Month: April 2023

MLML Open House Auction Page is now LIVE!

Jackson Hoeke

Last weekend, Moss Landing had our first in-person open house in 4 years! The event was a huge success, including the kickoff for our online silent auction! The auction will run until April 29th, 9:00pm, where you can bid on a variety of item that local artists, business-owners, and organizations have donated to sold to the highest bidder! All money raised will go towards providing next year's financial aid and scholarships for our students. This will directly benefit the members of the MLML community by raising awareness of marine science while providing funding to graduate students. Items include golf and lunch for 2 at Carmel Ranch, a print by local biological illustrator Amadeo Bachar, a Folktale Winery Tasting and bottle of wine, and much more! If you're interested in any of these items and the current bids, you can check out the ongoing auction here!

 

 

 

Seminar – Arising Rhizaria: Unraveling their Silicification process

Jackson Hoeke
Dr. Natalia Llopis Monferrer, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Presenting: "Arising Rhizaria: Unraveling their Silicification process"

MLML Seminar | April 27th, 2023 at 4pm

Watch the Live Stream here or here

Natalia Llopis Monferrer is a postdoctoral fellow at the Carbon Flux Ecology Lab at MBARI. She received her PhD in Chemical Oceanography at the “Université de Bretagne Occidentale” (France). Natalia is a motivated biogeochemist with a passion for understanding how plankton influences the cycling of certain elements in our oceans, working to improve our knowledge of ocean biogeochemical cycles. Her research focuses on the ecology of silicifying Rhizaria, which are eukaryotic, mostly heterotrophic single-celled organisms, globally distributed, dwelling chiefly in the open ocean, from the surface down to bathypelagic depths. The goal of her postdoctoral project at MBARI is to characterize the silicification process in Rhizaria by combining different techniques: (i) exploration of genomic data to characterize the SITs of Rhizaria at different environmental conditions, (ii) targeted collection and maintenance of these delicate protists using cutting-edge technologies (e.g., remote operated vehicles, microfluidics) and, (iii) state-of-the-art imaging techniques, based on optical, fluorescent and electron microscopy, to examine silica deposition at a cellular level. This project will shed light on the little-known ecology of individual Rhizaria, and their ultimate role in relation to diatoms in the global plankton ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles.

Open House – April 22nd Schedule

Jackson Hoeke

Open House Schedule

As Open House approaches, we at MLML have finished scheduling our activities and events for the day. Lab-run events such as our touch tank, microscopy room, and miniature ROV tank will be available all day from 9am to 5pm. Merchandise will also be available all day, although we may run out of some items earlier in the day. Our speed talks and trivia sessions given by faculty and students will be on a scheduled basis that you can attend at your convenience. To see where our activities are located, please see the map below.

Seminar – The status of kelp forests in California, 7 years after the marine heatwave of 2014-2016

Jackson Hoeke
Dr. Kyle Cavanaugh, University of California, Los Angeles
Presenting: "The status of kelp forests in California, 7 years after the marine heatwave of 2014-2016"

MLML Seminar | April 20th, 2023 at 4pm

Watch the Live Stream here or here

Kyle Cavanaugh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at University of California, Los Angeles and Vice Director of the UCLA Marine Center. He received his PhD in Marine Science from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2011 and then completed a postdoc at the Smithsonian Institution. His research involves using satellite imagery to study the drivers and consequences of changes in coastal foundation species such as giant kelp forests and mangroves.

Thesis Defense by Katie Cieri – April 19th

Jackson Hoeke
"Composition and Distribution of Fish Assemblages in Cap de Creus Natural Park in Relation to Marine Protection, Depth, and Habitat"
A Thesis Defense by Katie Cieri

Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab

Zoom | Live-Stream | Arpil 19th, 2022 at 4:00 pm PDT

Bio

Katie got her B.S. in Biology from the University of Virginia. After graduating, she pursued many different opportunities. She completed a Research Apprenticeship at Friday Harbor Laboratories investigating the foraging ecology and diet of Pacific Sand Lance. She also worked as an intern with the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Network in the Humpback Whale identification program. Prior to her enrollment in MLML, Katie worked as a research technician and lab manager in the Farmer Lab at the University of Utah, where she conducted investigations into the respiratory physiology of Tarpon and American Alligators. While completing her Master’s thesis, the composition and distribution of fish assemblages in Cap de Creus Natural Park in relation to marine protection, depth, and habitat, at MLML Katie worked as a research technician in the Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab under Dr. Rick Starr. She was involved in many projects, including the Monitoring & Evaluation of Mid-Depth Rocky Reef Ecosystems, the Benthic Observation System Survey (BOSS), and the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP). Through these projects and her own thesis, Katie explored how different survey methodologies including video landers, remotely operated vehicles, and hook-and-line surveys, can be utilized to assess nearshore fish and invertebrate communities and to monitor the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas. Katie is also passionate about outreach and inclusion and continues to explore avenues to make marine science more accessible. While at MLML, she was a member of the leadership committee for the Monterey Bay Chapter of the Society for Women in Marine Science. She also contributed to MLML Open House through leading crowdfunding, participating in the puppet show, and heading up the donations committee. Katie is interested in exploring the best solutions for marine conservation through science, user engagement, and collaborations in her new position as a California Sea Grant Fellow for the California Ocean Protection Council's Biodiversity Program. In her free time, Katie enjoys kayaking, scuba diving, hiking, and adventures with her husband and dog.

Katie Cieri (Right) and Rick Starr (Left) prepare for a research dive in the Medes Islands, Spain.

Katie (right) holds up a Copper Rockfish (Sebastes caurinus) caught by her mom, Mary Pat, (Left) on a catch-and-release CCFRP trip. Photo Credit: Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab

Katie operates the winch during a BOSS research cruise to San Clemente Island. Photo Credit: Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab

Seminar – Evolution, ecology, and symbiosis in California’s shallow-water sponges

Jackson Hoeke
Dr. Tom Turner, University of California, Santa Barbara
Presenting: "Evolution, ecology, and symbiosis in California’s shallow-water sponges"

MLML Seminar | April 13th, 2023 at 4pm

Watch the Live Stream here or here

Dr. Tom Turner received his Ph.D. in population biology from UC Davis in 2008. After finishing his postdoc at the Gregor Mendel Institute in Vienna, Austria, he became an assistant professor at UC Santa Barbara in 2009 and in 2015 began work as an associate professor. His work focuses on the diversity, systematics, and ecology of California sponges, particuarly the description of new species in shallow-water ecosystems such as kelp forests.

MLML’s 2023 Open House Crowdfunding Page is now LIVE!

Jackson Hoeke

In conjunction with our in-person open house event this year, Moss Landing is opening our crowdfunding page! Our goal is to raise $20,000 to support student scholarships, marine research equipment, and funding to cover student research expenses. If you cannot make it to our open house event this year, donating is an excellent way to help support MLML students. We will be sending a special thank you to everyone who donates on our social media platforms at the end of the crowdfunding event. If you're interested in donating, you can find the crowdfunding page here. If you'd like to attend our in-person open house from 9:00am - 5:00pm on April 22nd, you can RSVP through the following form.