with a 48% decreased risk of developing Alzheimer dementia.

    Flavonols are a type of bioactive compound found in grapes, as well as other fruits and vegetables. Flavonols are known for promoting beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Grapes of all colors – red, green, and black – are a natural source of flavonols, including kaempferol, myricetin, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. In this study, the benefit observed was most strongly associated with kaempferol, myricetin and isorhamnetin; quercetin was not associated with Alzheimer dementia, although it has been linked to numerous other health benefits.

    Other research has linked the consumption of grapes to brain health: in a clinical study conducted at UCLA, researchers found that eating grapes helped protect against metabolic decline in Alzheimer-related areas of the brain.

    “The new findings linking higher intake of flavonols to a reduced risk of Alzheimer dementia is very exciting and supports the previous positive findings of the beneficial impact grape consumption can have on brain health,” said Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission. “Importantly,” Nave said, “research indicates that just 2 1/4 cups of grapes a day is all it takes to make a positive difference. With more clinical research in this critically important area of human health underway we look forward to having more positive news to share.” 

  • Innovative Virus Research May Save Wheat and Other Crops

    UC Riverside scientists have solved a 20-year-old genetics puzzle that could result in ways to protect wheat, barley, and other crops from a devastating infection. Ayala Rao, professor of plant pathology and microbiology, has been studying Brome Mosaic virus for decades. Unlike some viruses, the genetic material of this virus is divided into three particles that until now were impossible to tell apart.

    Photo Caption: Visually indistinguishable particles of Brome Mosaic Virus. (Ayala Rao/UCR)

    “Without a more definitive picture of the differences between these particles, we couldn’t fully understand how they work together to initiate an infection that destroys food crops,” Rao said. “Our approach to this problem has brought an important part of this picture into very clear focus.”

    A paper describing the work Rao’s team did to differentiate these particles was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

    Inside each of the particles is a strand of RNA, the genetic material that controls the production of proteins. The proteins perform different tasks, some of which cause stunted growth, lesions, and ultimately death of infected host plants.

    Two decades ago, scientists used the average of all three particles to create a basic description of their structure. In order to differentiate them, Rao first needed to separate them, and get them into their most pure form.

    Using a genetic engineering technique, Rao’s team disabled the pathogenic aspects of the virus and infused the viral genes with a host plant. 

    “This bacterium inserts its genome into the plant’s cells, similar to the way HIV inserts itself into human cells,” Rao said. “We were then able to isolate the viral particles in the plants and determine their structure using electron microscopes and computer-based technology.”

    Now that one of the particles is fully mapped, it’s clear the first two particles are more stable than the third. 

    “Once we alter the stability, we can manipulate how RNA gets released into the plants,” Rao said. “We can make the third particle more stable, so it doesn’t release RNA and the infection gets delayed.”

    This work was made possible by a grant from the University of California Multicampus Research Program and Initiatives. Professors Wiliam Gelbart, Chuck Knobler, and Hong Zhou of UCLA, as well as graduate students Antara Chakravarthy of UCR and Christian Beren of UCLA, made significant contributions to this project.

    Moving forward, Rao is hoping to bring the other two viral particles into sharper focus with the expertise of scientists at UCLA and UC San Diego. 

    Brome Mosaic virus primarily affects grasses such as wheat and barley, and occasionally affects soybeans as well. According to Rao, it is nearly identical to Cucumber Mosaic virus, which infects cucumbers as well as tomatoes and other crops that are important to California agriculture. 

    Not only could this research lead to the protection of multiple kinds of crops, it could advance the understanding of any virus.

    “It is much easier to work with plant viruses because they’re easier and less expensive to grow and isolate,” Rao said. “But what we learn about the principles of replication are applicable to human and animal viruses too.” — By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside