Mosquitofish: Menace or Messiah?
The problem, experts say, is that the mosquitofish don’t discriminate between snacking on the rice-sized offspring of disease-ridden mosquitoes and critically endangered marine life
UCSC leads a large collaborative effort to help coastal wetlands mitigate climate change
Healthy coastal wetlands can help combat climate change by absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it for the long term. A large interdisciplinary team is now working to help the wetlands maximize their impact.
New book chronicles more than 50 years of elephant seal research at Año Nuevo Reserve
Professor Emeritus Burney Le Boeuf summarizes the findings of the UC Santa Cruz elephant seal research program, one of the longest running studies of any animal
NOAA awards recognize scientists in Fisheries Collaborative Program
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded its prestigious Bronze Award to three researchers affiliated with the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) at UC Santa Cruz
Researcher honored for work in UCSC-NOAA Fisheries Collaborative Program
James Gilbert, an associate project scientist in the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) at UC Santa Cruz, was recognized by the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) with its Staff of the Quarter award
Survival of migrating juvenile salmon depends on stream flow thresholds
https://news.ucsc.edu/2021/05/salmon-streamflows.html
Rethinking how disaster money is spent
Federal money to restore coastal areas hit by hurricanes and other disasters doesn’t cover the loss of natural assets like coral reefs. UC Santa Cruz marine scientist Michael Beck says it’s time to change that.
Original story from LA Times.
Changes in ocean chemistry show how sea level affects global carbon cycle
New analysis of strontium isotopes reveals how the global carbon cycle has responded to changes in climate and sea level through geologic time.
Original story from UCSC Newscenter.
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.
New analysis highlights importance of groundwater discharge into oceans
An invisible flow of groundwater seeps into the ocean along coastlines all over the world. Scientists have tended to disregard its contributions to ocean chemistry, but a new study finds groundwater discharge plays a more significant role than had been thought.
Original story from UCSC Newscenter.
Alaska’s salmon are getting smaller, affecting people and ecosystems
The size of salmon returning to rivers in Alaska has declined dramatically over the past 60 years because they are spending fewer years at sea, according to a new study. Salmon are critically important to both people and ecosystems in Alaska. Smaller salmon provide less food for people who depend on them, less value for commercial fishers, and less fertilizer for terrestrial ecosystems.
Is COVID-related reduction in marine traffic reducing stress in whales?
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.
Original story from UCSC Newscenter.
Tiny number of elephant seal supermums produce most pups
NatGeo — Nearly wiped out due to hunting in the early 1900s, the species is bouncing back—and these formidable parents may help explain why.
These little organisms are saving the coastlines from monster storms. Be nice to them…
CNN — Ocean scientist Michael Beck wrote an opinion article for CNN about the importance of coral reefs and wetlands in protecting coastlines from storms.
Marine scientist Adina Paytan to receive A.G. Huntsman Medal from Royal Society of Canada
UCSC Newscenter — The 2019 A.G. Huntsman Medal will be awarded to Paytan “in recognition of her discoveries in the paleoceanographic history of important elements used to recreate the geochemical history of the planet, and of outstanding contributions to understanding the biogeochemical links between global earth-ocean-atmosphere nutrient controls on carbon productivity and paleoclimate.”
A new idea to save endangered fish: Pay fishermen to retire
Hakai Magazine — Can paying off Mexican fishers’ social security give them the peace of mind they need to work more sustainably?