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Marine Sciences

December 15, 2021
Optimizing coastal wetland restoration for carbon capture and storage
UCSC leads a large collaborative effort to develop guidelines for maximizing the effectiveness of coastal wetlands as a climate mitigation solution with multiple benefits.
November 22, 2021
Researchers recover ancient mammoth tusk during deep-sea expedition
A team of researchers from UC Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and University of Michigan are studying the tusk retrieved from deep waters off the California coast.
November 09, 2021
New book chronicles more than 50 years of elephant seal research at Año Nuevo Reserve
Professor Emeritus Burney Le Boeuf summarizes the findings of the UC Santa Cruz elephant seal research program, one of the longest running studies of any animal
November 03, 2021
Researchers find whales eat more than expected
New estimates of how much whales eat suggest that past culling of the creatures by humans has contributed to broader declines in ecosystem health and productivity.
October 28, 2021
Survivor salmon that withstand drought and ocean warming provide a lifeline for California Chinook
Late migration of outgoing juvenile fish is a crucial life history strategy for survival of spring-run Chinook salmon during drought years.
October 27, 2021
Data-driven animations of marine mammals combine biology, art, and computation
New tools for data visualization can transform data from animal-borne tags into cinematic and informative animations of marine mammal behavior.
October 25, 2021
Seagrass restoration study shows rapid recovery of ecosystem functions
Restored plots of eelgrass in Elkhorn Slough expanded rapidly, providing improved habitat for fish and invertebrates and other benefits of a healthy ecosystem.
October 22, 2021
Emerging ocean conservation leaders set to visit UC Santa Cruz
The Blue Pioneers Program (BPP) Accelerator recently announced its 2021 cohort of international ocean conservation professionals who will visit UC Santa Cruz’s Coastal Science Campus.
October 20, 2021
Long-term study of elephant seal reproduction shows population’s resilience
Researchers found that a female elephant seal’s age and experience were more important than ocean conditions in determining the condition of her pup at weaning.
October 14, 2021
Biologist Roxanne Beltran wins prestigious Packard Fellowship
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation has awarded a Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering to Roxanne Beltran, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz.
September 23, 2021
Seymour Marine Discovery Center will reopen in October
Beginning in October, guests will once again be welcomed back inside to visit the Seymour Center’s interactive exhibits and enjoy a brand new display featuring stunning photographs of marine life taken by UCSC scientists in the field.
September 23, 2021
NOAA awards recognize scientists in Fisheries Collaborative Program
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded its prestigious Bronze Award to three researchers affiliated with the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) at UC Santa Cruz.
September 09, 2021
Researcher honored for work in UCSC-NOAA Fisheries Collaborative Program
James Gilbert, an associate project scientist in the Institute of Marine Sciences, was recognized by the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center with its Staff of the Quarter award.
September 01, 2021
Enhanced wetland on UCSC’s Coastal Science Campus will benefit threatened frogs
Construction of a seasonal pond within an existing wetland area in the Younger Lagoon Natural Reserve will create potential aquatic breeding habitat for the California red-legged frog.
August 26, 2021
When humans disturb marine mammals, it’s hard to know the long-term impact
Scientists are developing new tools to determine when short-term changes in behavior caused by human activities have biological significance for protected populations.
August 09, 2021
Salt marsh resilience compromised by crabs along tidal creek edges
A long-term study in Elkhorn Slough revealed the impact of superabundant crabs on salt marsh vegetation and the vulnerability of tidal creek banks to erosion.
July 09, 2021
Seymour Center welcomes new executive director
After an extensive search, the UC Santa Cruz Seymour Marine Discovery Center has chosen Jonathan Andres Hicken to be its new executive director.
June 03, 2021
Biologist Roxanne Beltran wins funding from Beckman Young Investigator Program
New project aims to provide the first large-scale recordings of sound in the open ocean, using elephant seals as a platform for a novel acoustic recorder.
June 02, 2021
Dead zones formed repeatedly in North Pacific during warm climates, study finds
Over the past 1.2 million years, marine life was repeatedly extinguished in low-oxygen ‘dead zones’ in the North Pacific Ocean during warm interglacial climates.
May 20, 2021
Survival of migrating juvenile salmon depends on stream flow thresholds
New understanding of relationship between stream flows and salmon survival provides a critical tool for balancing water needs in the highly managed Sacramento River.
