Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
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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.
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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.
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Polar bears in Southeast Greenland shed light on the species’ future in a warming Arctic
The most genetically isolated population of polar bears on the planet, they have limited access to sea ice and use ice from Greenland’s glaciers to survive.
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100,000-year-old polar bear genome reveals ancient hybridization with brown bears
Scientists found that all brown bears today have some polar bear ancestry due to genetic admixture that occurred during a warm interglacial period more than 100,000 years ago.
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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.
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Biologist Bruce Lyon honored by American Ornithological Society
Bruce Lyon, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, has been chosen to receive the 2022 Elliott Coues Award from the American Ornithological Society.
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Nearly 30 years of conservation in Santa Cruz, alumna stays connected to the university and invests in students
UCSC alumna Jodi McGraw (Rachel Carson ’94, Environmental Studies and Biology) founded her conservation consulting firm in 2001 and has since hired upwards of 15 UCSC graduates and has sponsored almost 50 UCSC interns.
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As climate shifts, species will need to relocate, and people may have to help them
A new survey summarizes scientific recommendations for conservationists and land managers tasked with managing biodiversity in a changing climate.
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UCSC joins multi-institutional effort to advance equity and inclusion in science
The HHMI Inclusive Excellence Learning Community initiative is supporting efforts to redesign the introductory science curriculum.
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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.
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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.