Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
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Sea otter study reveals striking variability in diets and feeding strategies
Scientists studying southern sea otters at different sites in California’s coastal waters were not surprised to find that the dietary diversity of the population is higher where food is limited. But this diversity was not reflected in the diets of individ
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Why diving marine mammals resist brain damage from low oxygen
Certain animals–including dolphins, whales, and sea otters–appear to be protected from low oxygen by elevated levels of oxygen-carrying proteins in their brains, according to a new study by UCSC researchers.
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High-tech conservationist: Grad student helps fight local battle against logging
UCSC graduate student Adelia Barber took time away from her dissertation to conduct a timberland analysis for a grassroots group opposed to logging in an area of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
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Study of kelp harvesting finds bull kelp more vulnerable than giant kelp
As demand grows for kelp extracts, harvesters may begin to target bull kelp. If so, there may be cause for concern, according to UCSC biologists.
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Gift from botanist Jean Langenheim establishes Endowed Chair in Plant Ecology and Evolution
UCSC has appointed Ingrid Parker, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, to the newly established Jean H. Langenheim Endowed Chair in Plant Ecology and Evolution.
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Small-scale fishing in Mexico rivals industrial fisheries in accidental turtle deaths
New research shows that a small-scale Mexican fishery–operated by hand from small open boats–can kill as many critically endangered loggerhead sea turtles as all of the industrial fishing fleets in the North Pacific Ocean put together.
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Three-way mating game of North American lizard found in distant European relative
New findings suggest “rock-paper-scissors” dynamic may be a fundamental evolutionary pattern among social animals.
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Beyond the Ivory Tower: The work of three graduate students at UCSC is protecting threatened species around the globe
At UC Santa Cruz, graduate student research is not just about earning a degree. In every field of advanced study, UCSC attracts graduate students who are eager to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to find solutions to global challenges.
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UCSC professor emeritus William Doyle publishes new reference for California botanists
William T. Doyle, professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology, has published a comprehensive reference on the liverworts and hornworts of California.
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Influential fisheries ecologist Steven Berkeley dies at age 60
Steven A. Berkeley, an influential fisheries ecologist whose research helped propel the expansion of marine reserves, died at home in Scotts Valley on June 27 after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 60.
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Study shows lizard moms dress their children for success
UCSC researchers have found that female side-blotched lizards are able to induce different color patterns in their offspring in response to social cues, “dressing” their progeny in patterns they will wear for the rest of their lives.
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Scientists reconstruct prehistoric behavior and ecology of northern fur seals
A team of researchers has documented major changes in the behavior, ecology, and geographic range of the northern fur seal over the past 1,500 years using a combination of techniques from archaeology, biochemistry, and ecology.