Agriculture is dependent on nature. Even seemingly minor temperature variations have a significant impact on the precise mechanics of plants, animals and insects. As average temperatures have warmed by 3 degrees over the past century, the question remains — how will we adapt our agricultural practices to ensure that all people continue to have access to food, fiber and fuel now and in the future?

The University of Georgia’s turf program is supported by a group of faculty and research scientists throughout the state dedicated to year-round turfgrass research and outreach efforts. Members of the UGA Turf Team were recently invited to develop a training and certification program to support the field managers of Mexico’s premier soccer leagues — Liga MX, the top professional men’s soccer division, and Liga MX Femenil, the country’s top women’s soccer division.

In the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, students are exposed to new ideas, concepts and methods in classrooms and labs every day. The Ratcliffe Scholars Program, part of the college’s experiential learning programming, supports undergraduate students as they deepen their understanding of their chosen fields through internships, study abroad programs and other immersive learning experiences.

Intrigued by her work with urban environments and the pollinators that inhabit them, the organizers of TEDxAtlanta invited entomology head Kris Braman to share the results of a recent study she and her team published on urban bee populations. The TEDx talk, hosted at Georgia State University's Rialto Center for the Arts in May, contributed to a forum designed to inspire and ignite the curiosity of listeners all over the globe.

Whether it was Punxsutawney Phil or the Old Farmer’s Almanac, somebody got it right because, after a relatively mild winter, it’s been a cool spring across the Southeast. Even as summer approaches, these cool temperatures have provided some relief on both the air conditioning bill and the mosquito front.

Of all the elements that make a stream community, there is one, besides the water, that is particularly crucial to the health of the ecosystem. It’s the bugs. Tiny but mighty, aquatic insects are responsible for many vital ecosystem processes that support fish, birds and humans.