Daniel Karp
@dskarp.bsky.social
Professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology at UC Davis. Studying conservation in working landscapes. https://karp.ucdavis.edu/
Kiddo went all out on my birthday cake this year... With a little help from @rachaelabay.bsky.social :)
November 12, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Kiddo went all out on my birthday cake this year... With a little help from @rachaelabay.bsky.social :)
Ok #bird people- can anyone ID my daughter's Halloween costume? Hint the key is the feet and the tail...
(Also this costume was 100 percent kid driven)
(Also this costume was 100 percent kid driven)
October 31, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Ok #bird people- can anyone ID my daughter's Halloween costume? Hint the key is the feet and the tail...
(Also this costume was 100 percent kid driven)
(Also this costume was 100 percent kid driven)
Congrats to the absolutely incredible @rachaelabay.bsky.social !!!
October 16, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Congrats to the absolutely incredible @rachaelabay.bsky.social !!!
Finally, larger, more attractive species were consistently more likely to be marketed.
This is despite prior work arguing that an emphasis on novel birds translates into dedicated birdwatchers preferring dull species.
Dedicated birdwatchers may value beauty in birds, just like everyone else.
This is despite prior work arguing that an emphasis on novel birds translates into dedicated birdwatchers preferring dull species.
Dedicated birdwatchers may value beauty in birds, just like everyone else.
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Finally, larger, more attractive species were consistently more likely to be marketed.
This is despite prior work arguing that an emphasis on novel birds translates into dedicated birdwatchers preferring dull species.
Dedicated birdwatchers may value beauty in birds, just like everyone else.
This is despite prior work arguing that an emphasis on novel birds translates into dedicated birdwatchers preferring dull species.
Dedicated birdwatchers may value beauty in birds, just like everyone else.
Second, we were surprised that regularly observed species were more likely to be mentioned in trip itineraries.
Maybe tour operators are balancing novelty with the risk of disappointing clients when they inevitably fail to encounter rare species?
Maybe tour operators are balancing novelty with the risk of disappointing clients when they inevitably fail to encounter rare species?
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Second, we were surprised that regularly observed species were more likely to be mentioned in trip itineraries.
Maybe tour operators are balancing novelty with the risk of disappointing clients when they inevitably fail to encounter rare species?
Maybe tour operators are balancing novelty with the risk of disappointing clients when they inevitably fail to encounter rare species?
Ok, so what did we find?
First, tour operators recognized that birdwatchers value novelty above all else. Range-restricted species were ten times more likely to appear in trip itineraries than cosmopolitan species.
First, tour operators recognized that birdwatchers value novelty above all else. Range-restricted species were ten times more likely to appear in trip itineraries than cosmopolitan species.
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Ok, so what did we find?
First, tour operators recognized that birdwatchers value novelty above all else. Range-restricted species were ten times more likely to appear in trip itineraries than cosmopolitan species.
First, tour operators recognized that birdwatchers value novelty above all else. Range-restricted species were ten times more likely to appear in trip itineraries than cosmopolitan species.
The most unique part: this was a multi-year class project! So fun to have undergrads help us collect the data, form their own questions, present posters, and then, eventually, have it turn into a published product!
(photos are example student posters)
(photos are example student posters)
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
The most unique part: this was a multi-year class project! So fun to have undergrads help us collect the data, form their own questions, present posters, and then, eventually, have it turn into a published product!
(photos are example student posters)
(photos are example student posters)
Absolutely amazing afternoon in the Galapagos with the kiddo's favorite bird! Courtship displays, weird behaviors jockying for mates, and babies. Magical!
August 11, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Absolutely amazing afternoon in the Galapagos with the kiddo's favorite bird! Courtship displays, weird behaviors jockying for mates, and babies. Magical!
Bird of the day... Week? Season?!
July 17, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Bird of the day... Week? Season?!
Great morning out with Julian Tattoni helping out with his molt study in SF!
July 17, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Great morning out with Julian Tattoni helping out with his molt study in SF!
Fun day at the Cosumnes River MAPS station... Caught and got to handle my first Red-shouldered Hawk! (With all necessary permits and permissions)
June 2, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Fun day at the Cosumnes River MAPS station... Caught and got to handle my first Red-shouldered Hawk! (With all necessary permits and permissions)
Job alert: Ian Grettenberger and I are hiring a postdoc to work at UC Davis and study conservation biocontrol in CA lettuce.
