Ecological and environmental impacts of the Woolsey fire
On November 8th, 2018 the Woolsey fire swept across the Santa Monica Mountains. It claimed 96,949 acres of undeveloped land in the mountains, making it the most extensive fire ever…
Projects
Effects of large wildfire on mountain lion movement and behavior
In collaboration with the National Park Service, La Kretz Postdoc Dr. Rachel Blakey is investigating how large wildfires, like the Woolsey fire of 2018, influence the movement and behavior of California's top carnivore: the mountain lion.
Environmental Science Without Borders
Environmental Science Without Borders (ESWB) is an international peer-mentorship program where students and scientists from different countries come together and learn from one another in environmental fields. ESWB was created…
Identifying Drivers of Recent Recruitment Failures in California Tiger Salamanders in Santa Barbara County
Awardee: Erin Toffelmier, Ph.D. student in Brad Shaffer’s lab. Erin's research focuses on understanding the drivers of population declines in the Santa Barbara County populations of the California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense.
Intestinal pathogen surveillance in Los Angeles region mammals
Awardee: Sarah Helman, Ph.D. in Professor Jamie Lloyd-Smith's lab. Sarah is interested in disease surveillance of marine and terrestrial mammals along the California coast.
Investigating divergence with gene flow in the plant genus Linanthus
Awardee: Ioana Anghel, second year Ph.D. student in the Zapata Lab. Ioana is interested in the drivers of diversification and how taxa maintain their phenotypic and genetic identity while co-existing in a small area with the potential to hybridize.
Only one way to succeed in a city? Urban Dark-eyed Junco adaptation across multiple novel environments
Awardee: Eleanor Diamont, Ph.D. in the Yeh Lab. Eleanor is interested in using the Dark-eyed Junco as a model system to understand how birds can cope with and adapt to urban stressors.
Post-fire impact on biological community of coastal lagoons in southern California
Awardee: Rachel Turba de Paula, Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Rachel studies population genetics of endangered and extirpated species in southern California, as well as community change in coastal lagoons to address local conservation efforts.
Quantifying the effects of soil microbes on California annual plant community dynamics
Awardee: Gaurav S. Kandlikar, PhD candidate and NSF Graduate Research fellow in Dr. Nathan Kraft’s plant community ecology group. Gaurav is deeply fascinated by the origins and consequences of diversity, and in his research he uses a combination of ecological theory, field experiments, and molecular techniques to study the ecological processes that help maintain plant species diversity, especially in southern California grasslands.
Reducing Wildfire Risk in Southern California
Wildfires in California are becoming more frequent and destructive, resulting in increased loss of property and life. In November 2018 alone, fires throughout the state caused up to an estimated…
Sustainable ebony production in the Congo Basin
Rainforests have long been recognized for their importance to the entire planet. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, something all animals need to survive. They are also home to…
UCLA La Kretz Center 10th Annual Public Lecture: California on Fire
The UCLA La Kretz Center 10th Annual Public Lecture examined the impacts of wild fire on California conservation. Featuring preeminent ecologists Carla D’Antonio (UC Santa Barbara), Jon Keeley (US Geological…