From Species Richness to Ecosystem Resilience: a Synthesis Study of Marine Consumer Nutrient Supply
Marine LTER sites come together to synthesize how consumer-mediated nutrient dynamics are changing throughout time and in response to disturbances.
Marine LTER sites come together to synthesize how consumer-mediated nutrient dynamics are changing throughout time and in response to disturbances.
How does an unaffiliated team wind up presenting a poster on decades of LTER data? It begins, as it so often does, with a need for data.
It has been an incredibly opportunity to explore the Channel Islands and beyond and to meet our coastline’s unique marine life.
Transit between sites is always an opportunity to see amazing wildlife. Here are my most memorable wildlife encounters at the SBC LTER.
Whenever I jump into the blue-green surface waters and descend towards the bottom, I am reminded of the powerful, yet serene beauty of kelp forests.
Purple sea urchin embryos whose mothers were exposed to heatwaves have greater tolerance to high temperatures, suggesting a pathway to resilience for this keystone species in kelp forests.
A six-year pilot study on Santa Monica Beach shows how seeding of native flora can restore habitats for threatened species and protect against climate change-driven sea level rise.
RET projects at the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER site will focus on marine heatwaves, a research focus that connects to the impact of climate change on important ecosystems. Marine heatwaves (MHWs) – defined as prolonged periods of unusually high seawater temperatures – have emerged as disruptive forces in the kelp forest, threatening marine biodiversity and… Read more »
Researchers at the SBC LTER show that lobster spillover from MPAs caused a 400% increase in lobster abundance outside of protected areas.
For Southern California reefs and beaches, giant kelp fuels the food web and creates an environment in which biodiversity booms. But the nutritional quality of kelp is lower than it once was, a new study from the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER shows. The culprit? Climate change and warming ocean water, coauthors Dr. Heili Lowman and Kyle Emery find.