Senior Biology major Conor Kramer holds a newt while conducting research in the Santa Monica Mountains in spring 2022. Kramer said he has studied the effects of wildfires on stream habitats through Pepperdine's Behavioral Ecology Research Laboratory. Photos courtesy of Conor Kramer There is an estimated $598-billion funding gap between the spending on global biodiversity … [Read more...] about Funding Biodiversity Research Provides More Understanding Amid Climate Change Effects
ecology
Woolsey Scars Show Ecological Recovery, Even as Fire Frequency Rises
While fire may be a natural cycle of the Santa Monica Mountains, short-term plant life recovery is not. “If you’re interested in Mediterranean ecosystems, you’re interested in fire,” said Marti Witter, a fire ecologist with the National Park Service. The Santa Monica Mountains are part of California’s natural chaparral environment. Shrubs with large leaves dominate the … [Read more...] about Woolsey Scars Show Ecological Recovery, Even as Fire Frequency Rises
Uncovering the Biology Behind the Woolsey Fire
Photo by Jenna Gaertner In the afternoon of Nov. 8, the Woolsey fire began its rampage on the Santa Monica Mountains. A combination of high winds, low humidity and drought conditions led to the burning of over 800 structures and almost 100,000 acres, which included 83 percent of Santa Monica Mountain federal parkland, according to CAL FIRE and the LA … [Read more...] about Uncovering the Biology Behind the Woolsey Fire
