For two years, scientists at UC Davis have been modeling a “Field of Dreams” hypothesis about bull kelp to understand what approaches could best help the recovery of the kelp forest ecosystem in Northern California.
The Ocean
Bay Nature stories about the Pacific Ocean.
Naturalist’s Notebook: Whale, Dolphin and Porpoise ID Guide
June 23, 2022 •
How to identify individual cetaceans in the San Francisco Bay.
The Second-Largest Fish In the Ocean Seems to be In Decline
April 12, 2022 •
Basking sharks can be over 30 feet long and are characterized by their enormous gill rakers and three-foot tall dorsal fins. But these mysterious, massive, filter-feeding cousins of the great white shark aren’t just a scientific curiosity – they also … Read more
Holding Fast for Abalone, Our Elder Relatives
March 25, 2022 •
Abalone are deeply important in Indigenous tribal cultures in California and all along the Pacific coast.
Annotated Nature: A Tidepool
January 7, 2022 •
Better understand a West Coast tidepool
Buried Treasure
October 11, 2021 •
You’ve seen their bleached skeletons lying on the beach or scattered in gardens. What does a living sand dollar do?
Kelp Forests Surge Back on Parts of the North Coast, with a Lesson About Environmental Stability
September 13, 2021 •
Some scientists thought kelp’s near-disappearance from the waters off California was likely a new normal. Then, at least temporarily, the kelp came back.
The Legacy of Gordon Chan
May 19, 2021 •
A story about the life and legacy of celebrated scientist, conservationist and mentor Gordon Chan.
Four Gray Whales Found Dead in the Bay Area as Mysterious Die-off Continues
April 22, 2021 •
April is the peak month for gray whales passing by the San Francisco Bay Area, drawing spectators to the coast to scan the ocean’s surface for a heart-shaped spout or the flick of a gray-speckled tail. But while the abundance … Read more
Packed at Pillar Point
January 12, 2021 •
Huge crowds are harvesting mussels and other invertebrates. Could this damage the much-beloved reef?