Energy & Environment

UC Merced Aerial Picture
Study of Sugar Pines Reveals Urgent Issue in Protecting Forests from Climate Change
November 20, 2024
Sugar pines are the tallest pine species in the world, and they only grow along the West Coast of North America. They are a valued source of timber with cones as large as an adult’s forearm. But they face several problems that a new paper... Read More
Alice Waters Institute Challenges Student Chefs to Get Creative
October 28, 2024
Student employees in UC Merced’s dining centers got an up-close look at the sustainable techniques at a family almond farm and were challenged to create locally sourced dishes as part of a workshop inspired by an internationally famous... Read More
Study: Climate Change Extends Drought Recovery by at Least Three Months
October 17, 2024
A group of researchers at UC Merced has found that climate change means it takes about three months longer for California to recover from drought, and probably longer. “Climate change has fundamentally changed the odds of getting out of... Read More
Global CO2 emissions from forest fires increase by 60%
October 17, 2024
A major study publishing Friday in Science reveals that carbon dioxide emissions from forest fires have surged by 60% globally since 2001, and almost tripled in some of the most climate-sensitive northern boreal forests. UC Merced faculty... Read More
Valley Air Quality, Public Health the Focus of UC Merced Conference
October 15, 2024
Scientists, policymakers and concerned community members will gather at UC Merced this week to compare notes and chart new directions to improve air quality and public health in the San Joaquin Valley. The Conference on Air Quality and... Read More
As California Develops More Clean Energy, Researchers Delve Into How to Store it
September 4, 2024
As California lawmakers consider a package of bills aimed at increasing the production of clean energy, a major question arises: How would we store all this new power? Storage is a vital issue because while the state can create plenty of... Read More
Researchers Accurately Model Animals’ Hunting, Scavenging Behavior
August 14, 2024
A group of UC Merced researchers modeled predation behaviors, as well as changes in those behaviors, among large carnivores, developing a new theory that will help biologists assess the health of various ecosystems. Department of Life and... Read More
Climate Change is Transforming California Agriculture — But There are Ways to Adapt
July 31, 2024
California's agriculture faces challenges from a highly variable climate with temperatures that will increase over the next several decades. Droughts are worsening and the Sierra snowpack, integral to the water supply, is volatile. However... Read More
Climate Change is Transforming California Agriculture — But There are Ways to Adapt
July 31, 2024
California's agriculture faces challenges from a highly variable climate with temperatures that will increase over the next several decades. Droughts are worsening and the Sierra snowpack, integral to the water supply, is volatile. However... Read More
Goats Visit UC Merced to Reduce Fire Fuels, Abate Weeds — and Look Super Cute
July 29, 2024
Cattle are a fairly regular sight around the UC Merced campus. They graze along the 6,500-acre Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve and the 40-acre Experimental Smart Farm, and an annual student-run spring event is even named "... Read More