Apply by June 1, with a late summer or early winter start date.
The job ad is here: dkarp.faculty.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/u....
Feel free re-post!
Apply by June 1, with a late summer or early winter start date.
The job ad is here: dkarp.faculty.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/u....
Feel free re-post!
May 2, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Job alert: Ian Grettenberger and I are hiring a postdoc to work at UC Davis and study conservation biocontrol in CA lettuce.
Apply by June 1, with a late summer or early winter start date.
The job ad is here: dkarp.faculty.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/u....
Feel free re-post!
Apply by June 1, with a late summer or early winter start date.
The job ad is here: dkarp.faculty.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/u....
Feel free re-post!
What really gets me about the 'dire wolves' isn't whether or not we brought back an extinct species (we didn't). But that this is being spun as conservation.
Scrolling down colossal.com, you see these screen grabs.
In no world is de-extinction the solution to these issues!!!!!
Scrolling down colossal.com, you see these screen grabs.
In no world is de-extinction the solution to these issues!!!!!
April 8, 2025 at 10:25 PM
What really gets me about the 'dire wolves' isn't whether or not we brought back an extinct species (we didn't). But that this is being spun as conservation.
Scrolling down colossal.com, you see these screen grabs.
In no world is de-extinction the solution to these issues!!!!!
Scrolling down colossal.com, you see these screen grabs.
In no world is de-extinction the solution to these issues!!!!!
Wonderful day draining rice fields to collect all our 🐟🐟🐟!
Now we get to see how they are affecting rice yields and greenhouse gases :)
Now we get to see how they are affecting rice yields and greenhouse gases :)
February 23, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Wonderful day draining rice fields to collect all our 🐟🐟🐟!
Now we get to see how they are affecting rice yields and greenhouse gases :)
Now we get to see how they are affecting rice yields and greenhouse gases :)
Together, our work suggests birds are generally low-risk and growers can easily key in on higher risk situation.
More broadly, folks can use this work to help growers build co-management strategies based in science that promote biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and crop production.
More broadly, folks can use this work to help growers build co-management strategies based in science that promote biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and crop production.
January 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Together, our work suggests birds are generally low-risk and growers can easily key in on higher risk situation.
More broadly, folks can use this work to help growers build co-management strategies based in science that promote biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and crop production.
More broadly, folks can use this work to help growers build co-management strategies based in science that promote biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and crop production.
Good news: we identified which birds were pooping on farms by analyzing DNA in feces we collected.
Most of the feces we found on fields were small, produced by small birds!
We thus estimated growers could reduce crop losses by ~10% if they only forwent harvest in high-risk contexts.
Most of the feces we found on fields were small, produced by small birds!
We thus estimated growers could reduce crop losses by ~10% if they only forwent harvest in high-risk contexts.
January 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Good news: we identified which birds were pooping on farms by analyzing DNA in feces we collected.
Most of the feces we found on fields were small, produced by small birds!
We thus estimated growers could reduce crop losses by ~10% if they only forwent harvest in high-risk contexts.
Most of the feces we found on fields were small, produced by small birds!
We thus estimated growers could reduce crop losses by ~10% if they only forwent harvest in high-risk contexts.
This finding held up in the greenhouse as well when we compared a bunch of different species.
E. coli just didnt survive long when we subsetted feces down to the size of a small songbird!
E. coli just didnt survive long when we subsetted feces down to the size of a small songbird!
January 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
This finding held up in the greenhouse as well when we compared a bunch of different species.
E. coli just didnt survive long when we subsetted feces down to the size of a small songbird!
E. coli just didnt survive long when we subsetted feces down to the size of a small songbird!
We found poop size, regardless of the species, was the strongest predictor of E. coli survival.
Also, turns out body size is a super good predictor of poop size.
Thus, larger species that defecated larger feces harbored E. coli much longer than their smaller counterparts.
Also, turns out body size is a super good predictor of poop size.
Thus, larger species that defecated larger feces harbored E. coli much longer than their smaller counterparts.
