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Marine Sciences

December 26, 2022
Bering Land Bridge formed surprisingly late during last ice age, study finds
By reconstructing the sea level history of the Bering Strait, scientists found that the strait remained flooded until around 35,700 years ago, not long before humans began migrating into the Americas.
December 12, 2022
Report provides guide to funding for coral reef restoration projects for risk reduction
The report from a multi-agency working group led by UCSC scientists supports communities seeking funding for projects to reduce flood risks by restoring coral reefs for storm hazard mitigation and climate adaptation.
November 17, 2022
Offshore wind farms may harm seabirds, but scientists see potential for net positive impact
A new study presents a framework for assessing and mitigating the impacts of offshore wind energy development on marine birds.
November 14, 2022
UCSC marine sciences professor to lead new Center for Coastal Climate Resilience
Longtime UC Santa Cruz marine sciences professor Michael W. Beck is adding a new role to his resume: director of the campus’ recently announced Center for Coastal Climate Resilience.
November 09, 2022
UCSC researchers win NOAA grants to study climate change patterns in California's marine sanctuaries
Two UC Santa Cruz researchers will be delving deeper into coastal and climate resiliency efforts within California's marine sanctuaries as part of two recent grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
November 02, 2022
Global analysis shows where fishing vessels turn off their identification devices
A new dataset of intentional disabling of Automatic Identification System devices by fishing vessels provides insights into illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activity.
October 28, 2022
Biologist Daniel Costa receives Outstanding Faculty Award
Daniel Costa, distinguished professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and director of the Institute of Marine Sciences, has received the 2021-22 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences.
October 19, 2022
Research to identify biological hotspots in the oceans will help reduce human impacts
A grant from the Office of Naval Research funds research using elephant seals to find marine hotspots while providing support for undergraduate researchers, an assessment of ethical considerations, and training to create inclusive environments for field research.
October 13, 2022
Two UCSC alumni win awards for excellence in science communication
Jessica Kendall-Bar and Rodrigo Pérez Ortega were winners in the National Academies’ inaugural Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication.
October 03, 2022
Ocean scientist Christina Ravelo awarded AGU’s Maurice Ewing Medal
The American Geophysical Union's Ewing Medal is given annually in recognition of significant original contributions to the ocean sciences .
September 07, 2022
With Pivot Fellowship, astronomer J. Xavier Prochaska turns to oceanography
A new program from the Simons Foundation supports successful researchers who have a deep interest, curiosity, and drive to make contributions to a new discipline.
September 07, 2022
UCSC partners in NSF research hub to use nature to protect coastal communities
A $20 million NSF grant funds the new Climate Risks and Equitable Nature-based Solutions Hub, focusing on coral reef and mangrove ecosystems.
August 22, 2022
‘Water’s Extreme Journey,’ a new exhibit at the Seymour Center, opens in September
A new exhibit opening in September at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center features a maze and interactive activities highlighting the challenges of keeping our water clean.
August 04, 2022
Two UCSC grad students are finalists for prestigious Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships
The finalists for the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program include UCSC graduate students Austen Stovall and Ellen Willis‑Norton.
August 04, 2022
NOAA scholarship supports graduate student’s seabird conservation research
Aspen Ellis, a Ph.D. student in ecology and evolutionary biology, is one of seven students nationwide selected by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries to receive a 2022 Nancy Foster Scholarship.
July 28, 2022
Data from elephant seals reveal new features of marine heatwave ‘the Blob’
Instruments carried by migrating elephant seals measured deep warm-water anomalies that lasted much longer than the surface warming.
July 19, 2022
Researchers track juvenile elephant seals for insights into mortality rates
An outreach program to bring science and scientists into K-12 classrooms is part of a study investigating the differences between male and female elephant seals.
July 08, 2022
Narwhals show physiological disruption in response to seismic survey ship noise
Scientists deployed monitoring devices on narwhals to record heart rates, breathing, and diving behavior during seismic air gun pulses from a ship in the fjords of Greenland.
June 29, 2022
Destruction and recovery of kelp forests driven by changes in sea urchin behavior
A long-term study of kelp forest dynamics on California’s Central Coast highlights the critical role of sea urchin behavior, not just the size of the urchin population.
June 27, 2022
Study finds chaos is more common in ecological systems than previously thought
The idea that chaos is rare in natural populations may be due to methodological and data limitations, rather than the inherent stability of ecosystems.
June 22, 2022
Reefense project aims to meld biology and engineering in novel structures for coastal protection
UCSC scientists are part of a DARPA-funded team to develop innovative solutions for coral reef restoration in Florida and the Caribbean to protect coastal infrastructure.
June 17, 2022
Study shows mangrove and reef restoration yield positive returns on investment for flood protection
A robust analysis demonstrates that nature-based solutions to reduce the damage caused by coastal flooding are cost-effective.
June 14, 2022
Students dip their toes into coastal science at Younger Lagoon
Ocean Sciences Professor Carl Lamborg uses Younger Lagoon Reserve to teach Field and Lab Methods in Aquatic and Coastal Science.
June 13, 2022
Hunting in darkness, elephant seals use sensitive whiskers to find prey
Researchers used miniature video cameras to study how free-ranging elephant seals use their whiskers to track down prey in the darkness of the deep ocean.
June 01, 2022
Free public beach tours of Younger Lagoon Reserve have resumed
Tours of the reserve, which were suspended due to COVID-19 precautions, are again being offered through UCSC’s Seymour Marine Discovery Center.
April 20, 2022
New global forecasts of marine heatwaves foretell ecological and economic impacts
The forecasts could help fishing fleets, ocean managers, and coastal communities anticipate the effects of marine heatwaves.
April 14, 2022
Kelp restoration project is finalist in LaunchPad pitch competition
Andrea Paz-Lacavex, a graduate student in UCSC’s Coastal Science & Policy Program, leads SPORA, a kelp restoration project in Baja California.
March 24, 2022
Annual Confronting Climate Change Conference focuses on local impacts and solutions
UC Santa Cruz offers a weekend of free events at the Seymour Center to spark conversation and inspire action.
March 16, 2022
Effects of ancient carbon releases suggest possible scenarios for future climate
New findings reveal a precursor event before the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, giving scientists a fresh perspective on future global climate scenarios.
March 10, 2022
California Sea Grant funds graduate research fellows at UCSC
California Sea Grant has awarded funding to four UC Santa Cruz graduate students for marine science research projects that address the agency’s priority themes of resilient coastal communities and economies, sustainable fisheries, and healthy coastal ecosystems.
March 09, 2022
Younger Lagoon study tells a tale of two fishes
Research at UCSC's Younger Lagoon shows that the state of estuary waters, not competition from another fish species, is the most important predictor of populations of an endangered fish.
February 28, 2022
Elephant seals’ map sense tells them when to head ‘home’
Researchers found that female elephant seals know their distance from the breeding beach and allocate extra time to get back if they have farther to travel.
February 24, 2022
Ocean scientist Claudie Beaulieu wins NSF CAREER Award
Claudie Beaulieu, assistant professor of ocean sciences, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support her work using data science to study climate variability and climate change.
February 09, 2022
Genome of extinct Steller’s sea cow reveals surprising link to human skin disease
Analysis of ancient DNA from sea cow bones finds genes that may have played a role in adaptation to cold marine environment and yields evidence of a long population decline.
February 07, 2022
Marine scientist Adina Paytan wins EGU’s Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky Medal
The European Geosciences Union (EGU) has awarded the 2022 Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky Medal for exceptional contributions to biogeosciences to Adina Paytan, a research scientist at the UC Santa Cruz Institute of Marine Sciences.