In a recent study published in the Nature journal, department faculty member, Steven Sadro, examines how wildfire smoke affects the natural environment- in particular, lakes.  The study looks at the changes in California's lake ecosystems which saw a decline in ecosystem respiration during the smokiest years in California (2018, 2020, and 2021).  This story was also featured on SF Gate where Sadro explains in more detail how the wildfire smoke dims the light that would reach lakes which disrupts the algae at the bottom of the lakes and impacts the rest of the lake ecosystem.

Read the Stories:

https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/smoke-covered-70-california-during-biggest-wildfire-years

https://www.sfgate.com/california/article/wildfire-smoke-disrupts-calif-ecosystems-19482856.php 

Read the Study:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01404-9