University of California Natural Reserve System

Where they swim, we get to follow: tracking female northern elephant seals tagged at the NRS's Año Nuevo Island Reserve on their annual foraging trip.

Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research center now has classroom doors to fling open for groups; a new paper showcases the importance of regional-scale field station networks for the study of climate change; and kiddos in the eastern Sierra can absorb some science this summer at the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves. Learn about these happenings and more in the June edition of the NRS Newsletter.

UC Santa Cruz professor Roxanne Beltran is developing a device to record the noises of the deep sea as experienced by elephant seals. These sound recordings are expected to reveal not only how elephant seals are affected by what they hear, but also impacts of human noise on animal behavior, and insights into populations of rare marine mammals.

Dr. Naomi Tague, Professor, Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, UCSB and Ethan Turpin, Founder/Director Burn Cycle Project, will give a talk entitled "Interactions among fire, water, climate, carbon and people in Sierra Nevada forests: Tackling the complexity using models," on Tuesday, June 8, from 7-8 pm as part of the NRS's Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory's Summer Seminar Series. Click the link to obtain a Zoom key to attend this free lecture tomorrow evening.

Light as a feather, an antelope squirrel avoids an acupuncture treatment while dining atop a barrel cactus at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

After being scoured by the LNU Fire Complex last August, the NRS's Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve is springing back to life thanks to the resilience of nature and a helping hand from staff and community volunteers.

The two spring 2021 issues of CEC Research, the journal of the NRS's California Ecology and Conservation program, are now live. Instructors led two cohorts this term to meet increased demand for the class. Accordingly, one issue features original field research based on studies at Angelo Coast Range Reserve, while the other features research from James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve. Take a gander; you won't fail to be impressed at the work of these undergraduate scientists.

Roland Knapp, Research Biologist at the NRS's Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory, will give a talk on Zoom entitled "Exploring an unknown world: under-ice observations of Sierra Nevada alpine lakes in winter" tonight, Tuesday, June 1, from 7-8 p.m. as part of the laboratory's 2021 Spring Seminar Series. Click to obtain the webinar link.

Wildfire scorched a heavily instrumented field site at the NRS's Blue Oak Ranch Reserve. Prof. Margaret Zimmer of UCSC is making the most of the damage by launching a new study of wildfire's effects on hydrology and water quality.

A new study finds truncated migrations are clipping the wing sizes of monarch butterflies.

Need a break from the unbearable tension of election returns? Discover more about the natural world with the UC Natural Reserve System's November newsletter instead. We've got videos about undergraduates pursuing independent research at reserves, insights into the pollinator of a stunning native lily, and stories about the NRS's new role in CA biodiversity protection and a field course happening amid the pandemic. In short, we've got your dose of good news right here.

The NRS is deploying teams to nine reserves burned in this year's wildfires to study burn intensity and the effects of burning on wildlife, plants, soils, and more. Funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the effort will use ground teams, drones, and satellite images for an unprecedented look at how fire affects a wide range of habitats across California.

Sara Souza of UC Berkeley Environmental Health and Safety was recognized by a national organization of her peers for establishing a field research safety program for the UC Natural Reserve System. Thanks for helping to keep us safe in the field, Sara!

Gobwads of great white detectionsreasons to reconsider going for a dip off the NRS's Año Nuevo Island Reserve.

As part of the UC Santa Barbara Natural Reserve System's 2020 Fall Seminar Series, Andy MacDonald of UC Santa Barbara will give a talk entitled "Vector-borne disease in a changing world: Identifying ecological levers for health." MacDonald surveyed for ticks at a number of NRS Coal Oil Point Reserve Director Dr. Cris Sandoval will give the introduction. Thurs. Nov. 5 at 7 pm; registration for this free webinar is required.

A bat family chose the NRS's Yosemite Field Station to rest and recharge for a day.

The NRS's Año Nuevo Island Reserve will keep the tradition of touring the northern elephant seal breeding beaches alive this year via virtual field trips for classes.

If you're craving the chance for hands-on learning in the sciences, look no further than the NRS's California Ecology and Conservation program. The course, which travels to different UC Natural Reserves over the course of seven weeks, immerses UC undergrads in the practice of doing original field research under the guidance of experienced instructors. Learn to present your work in written form and via live presentations, and make fast friends while exploring California's diverse ecosystems. The NRS is now accepting applications for the Summer 2021 program. Deadline is Feb. 5, 2021, so get to work!

The NRS is shockingly deficient in vampires. But many of our reserves, including Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve, do host bats! And next time you swat a skeeter or despair about all those darned bugs, thank a bat: the swarms would be far thicker without the help of these flying insect vacuums.

The interpretive signs at the NRS's Stebbins Cold Canyon were scorched by wildfire this year. Help the UC Davis NRS put up new signs to help the thousands of visitors who hike there each year learn about the natural features of the reserve. Crowdfunding effort expires on Halloween--please donate to stave off the scary specter of coming up short.

Witness the pecking order in action among coyotes at the NRS's Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center.