Letters Bees affected by climate change ? Humboldt State University is a unique CSU cam - I applaud your issue on climate change ( â?? Unequi - pus with regard to the natural resources disci - vocal : How Climate Change Will Transform plines . Programs in forestry , rangeland resources , California , â?? April - June 2009 ) . As a commercial watershed management and wildland soils pro - beekeeper , I will be affected by several aspects : duce both baccalaureate and masterâ??s graduates the shift of agricultural and bee forage crops and for employment with state and federal agencies , native species , the increased use of pesticides , the nongovernmental organizations , consulting firms , lack of bee forage during drier summers , and in - and forestry and rangeland industries . Some of creased problems with the bee parasites varroa our graduates proceed to a UC campus for gradu - mite and Nosema ceranae due to warmer winters . ( I ate education . The newest direction in these dis - recently met with beekeepers in Hawaii . The var - ciplines is the study of carbon sequestration and roa mite just reached the Big Island , where it will global warming , demonstrating the need for fac - likely bring substantial changes for beekeepers and ulty hires in these areas . agriculture there . ) K.O . ( Ken ) Fulgham The aspect that most caught my attention is the Chair , Forestry and Wildland Resources Department Humboldt State University , Arcata poorer nutritional value of plants due to lower levels . It protein content , caused by higher CO 2 Climate change and Chagas disease has been apparent for a few decades that bee nu - Had I not had California Agriculture in my mailbox , trition from pollen is not what it used to be , even April â?? June 2009 my life would be less . Kudos for publishing the in nonagricultural areas . It could well be that the California Agriculture controversial climate change issue . plant pollens necessary for bee nutrition are simply However , I ask why authors of â?? Climate change not as high in protein as they used to be . will exacerbate Californiaâ??s insect pest problems â?? Randy Oliver , beekeeper ( Trumble and Butler , pages 73 â?? 8 ) omitted mention Grass Valley of Triatoma protracta , the vector for Chagas disease . Need to build forestry and rangeland faculty The native incidence of the disease is miniscule , but migrant workers in this country are said to The recent issue clearly demonstrates the issue of number in the tens of thousands . Climate change global warming and how UC is actively involved . will move the Mexican vector northward into California , and Chagas disease , already common in animal reservoirs in the state , will increase . Cal Ag editors win silver ACE award Bud Hoekstra California Agriculture managing editor Janet San Andreas Byron and executive editor Janet White re - ceived a Silver Author John Trumble responds : I considered in - Award for Editing cluding Chagas disease because , according to the from the Association National Institutes of Health , the United States has for Communica - about 500,000 people infected with the trypanosome . tion Excellence in However , the pathogen is already present in the south - Agriculture , Natural ern United States , as is Triatoma protracta . When Resources , and Life so many people are infected , and the pathogen can be and Human Sci - transferred in blood transfusions , transplacentally ences ( ACE ) . The ( from mother to fetus ) and via organ transplant , it is RSVP award honored their not easy to prove that an increase in cases is due to work on â?? Innovative global warming rather than immigration and nonin - WhAt DO YOU thiNK ? outreach increases sect transmission . In addition , vector insects are al - The editorial staff of adoption of sustain - ready in the United States , so it would be difï¬?cult to California Agriculture able winegrowing scientiï¬?cally conclude that global warming will al - welcomes your letters , practices in Lodi region , â?? by Cliff Ohmart , low Chagas disease to expand . Finally , some of the comments and sugges - which appeared in the October - December 2008 tions . Please write to us at expansion will be hindered by predicted decreases in special issue on sustainable viticulture . Byron 6701 San Pablo Ave . , 2nd humidity in California , which reduces the lifespan of floor , Oakland , CA 94608 accepted the award on June 7 at the annual some Triatoma vectors . That said , I personally believe or calag @ ucop.edu . ACE conference in Des Moines , Iowa . To see the letter writer is correct in that there will be fur - Include your full name the award - winning article , go to ther northward movement of vector species ( certainly and address . Letters http : / / californiaagriculture.ucanr.org . within the United States ) and insect - vectored cases may be edited for space will likely increase . and clarity . http : / / californiaagriculture.ucanr.org â?¢ JULy â?? SEptEMBER 2009 109