Solar farms are often bad for biodiversity — but they don’t have to be
Yes, we can have clean energy and tortoises too.
Fostering anti-racism in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology
A UCSC team has assembled a toolkit of resources for academic departments to use in addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Salt marsh resilience compromised by crabs along tidal creek edges
A long-term study in Elkhorn Slough revealed the impact of superabundant crabs on salt marsh vegetation and the vulnerability of tidal creek banks to erosion
Scientists study why whales are being killed by cargo ships, and how to protect them
As cargo shipments boom, ship strikes imperil whales in California and worldwide
Snowflake morays can feed on land
While most fish need water to feed, the unique anatomy of moray eels gives snowflake morays the ability to grab and swallow prey on land. UC Santa Cruz Scientist Rita Mehta has caught the first proof of this feat on tape.
Student Spotlight: Ishana Shukla
As an undergraduate, Ishana Shukla has not been shy about participating in research. She has worked in seven different labs, completed six internships, and developed and taught a student-directed seminar, “Undergraduates in Research.” Her project, “Variation in resting strategies across trophic levels and habitats in mammals” recently received one of the Physical and Biological Science […]
Student Spotlight: Jami Clayton
Undergraduate ecology and evolutionary biology major Jami Clayton is one of seven recipients of the 2020 Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology Award. We asked her about her time at UC Santa Cruz, her research, and her advise for incoming students.
Ecologist Erika Zavaleta appointed to California Fish and Game Commission
Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Erika Zavaleta, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz, to the California Fish and Game Commission.
Original story from UCSC Newscenter.
Sea otters maintain remnants of healthy kelp forest amid sea urchin barrens
While kelp forests have declined dramatically along the California coast, sea otters in Monterey Bay are maintaining patches of healthy kelp forest, according to a new study.
Original story from UCSC Newscenter.
Return to Rat Island: Researchers help restore native species to Aleutian island chain
In 2008, UC Santa Cruz researchers led a conservation effort to remove invasive rats from an island off Alaska’s Aleutian archipelago. A decade later, native island birds and the seashore ecosystem are returning to their natural balance.
Oldest DNA ever sequenced reveals how mammoths evolved
Analysis of ancient DNA sequences recovered from mammoth teeth reveals previously unknown details about how mammoths evolved.
Healthy oceans need healthy soundscapes, say marine scientists
A global team of researchers has found overwhelming evidence that marine fauna and their ecosystems are negatively impacted by noise, which disrupts their behavior, physiology, and reproduction, and can even cause mortality.