Recent Findings in Marine Resources
A Community Perspective of Dispersal Linkages in the Ocean
PISCO scientists based at UCSB compared propagule (material used for reproduction) dispersal distances between terrestrial land systems and marine nearshore coastal systems. Using novel genetic techniques, dispersal distances were measured among different taxonomic groups and compared to terrestrial dispersal to place these distances in context. The results confirm some long-standing views regarding the large dispersal potential of ocean organisms.
Life history traits are important for modeling predator-prey dynamics in marine systems
Striking differences in the dispersal of coexisting species have fascinated marine ecologists for decades. Findings from an inter-hemispheric comparison of data suggest that simple models can capture some of the complexity caused by differing life history traits such as modes of dispersal. Despite widespread attention to the impact of dispersal on individual population and species dynamics, the role of dispersal in determining outcomes of species interactions has received comparatively little attention.
Using oceanography to determine intertidal recruitment levels
Recent results from a PISCO study at Oregon State University have shown that even relatively straight coastlines may have enhanced recruitment zones attributable to the variable local oceanography.