News
Whole genome sequencing could help save pumas from inbreeding
October 18, 2019
The first complete genetic sequences of individual mountain lions point the way to better conservation strategies for saving threatened populations of the wild animals.
Reef fish caring for their young are taken advantage of by other fish
October 9, 2019
Biologists have reported the first evidence of brood parasitism in coral reef fish, finding unrelated young fish in groups of young being protected by their parents.
Alumna Stacy Jupiter wins coveted MacArthur Fellowship
September 25, 2019
Stacy Jupiter, a marine scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society who earned her Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz in 2006, is among the 26 new MacArthur Fellows for 2019.
Elephant seal 'supermoms' produce most of the population, study finds
September 17, 2019
High mortality rates for young elephant seals means long-lived females dominate the reproductive output of the population.
Switzer Environmental Fellowship awarded to UCSC graduate student
September 5, 2019
Melissa Cronin, a Ph.D. candidate in ecology and evolutionary biology, has been awarded a Switzer Environmental Fellowship from the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation.
Shasta dam releases can be managed to benefit both salmon and sturgeon, study finds
August 20, 2019
An optimal scenario for releasing water into the Sacramento River can meet the needs of endangered winter-run chinook salmon, threatened green sturgeon, and downstream water users.
In Memoriam: Umihiko Hoshijima
August 12, 2019
Umihiko (Umi) Hoshijima, a postdoctoral researcher in ecology and evolutionary biology, died August 7 in a diving accident while working on a research project near Glacier Bay, Alaska.
Researchers enlist citizen scientists to count animals on Año Nuevo Island
August 7, 2019
Volunteers will use drone photos uploaded to the Zooniverse platform to count birds, seals, and sea lions for an unprecedented census of the island.
Conservation biologists find new applications for AI tools
July 30, 2019
Deep learning algorithms can be trained to recognize anything from the types of vegetation in a coastal wetland to the sound of a bird hitting a power line.
Dream job: Combining science and illustration
July 16, 2019
Ph.D. student Jessica Kendall-Bar is fascinated by how wild marine mammals sleep, and also passionate about using art to explain science.
Corals can survive in acidified ocean conditions, but have lower density skeletons
June 26, 2019
A two-year transplantation experiment near a natural low-pH submarine spring evaluated growth and physiological response of different coral species to ocean acidification.
UCSC scientists study rare beaked whale stranded at Scott Creek Beach
June 5, 2019
The Hubb's beaked whale is one of the rarest and least studied marine mammal species in the world.
Can a drone weigh an elephant seal?
April 23, 2019
Undergrad’s innovative research may lead to new methods of weighing seals, expanding our understanding of the mammals and the oceans
Inspired Expeditions: A travel program for the curious
March 27, 2019
UC Santa Cruz’s new travel program pairs travelers with expert professors for enhanced perspectives into some of the world’s most fascinating places.
Biologist Daniel Costa appointed director of the Institute of Marine Sciences
March 21, 2019
Daniel Costa, distinguished professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, has been appointed to serve as the next director of the Institute of Marine Sciences, beginning in July 2019.
Deforestation in Brazil could significantly increase local surface temperatures
March 20, 2019
New model quantifies how forests influence reflected sunlight and evapotranspiration, leading to changes in local surface temperature with deforestation.
Fat bats withstand the effects of white-nose syndrome, study finds
February 20, 2019
New findings explain how some populations of little brown bats are persisting, even after initial population declines caused by the debilitating fungal disease.
Grad student Sara Gonzalez wins policy award from Ecological Society of America
February 13, 2019
Sara Gonzalez, a Ph.D. student in ecology and evolutionary biology, is among the recipients of the Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Awards from the Ecological Society of America.
Diverse scents of woodland star wildflowers driven by coevolution with pollinators
February 11, 2019
Scientists found a surprising diversity of floral scent compounds produced by different species of woodland stars and even by populations of the same species in different locations.
Idled farmland presents habitat restoration opportunities in San Joaquin Desert
January 15, 2019
Land no longer suitable for agriculture could be reclaimed as habitat for dozens of endangered species, according to a new analysis.
NSF funds innovative stable isotope equipment at UC Santa Cruz
January 2, 2019
The new equipment will support research across a wide range of disciplines, ranging from oceanography and earth science, paleontology, anthropology, ecology and fundamental biochemical cycle research.
Environmental, social changes shift how elephant seals communicate
December 3, 2018
UC Santa Cruz Ph.D. candidate Caroline Casey retraced biologist Burney Le Boeuf's scientific footsteps and discovered the seals’ threat calls no longer had geographic distinctions. Instead, as the northern elephant seal population had increased, the males’ calls had grown more individualized and complex.
Plant scientist Jean Langenheim honored by Graduate Women in Science
January 11, 2012
The Graduate Women in Science organization Sigma Delta Epsilon has awarded its highest honor, national honorary membership, to UC Santa Cruz plant scientist Jean Langenheim in recognition of her outstanding achievements in scientific research.
QUEST TV profiles biologist Dan Costa
July 27, 2011
UCSC biologist Dan Costa is featured in a new episode of KQED's QUEST TV program.
Loss of large predators has caused widespread disruption of ecosystems
July 14, 2011
The decline of large predators and other "apex consumers" at the top of the food chain has disrupted ecosystems all over the planet, according to a review of recent findings.
