A new study highlights the risks of biological control gone wrong, as a widely released weevil has attacked five native thistle species. The Eurasian weevil, introduced to the US in 1968, has damaged native plants' seed production by 86% and expanded its distribution.
Researchers have developed a method to align liquid crystals using molecular anchors, allowing for the creation of stable patterns on both flat and curved surfaces. This technology has potential applications in fields such as optics, displays, and biosensing.
Researchers at UC Davis discovered that plants with simulated leaf domatia attract beneficial insects, reducing spider mite populations and increasing cotton yield by 30%. This mutually beneficial relationship offers a natural biological control strategy to pesticides.
Researchers have developed a new model that accurately predicts Dungeness crab population fluctuations, combining internal and external factors. The study provides a rare instance where a modeled understanding agrees with field data, offering insights into the elusiveness of population predictability.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis have identified a key gene involved in fruit ripening, which could lead to genetically engineered tomatoes with improved shelf life. The LeExp1 gene produces expansin proteins that loosen plant cell walls, allowing cells to elongate during growth.
A study by UC Davis researchers found that protein-deprived diet reduces life expectancy in both male and female Medflies, but females are harder hit. This reversal of the natural lifespan advantage suggests a vulnerable window of time for females during reproduction.
A novel mechanism has been initiated at UC Davis to pool university and industry resources, compensating nations for valuable genetic material. The Genetic Resources Recognition Fund will finance graduate fellowships for students from countries that originally provided the genetic material.
The review paper reviews powerful computational tools in studying ecology, genetics and evolution, infectious diseases and immunology. Computational biologists use models to understand the behavior of entire systems, mediated by smaller and larger scales.
Researchers at UC Davis analyzed eight lake studies and found that limiting nutrient supply is a stronger mechanism for controlling algae blooms than tinkering with food webs. This challenges the 'trophic cascade hypothesis,' which suggests manipulating food web structure can regulate lake clarity.
Scientists have discovered a basic gene-for-gene resistance mechanism in plants, triggered by the interaction of proteins produced by both a resistance gene and an avirulence gene in the disease-causing microorganism. This finding has wide application for understanding how plants identify and resist diverse pathogens.
Three studies show that stressful life events can lead to positive outcomes, such as improved mastery levels and reduced depressive symptoms. Most people perceive continuity across difficult situations and are able to draw upon past experiences to cope with current problems.
Researchers found that a left-handed woman's writing ability was controlled solely by her right hemisphere, separate from her reading and speaking abilities. This discovery provides evidence that human brains have adapted older operations for written language.
A UC Davis researcher has discovered that damage to the insula region is a crucial impediment to motor control necessary for words and sentences. The insula, located deep within each hemisphere, is about two inches wide and contains a small area critical for coordinating speech sounds.
A new study by UC Davis researchers finds that few birds cleaned and released back into the wild after oil spills can survive more than one or two years. The study's findings may lead to improved techniques for removing oil from birds and handling and rehabilitating them.
Researchers at UC Davis found that diets deficient in amino acids can increase seizure severity, shorten time before seizures occur and reduce chemical stimulant needed. The study suggests specific brain regions are influenced by diet components, with implications for treating epilepsy, particularly in underdeveloped countries.