4 Topic Commentaries

Fallowed Fields Tied to Valley Fever

Fallowed Fields Tied to Valley Fever

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  Alexandra Heaney, PhD

  Environmental Health Sciences; Coccidioidomycosis epidemiology

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  University of California San Diego

  California is undergoing a major transformation of its agricultural landscape, and we need to understand how those changes may affect public health. Our findings suggest that land management decisions can have consequences that extend beyond agriculture and water use. As more land is taken out of production, we have an opportunity to anticipate potential health risks and build prevention measures into how California’s landscapes are managed.

  Source
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  Justin V. Remais, PhD, MS

  Environmental Health Sciences; Infectious disease dynamics

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  University of California, Berkeley

  If we can determine how decisions like fallowing land may contribute to the release of Coccidioides spores, we can design strategies to inform and protect communities from exposure.

  Source
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  John Abatzoglou, PhD

  Climatology; Climate science and impacts

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  University of California, Merced

  When fields are unplanted, wind erosion can create dust.

  Source
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  Taylor Weiss, PhD

  Environmental and Resource Management

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  Arizona State University

  Valley fever is a fungal spore that's found in desert soils and, in particular, in fallow fields. As there are more and more fields becoming fallow, the potential for this fungal spore to enter the air is increasing.

  Source