The effects of climate change are already here, and unless we cut down on carbon emissions, things will only get worse. Agriculture is an industry that is incredibly vulnerable to this threat, and is an area of intense research among scientists. While we know a lot about current and future affects, the complexity of this problem means that we won’t fully understand the impacts until they are already here. Because of this, this series is focused more on speculations based on modeling, as well as research on insect and plant responses to changes in carbon dioxide, temperatures, and earlier transitions from winter into spring (which results in less chill accumulation and earlier emergence of pests).

This introductory episode with Tapan Pathak will lay the foundation for the series. You will hear some things multiple times in different episodes, but from different perspectives.

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

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