UCLA La Kretz Center and EEB Department Special Virtual Seminar – Billie Beckley

Join us to hear from guest speaker Billie Beckley as they present their proposed research for the 2026 UCLA La Kretz Center Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. This seminar is co-sponsored by the UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department.

Disturbance and Recovery in California Kelp Forest Ecosystems

Guest Speaker: Billie Beckley (PhD – c ; UCSB)
Project Mentors: Dr. Kyle Cavanaugh and Tristin McHugh (The Nature Conservancy)

Kelp forests are productive, diverse ecosystems that support many ecologically and economically important species. However, these marine forests are declining due to overgrazing, warming oceans, and increasingly destructive storms. Understanding how disturbance and resource availability shape kelp dynamics is essential for predicting future change and supporting resilience. This seminar examines how these factors influence local scale kelp macroalgal productivity and recruitment across California using field surveys and ecological modeling. Winter waves drive productivity patterns, while light and canopy proximity affect recruitment. This work has motivated a collaboration with The Nature Conservancy to develop scalable remote sensing tools that evaluate and improve kelp restoration outcomes throughout California.

Please be aware this seminar will be completely virtual. See the links below to join the Zoom meeting and save the event to your online calendar.

Zoom Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/97195668705?pwd=QI8GSrF3CGTeZF1tUrgCWWzax5Dnma.1

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