May 19, 2021
Legendary oceanography professor has made sea changes in students' lives
Devoted professor and beloved mentor Gary Griggs has no plans to step down—or even slow down—after 53 years of teaching, advising, and advocating for the environment.
April 28, 2021
William Doyle, founding director of UCSC’s Institute of Marine Sciences, dies at 91
William T. Doyle, professor emeritus of biology and founding director of the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) at UC Santa Cruz, died peacefully at his home in Santa Cruz on April 21. He was 91.
April 23, 2021
Researchers rescue endangered black abalone buried by debris flows
Massive quantities of sediment washed onto the Big Sur coast from the Dolan Fire burn scar, burying black abalone in their rocky intertidal habitat.
April 16, 2021
IMS Director Dan Costa named a fellow of the Society for Marine Mammalogy
Daniel Costa, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and director of the Institute of Marine Sciences at UC Santa Cruz, has been honored by the Society of Marine Mammalogy (SMM) in its inaugural class of SMM Fellows.
April 15, 2021
Coral reefs prevent more than $5.3 billion in potential flood damage for U.S. property owners
A new study reveals how valuable coral reefs are in protecting people, structures, and economic activity in the United States from coastal flooding during storms.
April 13, 2021
Study of U.S. tuna fisheries explores nexus of climate change, sustainable seafood
A new study by researchers at UC Santa Cruz and NOAA examines traditional aspects of seafood sustainability alongside greenhouse gas emissions to better understand the carbon footprint of U.S. tuna fisheries.
March 31, 2021
Seymour Center plans for physical reopening as virtual programs continue to expand their reach
Seymour Center Outdoors!, a new in-person outdoor education program, is scheduled to open to the general public on April 24.
March 25, 2021
Changes in ocean chemistry show how sea level affects global carbon cycle
A new analysis of strontium isotopes reveals how the global carbon cycle has responded to changes in climate and sea level through geologic time.
March 22, 2021
Two UCSC research teams recognized for outstanding papers in PNAS
The Cozzarelli Prize recognizes selected papers as outstanding contributions to the scientific disciplines represented by the National Academy of Sciences.
March 17, 2021
For migrating elephant seals, ‘lightscapes of fear’ shape feeding, resting strategies
A new tracking study shows how elephant seals balance predator avoidance and the need to feed, shifting strategies as their body condition improves during a 7-month foraging migration.
March 08, 2021
Sea otters maintain remnants of healthy kelp forest amid sea urchin barrens
While kelp forests have declined dramatically along the California coast, sea otters in Monterey Bay are maintaining patches of healthy kelp forest, according to a new study.
March 08, 2021
Return to Rat Island: Conservation strategy leads to ecosystem rebound
Hawadax Island's birds and seashore ecosystem have returned to a natural balance after the removal of invasive rodents.
March 05, 2021
The collapse of Northern California kelp forests will be hard to reverse
Most of Northern California’s kelp forest ecosystem is gone, replaced by widespread ‘urchin barrens’ that may persist long into the future, according to a new study.
March 03, 2021
UCSC leads multicampus initiative on coastal resilience and climate adaptation
A UC-funded initiative will bring together researchers at the Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, and San Diego campuses to address pressing issues for California’s coastal communities.
February 04, 2021
Healthy oceans need healthy soundscapes, say marine scientists
A global team of researchers has documented the pervasive impacts of noise on marine animals and ecosystems and identified actions to return to the soundtrack of the healthy ocean.
February 02, 2021
Seawater intake replacement, bike path improvement projects win public works awards
A $1.1 million project to replace the seawater intake structure at the UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab was selected as environmental project of the year by the Monterey Bay chapter of the American Public Works Association.
January 25, 2021
Seymour Marine Discovery Center offers new marine science virtual expeditions
“Scientists Saving the Oceans” program begins with a behind-the-scenes look at how marine mammal researchers are working to protect dolphins and whales from ocean noise.
January 11, 2021
UC Santa Cruz offers virtual tours of Younger Lagoon Natural Reserve
Prompted by the temporary suspension of in-person tours due to COVID-19, the new virtual tours are available in English and Spanish.
January 08, 2021
New analysis highlights importance of groundwater discharge into oceans
A global assessment of the impact of groundwater on ocean chemistry is important for understanding the weathering of rocks and its effects on climate.