Marine Ecology | Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute

California’s critical kelp forests are disappearing in a warming world. Can they be saved?

The “sequoias of the sea” suck up carbon and shelter special species. They’ve been hit hard, but scientists, surfers, and more are banding together to save them.

High variability of Blue Carbon storage in seagrass meadows at the estuary scale

By Aurora M. Ricart, Ph.D.

Seagrass meadows are considered important natural carbon sinks due to their capacity to store organic carbon (Corg) in sediments. However, the spatial heterogeneity of carbon storage in seagrass sediments needs to be better understood to improve the accuracy of Blue Carbon assessments, particularly when strong gradients are present. We performed an intensive coring study within a sub-tropical estuary to assess the spatial variability in sedimentary Corg associated with seagrasses, and to identify the key factors promoting this variability.

Marine Ecology

The Seagrass Microbiome Project: Bacteria, the Unseen Heroes?

By Jane Park, Undergraduate Intern

Though bacteria often get a bad reputation, many organisms depend on them. Humans, for example, have gut bacteria that aid with digestion. Similarly, marine plants, like seagrass, host a collection of microorganisms potentially vital to their health. At UC Davis, researchers have created the Seagrass Microbiome Project to learn about these microbial inhabitants. Through the project, they are looking to see whether certain bacteria are fundamental to the plant’s survival.

Marine Ecology

A new solution to California’s sea urchin problem: Ranch them and eat them

Purple sea urchins have laid waste to Northern California coastal zones in recent years, decimating the kelp forest and ruining the habitat of other sea creatures that depend on it.

Climate havoc wipes out coastal kelp as SF Bay’s native fish species die off

A climate-related catastrophe off the California coast has resulted in the death of 90% of the kelp from San Francisco to Oregon as an explosion of ravenous urchins devours everything in sight. And it’s happening at the same time native fish in San Francisco Bay are dying out, two studies released Monday documented.

Kelp Forest Declining Due To Climate Change, Warmer Water

Despite the unrivaled beauty of the California coast line, UC Davis scientists say that just below the surface, the famous Kelp Forest is in serious trouble. Don Ford reports for CBS News.

Learn more

Marine Ecology

Sensory impacts of global climate change lays groundwork for further investigation of communication pathways in ocean

Climate change affects not only the growth and survival of marine animals, but also their senses. A new study synthesizes the results of sensory change studies -- revealing both broad patterns and intriguing outliers -- and provides a conceptual framework to help guide future research in this emerging field.

North Coast Mussel Die-Off Causes Alarm for Scientists

In Bodega Bay, marine biologists say something terrible happened to the mussel beds during a recent heat wave. The bivalves baked in their shells. Scientists are now worried about all the other marine life living in the mussel beds.

For KQED California Report, segment starts at minute 3:54

Marine Ecology

“CSI” for the Marine Ecologist

By Nicole Kollars

Marine Ecology

North Coast mussel die-off an alarming sign of warming world’s threat to marine life

Jackie Sones, Bodega Marine Reserve research coordinator, overlooks a bed of dead mussels that were fried during the June heat wave, Tuesday, July 2, 2019. The high temperatures and the mussels black shells leads to more absorption of sunlight.

For the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, read more

Marine Ecology