Energy & Environment

UC Merced Aerial Picture
Precipitation and Drainage Fuel Large CO2 ‘Burps’ from Rainforest Soils, Study Finds
August 17, 2020
It is said that rainforests are the Earth’s lungs, capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, building it into lush vegetation and releasing oxygen and water back into the air. But every time there’s a big rain, the rainforest soil... Read More
Reforesting After Wildfires: Which Trees Are Most Likely to Thrive?
August 11, 2020
Wildfire seasons are intensifying because of climate change. That means reforestation efforts will increase, making it important for scientists and resource managers to understand how to make sure restorations will thrive in the future.... Read More
Ecosystem Engineers Play Crucial Role in Stabilizing Their Environments, Study Shows
August 11, 2020
When people think of engineering in nature, they tend to think of species such as beavers — the tree-felling, dam-building rodents whose machinations can shape the landscape by creating lakes and changing the path of rivers. But beavers... Read More
World’s Oldest Trees Shape the Diversity of Life in Their Soils, Study Shows
August 10, 2020
There’s a whole world of activity beneath your feet. Soil holds a large proportion of Earth's biodiversity, and is the place where organisms interact with each other and with plants, serving important functions for their ecosystems. A new... Read More
World’s Tallest Trees Shape the Diversity of Life in Their Soils, Study Shows
August 10, 2020
There’s a whole world of activity beneath your feet. Soil holds a large proportion of Earth's biodiversity, and is the place where organisms interact with each other and with plants, serving important functions for their ecosystems. A new... Read More
New Engineering Research Center to Focus on Agriculture Technology
August 3, 2020
By 2050, the U.S. population is estimated to grow to 400 million, and the world population to 9.1 billion, requiring a 70 percent increase in global food production. UC Merced is one of four campuses across the country uniting to meet that... Read More
New NSF Center Intersects Chemistry and Mechanics
August 3, 2020
Scientists know the whats and whys of using light, heat and electricity to direct chemical reactions toward an end goal. What’s less well understood are the effects mechanical force can have on chemistry. Thanks to a three-year, $1.8... Read More
SNRI Sees a Leadership Transition
July 29, 2020
Change is everywhere at UC Merced this year, from hiring a new chancellor to the completion of a major campus expansion. The Sierra Nevada Research Institute (SNRI), an early hallmark of research excellence at UC Merced, is also making a... Read More
Professor and Falasco Chair Berhe Recognized as a Carnegie Corporation Distinguished Immigrant
July 1, 2020
Every Fourth of July, the Carnegie Corporation of New York honors the legacy of its founder Andrew Carnegie, by recognizing an extraordinary group of immigrants, who are now naturalized American citizens, and who have made notable... Read More
New Grant Helps Assess Benefits of Satellites for Determining Water Quality
June 24, 2020
Summertime means fun in the water, but as temperatures increase, algal blooms can grow in freshwater and marine ecosystems. Some algae are natural and life-giving, while others are the result of life out of balance and can have harmful... Read More