Published Results on Invasive Algae in San Diego

Smith Lab members Niko Kaplanis and Jill Harris recently published the results of their San Diego County non-native algae research project conducted between 2012 and 2014. This work documented patterns of establishment, spread, and persistence for two non-native algal species in San Diego county and analyzed this invasion in the larger geographic context of the entire Pacific Coast of North … Read More

From the Pristine to Degraded: Reefs of the Central Pacific

Scripps led research team assesses the impacts of human disturbance on coral reefs.   In one of the most comprehensive assessments of Pacific Ocean coral reef health spanning 10 years, 56 islands, and five archipelagos, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego marine ecologist Jennifer Smith and colleagues examined how coral reef communities at 450 sites are faring with … Read More

Published Results – new paper focuses on the small things on a coral reef

Jill’s new paper, written with Jen and Levi, came out recently in the Marine Ecology Progress Series. Their paper, Quantifying scales of spatial variability in algal turf assemblages on coral reefs, describes how turf algae on a coral reef are variable over very small scales. Turf algae are a group of small (~ 1 cm tall) algae that grow like a fuzzy … Read More

New paper focuses on the small things on a coral reef

By Jill Harris Jill’s new paper, written with Jen and Levi, was recently accepted for publication in the Marine Ecology Progress Series. Their paper, Quantifying scales of spatial variability in algal turf assemblages on coral reefs, describes how turf algae on a coral reef are variable over very small scales.  Stay tuned for the official publication of the paper, but in the … Read More

From the Field: How Long Do Corals Need to Recover?

PhD Student Jill Harris talks about her summer research experience with fellow Smith Lab PhD student Levi Lewis at the Korallion Lab in the Maldives. They were looking at the aftermath of a massive coral bleaching event in 1998 determining how the event has effected the coral reefs and marine life.

Smith Lab is in Full Swing for Summer

Master’s student Samantha Clements summarizes the ongoing summer activities of the Smith Lab. From research travels around the world to data processing right here at home, there’s no such thing as summer break from science… and it’s awesome!

Coral Reef Ambassadors

Jill Harris, a PhD student in the Smith Lab takes part of Coral Reef Ambassadors, a cross cultural program designed to encourage youths from San Diego and Taiwan to learn more about coral reef ecology.

The Smith Lab Reaches Out!

Science outreach is an extremely vital tool for the Smith Lab. What good is knowledge if you don’t share it? Jill Harris talks about her experience judging science fair projects at the San Diego Science Fair.

Perks of Being A Marine Ecologist

Jill Harris, a PhD student in the Smith Lab, talks about one of the many perks of being a marine ecologist. Can you spend the day looking out on the beautiful oceanic landscape of San Diego as part of your “job”