Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
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Rats on islands disrupt ecosystems from land to sea, researchers find
The ecological impacts of introduced rats on islands extend far beyond seabird nesting colonies, according to a new UCSC study that provides support for efforts to eradicate rats from the Aleutian Islands.
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Biologist Bruce Lyon’s research featured on cover of Science
Research on lark buntings by UCSC biologist Bruce Lyon and his former graduate student, Alexis Chaine, was featured on the cover of Science.
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Changing fashions govern mating success in lark buntings, study finds
A study of how female lark buntings choose their mates, published this week in Science, adds a surprising new twist to the evolutionary theory of sexual selection.
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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.