Marine Sciences
- December 10, 2019
California’s sea otter population could triple by recolonizing San Francisco Bay
A new study highlights the importance of estuaries as prime habitat for the endangered southern sea otter.
- December 05, 2019
Island 'soundscapes' show potential for evaluating recovery of nesting seabirds
Conservation biologists are taking a holistic approach to acoustic monitoring for evaluating the effectiveness of restoration efforts.
- November 26, 2019
UC Santa Cruz researchers funded to develop new technology for monitoring toxic algae
As the frequency and severity of harmful algal blooms increases along the California coast, ocean scientist Raphael Kudela is working to improve the technology for monitoring them.
- October 09, 2019
Reef fish caring for their young are taken advantage of by other fish
Biologists have reported the first evidence of brood parasitism in coral reef fish, finding unrelated young fish in groups of young being protected by their parents.
- October 09, 2019
Norris Lecture features expert panel on saltwater intrusion October 23
The 2019 Ken Norris Memorial Lecture on Wednesday, October 23, addresses saltwater intrusion along the Monterey Bay: Is our groundwater too salty?
- September 25, 2019
Climate report describes escalating impacts on oceans, ice, and snow
UCSC ocean scientist Raphael Kudela is a lead author of the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, which provides new evidence for the benefits of limiting global warming.
- September 25, 2019
Alumna Stacy Jupiter wins coveted MacArthur Fellowship
Stacy Jupiter, a marine scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society who earned her Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz in 2006, is among the 26 new MacArthur Fellows for 2019.
- September 17, 2019
Elephant seal 'supermoms' produce most of the population, study finds
High mortality rates for young elephant seals means long-lived females dominate the reproductive output of the population.
- September 05, 2019
Switzer Environmental Fellowship awarded to UCSC graduate student
Melissa Cronin, a Ph.D. candidate in ecology and evolutionary biology, has been awarded a Switzer Environmental Fellowship from the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation.
- September 05, 2019
Marine scientist Adina Paytan to receive A.G. Huntsman Medal
Adina Paytan, a research professor in the Institute of Marine Sciences, has been honored with the 2019 A.G. Huntsman Award for Excellence in the Marine Sciences presented by the Royal Society of Canada.
- August 07, 2019
Researchers enlist citizen scientists to count animals on Año Nuevo Island
Volunteers will use drone photos uploaded to the Zooniverse platform to count birds, seals, and sea lions for an unprecedented census of the island.
- July 30, 2019
Conservation biologists find new applications for AI tools
Deep learning algorithms can be trained to recognize anything from the types of vegetation in a coastal wetland to the sound of a bird hitting a power line.
- July 16, 2019
Dream job: Combining science and illustration
Ph.D. student Jessica Kendall-Bar is fascinated by how wild marine mammals sleep, and also passionate about using art to explain science.
- June 26, 2019
Corals can survive in acidified ocean conditions, but have lower density skeletons
A two-year transplantation experiment near a natural low-pH submarine spring evaluated growth and physiological response of different coral species to ocean acidification.
- June 05, 2019
UCSC scientists study rare beaked whale stranded at Scott Creek Beach
The Hubb's beaked whale is one of the rarest and least studied marine mammal species in the world.
- May 30, 2019
Alumni Excursion: Sea change, up close and personal
A curated trip called "The Effects of Climate Change on Marine Life" offered attendees a detailed look into how UC Santa Cruz researchers are contributing to the discussion of climate change and its direct impact on marine ecosystems.
- May 09, 2019
Anne Kapuscinski receives 2019 Ocean Award for innovation
Anne Kapuscinski, professor of environmental studies and director of the Coastal Science and Policy Program, has received a 2019 Ocean Award for innovation from Boat International magazine and the Blue Marine Foundation.
- April 30, 2019
U.S. coral reefs provide flood protection worth $1.8 billion annually
New report finds coral reef barriers provide flood protection for more than 18,000 people and $1.8 billion worth of coastal buildings, infrastructure, and economic activity yearly.
- April 23, 2019
Can a drone weigh an elephant seal?
Undergrad’s innovative research may lead to new methods of weighing seals, expanding our understanding of the mammals and the oceans
- April 05, 2019
New genus of marine organisms named in honor of ocean scientist Jon Zehr
A newly described genus of marine microorganisms has been named in honor of Professor of Ocean Sciences Jonathan Zehr.
- April 03, 2019
Coral study traces excess nitrogen to Maui wastewater treatment facility
Nutrient pollution has been blamed for algal blooms and degradation of coral reefs along Maui's west coast.
- March 21, 2019
Biologist Daniel Costa appointed director of the Institute of Marine Sciences
Daniel Costa, distinguished professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, has been appointed to serve as the next director of the Institute of Marine Sciences, beginning in July 2019.
- March 12, 2019
Review of noise impacts on marine mammals yields new policy recommendations
After a comprehensive review of current knowledge, a panel of scientists has published new recommendations regarding marine mammal noise exposure.
- February 22, 2019
Seymour Center honors alumnus John Laird with Global Oceans Award
The Seymour Marine Discovery Center will honor Laird at the Global Oceans Gala on Saturday, March 23.
- February 13, 2019
Grad student Sara Gonzalez wins policy award from Ecological Society of America
Sara Gonzalez, a Ph.D. student in ecology and evolutionary biology, is among the recipients of the Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Awards from the Ecological Society of America.
- January 31, 2019
Study of brine discharge from desalination plant finds good news and bad news
Brine discharged from the Carlsbad Desalination Plant raises offshore salinity levels more than permitted, but researchers found no direct local impacts on sea life.
- January 29, 2019
Why beaked whales return to Navy sonar range despite frequent disturbance
A new study using underwater robots reveals dense patches of deep-sea squid attract beaked whales to a Navy sonar test range off Southern California.
- January 14, 2019
Upper-ocean warming is changing the global wave climate, making waves stronger
The energy in ocean waves has been increasing as a consequence of climate change, according to a new study.
