Range management | Department of Plant Sciences

Woman talking to two men. All three are squatting in a field of low, dry grass, with farm buildings at the horizon.

Roche and multi-state team win NIFA Partnership Award

by Trina Kleist
December 12, 2022

Leslie Roche and fellow members of a seven-state team were recently honored with a Partnership Award for Multi-State Efforts, conferred by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, of the United States Department of Agriculture.

For three days, visitors from Rothamsted Research, U.K., and members of the Department of Plant Sciences shared ideas and aired possibilities for future collaboration. The delegation was received by Department Chair Gail Taylor, right.

Trade ideas, seek collaboration: Rothamsted visit sparks scientific creativity

by Trina Kleist
April 04, 2022

The creativity that sparks when people meet in person filled the halls at UC Davis’ Department of Plant Sciences when an international team of scientists from Rothamsted Research, U.K., visited recently. Farm tours and presentations gave way to high-energy discussions of wheat genetics, soil management, grazing practices, climate change mitigations and opportunities for future collaboration.

Roche seeks sustainability in new role at Society for Range Management

by Mary Jo Foley and Trina Kleist
March 14, 2022

Range management

Rangeland specialist Leslie Roche will bring her California ranching background to her new role on the board of directors of the Society for Range Management (SRM).

Working Rangelands Wednesdays: Ken Tate, June 3

by Ann Filmer
May 29, 2020

Range management

Ken Tate, UC Davis and UC ANR, will address “Water Quality on Pastures and Rangelands” at the Working Rangelands Wednesdays webinar on June 3, 2020. The new series of biweekly webinars focuses on working rangelands in California and the West. Webinars are recorded and offered as podcasts.

Three Academic Federation Awards go to Plant Sciences – Bruce Linquist, Jeff Mitchell, Ken Tate

by Ann Filmer
May 13, 2020

Awards and rankings

Three faculty in the Department of Plant Sciences — Bruce Linquist, Jeff Mitchell, and Ken Tate — are among the 16 UC Davis recipients of Academic Federation and Academic Senate awards for 2020. Bruce Linquist: Excellence in Research. Jeff Mitchell: Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Ken Tate: Distinguished Service.

Elephants and cattle in Africa. (photo Dino Martins)

Elephants Reverse the Depletion by Cattle of Soil Carbon and Nutrient Pools

by Ann Filmer
March 24, 2020

Conservation

Truman Young, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis, co-authored an article showing that megaherbivores (elephants) mitigate the negative effects of cattle on tropical African savanna rangelands, where wild herbivore populations are declining. He is project director of the Kenya Long-term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE), the most productive field experiment in Africa, and the site of this research.

Cattle Ranchers Cope with Dry Pastures (Video)

by Ann Filmer
March 19, 2020

Range management

This winter’s lack of rain, up until mid-March, did not produce much forage for cattle, or carryover vegetation. Leslie Roche, Department of Plant Sciences, covers rangelands and pasturelands, and says this has been commonplace this winter. Many grasses are producing seeds earlier, leading to less vegetative growth.

Grazing sheep. (photo Leslie Roche/UC Davis)

Supporting First-generation Ranchers in Coping with Drought and Climate Change

by Ann Filmer
March 12, 2020

Range management

Leslie Roche and colleagues tell how new ranchers confront drought. Climate adaptation is important in agricultural systems, but new ranchers aren’t able to benefit from information passed down from multi-generational ranching families. First-generation ranchers are often young, female, and diverse, with different goals and needs.

Grace Woodmansee (left), UC Davis graduate student, receives national leadership award from Professor Clayton Marlow, president of the Society for Range Management.

Grad Student Grace Woodmansee, UC Davis Plant Sciences, Receives National Leadership Award from the Society for Range Management

by Ann Filmer
February 25, 2020

Awards and rankings

Grace Woodmansee, M.S. student in Plant Sciences, UC Davis, received the Young Professionals Conclave Outstanding Early Career Award at the national Society for Range Management annual meeting. She is recognized for her leadership and mentoring of students.

A severe infestation of yellow starthistle in Calaveras County.

Release of Weevil for Biological Control of Yellow Starthistle

by Ann Filmer
September 25, 2019

Weeds

The USDA will allow the release of a weevil (Ceratapion basicorne) in the United States to help control yellow starthistle, an invasive weed found in 40 of the lower 48 states. The weevils will initially be released in California. Brad Hanson, weed specialist in Plant Sciences, addresses management of yellow starthistle.