It begins with quality data: non-LTER student uses SBC LTER data to learn R, presents work at ESA
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.
The stunning ecosystems at the SBC LTER
It has been an incredibly opportunity to explore the Channel Islands and beyond and to meet our coastline’s unique marine life.
There’s always a chance something amazing will happen
Transit between sites is always an opportunity to see amazing wildlife. Here are my most memorable wildlife encounters at the SBC LTER.
A picturesque study system—notes from 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.
Sea urchins mothers can help their offspring withstand marine heatwaves
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.
Nature-based dune restoration makes winners of us all
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.
Santa Barbara Coastal LTER: Biodiversity and marine heatwaves in the kelp forest ecosystem.
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 »
It’s not a trap: California MPAs lead to more lobster catches over time
Researchers at the SBC LTER show that lobster spillover from MPAs caused a 400% increase in lobster abundance outside of protected areas.
Climate change makes kelp less nutritious
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.
Coordination is everything: Species richness synchrony predicts ecosystem stability across ecosystems
The LTER Synchrony Synthesis group links richness synchrony to ecosystem stability in a new study, showing synchrony is a key control on ecosystem functions.
Top Stories
Love writing about science? Now accepting applications for our 2024 LTER Graduate Writing Fellows program!
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It begins with quality data: non-LTER student uses SBC LTER data to learn R, presents work at ESA
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