two people crouch beneath tall grass and collect data

Research

Overview

EEB faculty and students study a broad range of species and habitats, from the physiology of marine mammals, to the evolutionary dynamics of invasive plant species, to the behavioral strategies of lizards and birds, to the conservation value of marine protected areas. An outstanding group of faculty, each with a vigorous, internationally recognized research program, teaches courses in their specialties as well as core courses for the major. EEB faculty and students are uniquely able to take advantage of the ecological and environmental resources of the Monterey Bay area and UCSC Natural Reserve System. EEB also shares the on-shore marine laboratory facilities at LML, and a unique field station on Año Nuevo Island (19 miles north of Santa Cruz) especially suited for studies of pinnipeds and marine birds.  Faculty and students at all levels can use the UCSC Natural Reserve sites at Younger Lagoon (adjacent to Long Marine Lab), Fort Ord, and Landels-Hill Big Creek (south of Big Sur) in support of instruction and research. These habitats, from fog-enshrouded redwood forest to coastal scrub, provide an unparalleled natural laboratory for marine, coastal, and terrestrial research and serve as UC-wide study sites for scientists and students.

Read More

For more in-depth information about specific research, see the individual pages of the EEB faculty.

See Also

Garter snake found at Ellicott Slough Nat'l Wildlife Refuge. Photo credit: Eric Palkovacs.
Garter snake found at Ellicott Slough Nat’l Wildlife Refuge. Photo credit: Eric Palkovacs.

Research Projects

More than two-thirds of our faculty and students conduct their research all over the world, including places most imperiled by human activities. A special strength of our department is the integration of marine and terrestrial perspectives across all research tracks.


Grad student Maya Friedman with larval Santa Cruz long-toed salamander at Ellicott Slough Nat'l Wildlife Refuge.
Grad student Maya Friedman with larval Santa Cruz long-toed salamander at Ellicott Slough Nat’l Wildlife Refuge.

Lab work being done in Johnstone lab
Johnstone Lab with Timothy Johnstone: “Medicinal and Fundamental Inorganic Chemistry Research Group”

Last modified: Sep 02, 2025