News

Sea stars and rockfish and octopuses, oh my! As part of the virtual events for 2021 UC Davis Picnic Day, get to know the scientists, students, and staff of Bodega Marine Laboratory, Bodega Marine Reserve, and the Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute as they share sea-sational stories of ocean critters we know and love.

Spanning six years and seven seagrass meadows along the California coast, a paper published today from the University of California, Davis, is the most extensive study yet of how seagrasses can buffer ocean acidification.

We are very pleased to announce that Dr. Anya Brown will be joining the Department of Evolution and Ecology as the new Marine Ecologist hire based at Bodega Marine Laboratory! Anya's research seeks to integrate microbial and community ecology and will bring a new and exciting research direction to CMSI. Dr. Brown is also deeply committed to teaching, mentoring, and service and she is eager to join our efforts to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion within our academic community.

The Coastal and Marine Science Institute is pleased to announce the first-ever recipient of the Dr. Susan Lynn Williams Memorial Graduate Award: Jessica Griffin, a Ph.D. Candidate in the University of California, Davis and San Diego State University joint doctoral program in ecology. This $1,000 award will help support Jessica’s project, titled “The Importance of Environmental Context for Mediating Bivalve Effects on Eelgrass”.

Lessons from a Failed Experiment Mark New Way Forward

Written by Kat Kerlin

Some invasive species targeted for total eradication bounce back with a vengeance, especially in aquatic systems, finds a study led by the University of California, Davis.

Corals and anemones form a symbiotic partnership with photosynthetic algae based on an exchange of nutrients: the host receives sugar from the algae, the algae receives nutrients and consistent exposure to sunlight from the host. This relationship can break down under stressful conditions, a phenomenon known as 'bleaching,' which, in the case of tropical corals, can quickly lead to the death of the host. Bleaching resistance can arise if a local population consistently encounters and adapts to warmer conditions.

A new study led by researchers at UC Santa Cruz, with coauthors from UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Davis, documents the collapse of kelp forest ecosystems off the coast of Northern California. Analyzing the contributing events, from warming oceans to the loss of sunflower sea stars, researchers used satellite imagery from over 30 years to assess historical changes and better understand the dynamics and resilience of kelp forests.

Read the study in Communications Biology

Suzie and the Eelgrass Geese is the story of a young girl who lives in a small town on the coast of California whose love of the ocean leads her to work with a Professor at a local marine lab on an experiment that teaches important lessons about the balance of nature.

California Sea Grant is pleased to announce seven new research projects, a total of  $346,000, supporting early-career faculty members at universities throughout the state. The one-year projects focus on two key areas of California Sea Grant’s strategic plan: sustainable fisheries & aquaculture, and coastal resilience. Continue reading the announcement here.

How do we gauge the impacts of fisheries on communities that rely on them? A recent study from researchers at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, the University of California, Davis, and NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center demonstrates measurable increases in resident income linked to increases in fishery earnings, illustrating the impact of fisheries and the importance of local resource ownership in coastal economies.