News
Cooperative research effort documents northward migration of kelp forests
September 9, 2020
From Alaska to Mexico, warming waters are driving widespread changes in these highly productive coastal ecosystems.
In the line of fire
September 1, 2020
Alumnus Adam Lowdermilk had built a career as a musician, but the tragic 2018 Camp Fire prompted a change of heart and a leap into firefighting.
Rising to the Eco-Challenge
August 31, 2020
Two Slug alumni were part of a grueling, 11-day, 416-mile adventure race called Eco-Challenge Fiji, caught in a 10-episode series streaming on Amazon Prime.
Marine mammals show off their training in evacuation from Long Marine Lab
August 24, 2020
All of the resident marine mammals at UCSC’s Long Marine Laboratory are safe and well after a successful evacuation effort.
Research buildings saved as wildfire sweeps across Big Creek Natural Reserve
August 22, 2020
Fire preparedness and hard work by fast-moving fire crews and UC Santa Cruz staff is being credited for saving research and residential buildings at the Landels-Hill Big Creek Natural Reserve on the Big Sur coast.
Alaska’s salmon are getting smaller, affecting people and ecosystems
August 19, 2020
A comprehensive study of four salmon species across all regions of Alaska finds salmon are returning to rivers smaller and younger than in the past.
Influential marine biologist John Pearse dies at 84
August 5, 2020
A leading authority on marine invertebrates and intertidal ecology, Pearse was a beloved teacher and mentor to generations of marine biologists.
Is COVID-related reduction in marine traffic reducing stress in whales?
July 17, 2020
Whale researchers are taking advantage of changes in boat traffic in Monterey Bay during the pandemic to collect data on stress hormones in humpback whales.
A call for caution, personal responsibility
July 2, 2020
If people simply wait around for federal, state, and local governments to save them from the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than take precautions to keep themselves and their communities safe, “we will lose the economy and our lives,’’ said infectious disease expert A. Marm Kilpatrick this week.
Researchers honored for work in UCSC-NOAA Fisheries Collaborative Program
July 1, 2020
Three researchers affiliated with the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) at UC Santa Cruz have received awards from the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center for their outstanding contributions to research in 2019.
Hellman Fellows Program and UC announce $125 million commitment to faculty research
June 23, 2020
The Hellman Fellows Program and the University of California announced a plan to permanently support the Hellman Fellows Program on all 10 campuses in the UC system.
NOAA funds new Cooperative Institute for Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Systems
June 3, 2020
CIMEAS supports the ongoing collaboration between UC Santa Cruz and the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center.
Two vital buffers against climate change are just offshore
June 1, 2020
A new study underscores the need to conserve and restore mangroves and coral reefs for coastal protection.
Emerald predators: Ohlone tiger beetles reclaim territory with the help of local scientists
May 28, 2020
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists released 43 Ohlone tiger beetles to a new home in Santa Cruz County earlier this year with the help of UC Santa Cruz students and reserve managers
Field courses boost STEM diversity, study reveals
May 19, 2020
The challenge of diversifying STEM fields may get a boost from the results of a new study that show field courses help build self-confidence among students—especially those from underrepresented groups.
Crabeater seal data used to predict changes in Antarctic krill distribution
April 27, 2020
Tracking the feeding behavior of crabeater seals allowed researchers to build an oceanographic model of krill habitat and project how it is likely to change in the future.
Watch UCSC participants talk about hope during TEDx Santa Cruz
April 23, 2020
Last December, TEDx Santa Cruz hosted a day-long extravaganza of talks curated around the theme of "The Art of Hope." Those talks, including ones by several UCSC affiliates, are now available for online viewing.
UCSC researchers are taking on the coronavirus challenge on multiple fronts
April 1, 2020
From developing diagnostic tests to conducting surveys of infection prevalence, campus researchers are doing what they can in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recruiting raptors for rodent control along the Pajaro River levee
March 24, 2020
UCSC’s Predatory Bird Research Group is working with the Santa Cruz County Flood Control District to encourage hawks and owls to patrol the levee for rodent control.
Tracking data used to identify biodiversity hot spots in Southern Ocean ecosystems
March 18, 2020
An international team of scientists used electronic tracking data from birds and marine mammals to identify areas of ecological significance in the waters around Antarctica.
Grad student Melissa Cronin wins Seafood Sustainability Contest
March 10, 2020
The $45,000 prize will support Cronin’s efforts to to reduce the mortality of manta rays and devil rays incidentally caught during tuna fishing.
Aquaculture to benefit people and the environment
February 20, 2020
Two graduate students have received a one-year, $150,000 grant to create environmentally sound seaweed and sea cucumber farms on the coasts of Kenya and The Gambia.
Researchers get a ‘whale’s-eye view’ of Antarctic sea ice
February 19, 2020
Cameras attached to a rare species of Antarctic whale are giving scientists an unprecedented view of how the whales survive in their sea ice habitat.
Proposed hydropower dams pose threat to Gabon’s fishes
February 6, 2020
Proposed hydropower dams in Gabon pose a substantial threat to the African nation’s most culturally and economically important fishes, according to a new study.
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.
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.
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.
