Research

Rows of shallow glass bowls holding small anemones against a blue background
Research

Diving Into Discovery

From climate change to conservation, the Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute brings experts together across disciplines to solve pressing ocean challenges. Through collaboration, innovation, and hands-on research, we’re shaping the future of our coasts and seas.

Primary Research Areas

Climate Change

Two hands holding out a blade of eelgrass marked by a brown lesion

Ecology and Evolution

A view of the ocean from the level of wildflowers growing on the Bodega Marine Reserve

Coastal Oceanography

Waves rolling in on the Bodega Marine Reserve

Ocean Health

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Conservation and Restoration

A partially submerged view of kelp in the water

Physiology

A small, friendly looking crab appears to be waving "hello"

Research News and Stories

Hands holding tangled green aquatic plants in shallow muddy water

What Makes Seagrass Survive? Look to the Microbes

  • by Douglas Fox
On her first day of graduate school, Karolina Zabinski rose at 4:00am. She spent the day on the muddy shores of Tomales Bay, collecting eelgrass for a survey of aquatic plant diseases. These ribbon-like seagrasses are common along the California coast and form knee-high meadows that undulate in the water.
Group of people at Cape of Good Hope sign on rocky coast, some with arms raised

A Global Effort to Decode the Ocean’s Most Productive “Hotspots”

  • by Jessica Lee
While they cover less than 1% of the ocean’s surface, the world’s four major upwelling zones are biological powerhouses. Located along the coasts of California, Chile, Portugal, and South Africa, these Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS) drive cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface, supporting massive populations of fish, birds, and mammals.

Faculty Publications
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Conducting Research at BML