The ecology of giant kelp is complex and the formation of kelp forests is impacted by many factors, including ocean nutrient concentrations, water depth, sea surface temperature, and seafloor habitat. The Santa Barbara Channel has been home to many long-term research projects that collect data on these factors. Unfortunately, this information is in many formats and data structures making it challenging for researchers to easily incorporate it into their work. This project creates a shortcut for acquiring and using these data by synthesizing a data set of nutrient concentrations, water depth, sea surface temperature, seafloor habitat, kelp area, and kelp biomass.
In this project, we conduct a case study of Zambia to demonstrate a recently developed machine learning pipeline. We use the “Multi-task Observations using Satellite Imagery & Kitchen Sinks” (MOSAIKS) machine learning approach. In this approach, we use processed numerical data from satellite images and agricultural survey data to develop machine learning models that predict various agricultural variables over time.
Generating a multi-scale model of habitat connectivity for mountain lions in a California coastal preserve, with the intent to inform future wildlife corridor designs for conservation.
This in-depth yet accessible report for Protect Our Winters (POW) highlights the impact that climate change has on outdoor sports and access to recreation spaces. It is meant to stimulate advocacy for climate policy among “summer sports" enthusiasts.
Mitigating the environmental impacts of this agricultural practice by developing either an alternative to plastic mulch or providing an end-of-life solution for the plastic waste.
Harmonizing the NCEAS global footprint of food systems data with human welfare data to analyze patterns of environmental inequities in livestock, crop, aquaculture, and fishery production in the US.
This short film highlights snow monitoring and hydrologic research at CUES (Cold Regions Research and Energy Laboratory & UCSB), a shared snow research site utilized by UCSB, CRREL, and Desert Research Institute (DRI).
Identifying stormwater areas on land that contribute the greatest amount of runoff in Maunalua Bay, Hawaii to mitigate runoff impacts, improve bay health, and benefit the community.
This communication strategy will help the Whitebark Institute motivate second-home owners in the Mammoth Lakes area to participate in wildfire mitigation through political action and fuels reduction on personal property.
This project develops an interactive web app that visualizes spatial and temporal patterns in coral reef health around Moorea, French Polynesia. By integrating long-term ecological data, it helps researchers explore stressors, identify vulnerable reefs, and support targeted conservation and outreach.
This communication strategy for Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) will help reduce harmful balloon pollution in the Santa Barbara Channel through consumer education and a local campaign focused on special events, such as holidays and graduation.
Producing an interactive web platform that allows National Park managers to easily explore and visualize park-specific patterns such as visitation volume, demand, visitors’ origin, and more.
This short film for The Nature Conservancy is meant to inspire and educate local communities about the importance of habitat connectivity for the conservation of mountain lions and other wildlife.
Developing a community engagement and outreach strategy for commercial kelp producer Ocean Rainforest to use as a framework for aquaculture expansion along the California coastline.