January 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
We found poop size, regardless of the species, was the strongest predictor of E. coli survival.
Also, turns out body size is a super good predictor of poop size.
Thus, larger species that defecated larger feces harbored E. coli much longer than their smaller counterparts.
Also, turns out body size is a super good predictor of poop size.
Thus, larger species that defecated larger feces harbored E. coli much longer than their smaller counterparts.
We collected 465 feces from 10 species of birds to test how E. coli survives in different agricultural and laboratory conditions.
We combined these data with point counts and fecal transects at 29 farms.
Basically, we followed around or caught a ton of birds to collect their poop. Glamorous work!
We combined these data with point counts and fecal transects at 29 farms.
Basically, we followed around or caught a ton of birds to collect their poop. Glamorous work!
January 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
We collected 465 feces from 10 species of birds to test how E. coli survives in different agricultural and laboratory conditions.
We combined these data with point counts and fecal transects at 29 farms.
Basically, we followed around or caught a ton of birds to collect their poop. Glamorous work!
We combined these data with point counts and fecal transects at 29 farms.
Basically, we followed around or caught a ton of birds to collect their poop. Glamorous work!
Growers are also told they have to stop harvesting around all bird poop they find. This can be a HUGE fraction of their field (10-50% depending on the farm).
January 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Growers are also told they have to stop harvesting around all bird poop they find. This can be a HUGE fraction of their field (10-50% depending on the farm).
While prevalences are low (esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....), wild birds do carry foodborne diseases leading to widespread concerns in the produce industry.
This can lead growers to try to exclude ALL birds from their fields, which serves as a major barrier to conservation.
This can lead growers to try to exclude ALL birds from their fields, which serves as a major barrier to conservation.
January 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
While prevalences are low (esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....), wild birds do carry foodborne diseases leading to widespread concerns in the produce industry.
This can lead growers to try to exclude ALL birds from their fields, which serves as a major barrier to conservation.
This can lead growers to try to exclude ALL birds from their fields, which serves as a major barrier to conservation.
Escaped to San Mateo county to chase rare birds today!
Field Sparrow, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, and Lucy's Warbler- not too shabby :)
Field Sparrow, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, and Lucy's Warbler- not too shabby :)
December 20, 2024 at 12:27 AM
Escaped to San Mateo county to chase rare birds today!
Field Sparrow, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, and Lucy's Warbler- not too shabby :)
Field Sparrow, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, and Lucy's Warbler- not too shabby :)
The kiddo loves www.cozycritterspodcast.com and requested an episode about hognose snakes.
Continuing with their awesome #scicomm trend, here's what we got in the mail today...
Continuing with their awesome #scicomm trend, here's what we got in the mail today...
December 10, 2024 at 2:15 AM
The kiddo loves www.cozycritterspodcast.com and requested an episode about hognose snakes.
Continuing with their awesome #scicomm trend, here's what we got in the mail today...
Continuing with their awesome #scicomm trend, here's what we got in the mail today...
Celebrating the 7th day of #fishmas by releasing our fishies into rice fields!
So excited to see them grow and figure out if they can help rice grow and reduce methane emissions!
So excited to see them grow and figure out if they can help rice grow and reduce methane emissions!
December 7, 2024 at 8:31 PM
Celebrating the 7th day of #fishmas by releasing our fishies into rice fields!
So excited to see them grow and figure out if they can help rice grow and reduce methane emissions!
So excited to see them grow and figure out if they can help rice grow and reduce methane emissions!
We've got fish!
The amazing Emily Mensch is PIT tagging thousands, before we start putting them out in fields to see how they affect rice yields and methane.
Also happy kiddo got to catch the recovering ones :)
The amazing Emily Mensch is PIT tagging thousands, before we start putting them out in fields to see how they affect rice yields and methane.
Also happy kiddo got to catch the recovering ones :)
November 23, 2024 at 1:15 AM
We've got fish!
The amazing Emily Mensch is PIT tagging thousands, before we start putting them out in fields to see how they affect rice yields and methane.
Also happy kiddo got to catch the recovering ones :)
The amazing Emily Mensch is PIT tagging thousands, before we start putting them out in fields to see how they affect rice yields and methane.
Also happy kiddo got to catch the recovering ones :)