Marine Science Institute researchers Dr. Jenn Caselle and Dr. Anita Giraldo Ospina contribute to a landmark global report on kelp forest conservation.

A new open-source tool from UC Santa Barbara researchers makes ocean data easier to access, organize, and map, helping scientists advance marine research and conservation.

A new study of jellyfish reveals that evolution may reuse the same genetic solutions more often than scientists thought, even when those changes do not produce the same physical traits.
 

New research in South Africa’s Kruger National Park reveals how decomposing elephant carcasses create nutrient-rich hotspots that influence soil microbes, plant growth and grazing animals for years or even decades—but may also reduce biodiversity.
 

A rare atomic signature is helping scientists uncover how microbes remove nitrogen from aquatic ecosystems, offering new insight into nature’s defense against pollution.

Three UC Santa Barbara researchers have been recognized this year by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) for their contributions to Earth and environmental science.

Small sand hoppers are quietly reshaping California beaches—one burrow at a time.

In Chile, a major program returning land to the Mapuche has strengthened their ability to determine how their territories are used, while producing more mixed environmental results.
 

A UCSB preservation effort protects historic aerial photographs critical to understanding changing coastal dunes.

Tiny fossil scales reveal that ancient Pacific reefs supported 20 times more sharks than Caribbean reefs — offering a surprising new baseline for shark conservation.

Research from UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz found that replacing a gasoline-powered vehicle with a battery electric vehicle (BEV) almost always reduces lifetime greenhouse gas emissions.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California Santa Barbara, The Nature Conservancy and Renmin University of Chinahas combined fisheries, trade and policy data to investigate whether shark-finning regulations influence global trade.

Recognized for scholarship, leadership, mentoring, and service, Costello continues to advance market-based solutions for a changing planet.

UCSB researchers lead global effort to evaluate anoxic marine basins for large-scale carbon sequestration

A new study examining corporate zero-deforestation and conversion (ZDC) commitments finds that voluntary initiatives were not the main factor associated with recent reductions in forest loss within palm oil supply chains.

Long-term research finds that the amount of kelp surviving winter storms has a greater influence on giant kelp productivity than resource availability.

Strategic land-use planning could help curb rising human–elephant conflict as development expands.

Milton Love and Jessica Eggers transform fish biology into a playful fusion of science, art, history, and humor.

A new statewide assessment by researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara and collaborating institutions has found that California has lost approximately 60% of its coastal sand dune systems since 1850.

Thank you to all the incredible students who have poured their energy, passion, and dedication into our laboratories.

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences draws on millions of digitized herbarium records to identify broad patterns behind plant invasions.

The renewed investment expands opportunities for UCSB students and researchers to advance environmental solutions through research, mentorship, and professional development.

Data on human and wildlife movement during the pandemic suggest new ways for us to coexist.

A new study published in Nature by researchers from the University of Utah, UC Santa Barbara and several partner institutions found that carbon markets may be underestimating the likelihood of future carbon losses in U.S. forests.