Field work is supposed to be where ecologists get to play Indiana Jones. The reality with swing-dancing joke-cracking fish-loving UC Davis research scientist Jim Hobbs is somewhat different: wet, muddy, smelly, and mostly involving either waiting for leopard sharks or harvesting leopard shark vomit.
Alessandra Bergamin
Abundant Leopard Sharks Enjoy a New Haven in the San Francisco Bay
Leopard sharks are a shallow-water coastal species, with a range extending from southern Oregon to southern Baja California. They are the most abundant shark species in the San Francisco Bay.
Nudibranchs, Kings of the Tidepool, Command An Audience
There are lots of pretty pictures of the 3,000 nudibranchs species already discovered, but few specifics. Key elements of their fundamental biology are still poorly understood, or not understood at all. Or not even examined.
Creating a Drought-Resilient Garden with California Natives
Over five years ago, Nalani and Anna Heath-Delaney, ditched their water guzzling lawn and planted a colorful and diverse native plant garden. They have since saved water, provided habitat for local species and created a native plant sanctuary. With the current drought, now is the perfect time to consider transitioning your garden and “going native.”
Complete Nest Failure at Martin Griffin Preserve’s Heronry
The great egret colony at Martin Griffin Preserve in West Marin failed to fledge any young egrets in 2013, the first time in the preserve’s 62-year history, leading Audubon Canyon Ranch to change public access to the preserve for 2014.
Are Black Squirrels Common in the Bay Area?
Love them or hate them, squirrels are everywhere. But how common are black squirrels?
Western Monarch Population Hanging On
Monarch butterfly populations in California’s coastal overwintering sites showed a slight — and surprising — rebound in 2013 after more than a decade of dwindling numbers.
San Francisco Students Display Their Scientific Flair at Annual Science Fair
More than 200 science projects from 34 San Francisco schools will be on display at the Randall Museum in Corona Heights for the next two weeks as part of the San Francisco Middle School Science Fair.
Do Hummingbirds Reuse Nests?
After an unfortunate pruning accident, a reader wrote in to ask: do hummingbirds reuse nests?
A Botanist, a Bay Area Island and a Big Surprise
In the mid 90s, botanist Mike Wood was contracted by the U.S. Navy to undertake a rare plant survey of Yerba Buena Island as the military prepared to leave the base. At the time he didn’t think the island would be of much botanical interest. But two decades later, he’s still going back.