University of Washington Marine Landscape Ecology Lab

Underwater robot embarks on "historic mission" to circumnavigate globe. What it finds could be crucial | Discover Wildlife The subsea glider is sailing around the world to collect important ocean data that could help refine long-term climate projections, say researchers.

Underwater robot embarks on "historic mission" to circumnavigate globe. What it finds could be crucial | Discover Wildlife

YouTube video by Monterey Bay White Sharks Monterey Bay White Sharks - Longer Film

Our MLEL drone team is featured as part of a new film about the Monterey Bay White Sharks project. The film highlights how scientists are using drones, telemetry and eDNA to study white sharks. @uwsafs.bsky.social @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social @uwenvironment.bsky.social youtu.be/eJdfyFnlc9Y?...

Two individuals in life jackets are assembling scientific equipment by Portage Bay in seattle on a sunny day.

A group of seven individuals standing outdoors in a sunny setting beside scientific equipment, with a Clean Harbors truck visible in the background. They are dressed in casual outdoor attire and are smiling at the camera.

Four individuals examining scientific equipment on a dock by a body of water, with a person kneeling in front center holding the device.

Undergraduate students and faculty in our Ocean Technology Program recently teamed up with Sea-Bird Scientific to see if a sophisticated ocean sensor could work in freshwater, too.

https://bit.ly/4nHDISw

Flyer for Sharktober event on October 11 from 5 to 10 PM at Other Brother Beer in Seaside, California. Meet the Monterey White Sharks research team, hear about their research and see a screening of their new film. One dollar for every pint sold supports local research.

Happening today, 10-11-25 from 5-10 PM. Meet our Monterey White Sharks Research team @ Other Brother Beer in Seaside. Learn about their cool research & see a screening of their new film. @mbarinews.bsky.social @misselasmo.bsky.social @oceansolutions.stanford.edu @montereybayaquarium.org

Longer body size means more female calves for baleen whale moms University of Washington researchers found, in historical whaling data, that longer baleen whale mothers were more likely to birth female calves than males. These results run contrary to a leading...

🐋📏Longer body size means more female calves for baleen whale moms, contradicting a popular evolutionary theory postulating that strong mammals benefit more from birthing males.

New research by UW QERM student Zoe Rand, @trevorabranch.bsky.social & Sarah Converse.

www.washington.edu/news/2025/09...

I wanted to get a video of this ghost crab but every time I got close to their hole they scuttled back in, so I tried getting clever with it. I made a little sandcastle and shoved my phone into it, hit record, and walked away. Crab was VERY suspicious of this addition to their environment.

@uwsafs.bsky.social @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social

New findings call into question one of the core assumptions about teeth. Adult male spotted ratfish have rows of teeth on top of their heads, in addition to those in their jaws. They use these teeth to grip females while mating. @karlycohen.bsky.social

More: www.washington.edu/news/2025/09...

Aerial view of sea lions on a beach.

Aerial view of sea lions on a beach.

Aerial view of sea lions on a beach.

Aerial view of sea lions on a beach.

Our drone team recently returned from a survey trip where they captured this large sea lion haul out on San Carlos Beach; a popular dive spot in Monterey. The beach was the scene of a similar large haul out at the same time last year. @uwsafs.bsky.social @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social #drones

Congratulations to the UWROV team!!!!!

How Scientists Are Using Drones to Study Sperm Whales

Learn more about how scientists are using drones to study sperm whales. @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social @uwsafs.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/s...

Graduate student catching a drone while on a boat. Photo: 2025 @MBARI Alexandra Boutros.

Student unpacking a drone on a boat. Photo: 2025 @MBARI Alexandra Boutros.

Scientist deploying an eDNA sampler into the water. Photo: 2025 @MBARI Alexandra Boutros.

Scientist deploying an aerial eDNA sampler at the top of a boat. Photo: 2025 @MBARI Alexandra Boutros.

Our drone team recently completed offshore drone surveys with colleagues from @mbarinews.bsky.social Conducted as part of the Synchro program the team is testing how emerging marine technologies can be used to study pelagic systems. @uwsafs.bsky.social @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social

Restoring Underwater Ecosystems: Global Innovation Exchange Students Help Marine Biologists with AI-Powered Robots | UW's Global Innovation Exchange Students’ robot aims to streamline marine research and aid the recovery of underwater ecosystems impacted by climate change.

Learn more about how UW students are using AI powered robots to support the restoration of marine ecosystems. @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social @uwsafs.bsky.social gix.uw.edu/news/restori...

The docks at Friday Harbor Labs.

A student holding a drone while standing on a boat at sea.

Screenshot of an automated flight plan on the screen of a drone remote control.

Aerial shot of the rocky intertidal.

This week our team is @ Friday Harbor Labs conducting drone surveys of intertidal habitat for colleagues from @ucscscience.bsky.social as part of an @waseagrant.bsky.social project. Our team wraps up work tomorrow. @uwsafs.bsky.social @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social @uwenvironment.bsky.social

🌊 Submit Your Research to #OSM26!

The global conference for ocean sciences and the ocean-related community taking place 22-27 February 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Celebrate the power of collective discovery by showcasing your work in a world stage.

➡️Submit an abstract by 20 Aug: buff.ly/vBlrVDV

🌊Registration and/or abstract submission waivers available for scientists of Indigenous cultural heritage and non-scientist community leaders for #OSM26!

✅Apply by 8/11 for abstract waivers
✅Apply by 11/14 for registration waivers

📲Application portal: buff.ly/ZHa20Ox

Photomosaic of a rocky intertidal community.

Image of student presenting a talk.

Machine learning classified photomosaic.

Photo of two people flying a drone.

Our lab recently hosted @science.ubc.ca undergrad Mika Raring for a three week internship at Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. She learned how to use drones to survey intertidal systems & machine learning to analyze drone images. She presented her work at the summer research symposium at Bamfield.

Drew Harvell holds a sunflower star

Sunflower stars

Researchers have found the culprit behind sea star wasting disease

“This is the discovery of the decade for me,” said co-author @drewharvell.bsky.social. "We have studied both the cause and the impacts of this disease for the entire epidemic."

More: www.washington.edu/news/2025/08...

The Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre in British Columbia, Canada is now advertising for an ocean technologist. See the position description below. @uwsafs.bsky.social @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social @csucoast.bsky.social @duke-mgel.bsky.social @mbarinews.bsky.social
bamfieldmsc.com/about/bmsc-o...

3D model of rocky intertidal habitat.

3D model of rocky intertidal habitat.

3D model of rocky intertidal habitat.

3D model of rocky intertidal habitat.

Now that drone flights are complete our team is processing their intertidal imagery from B.C. into 3D models of their sites. These models will help the team understand how 3D complexity in the intertidal affects species distribution & abundance. @uwsafs.bsky.social @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social

A submersible finds sea creatures thriving in the deepest parts of the ocean An underwater voyage has revealed a network of creatures thriving at the bottom of deep-sea ocean trenches.

A submersible finds sea creatures thriving in the deepest parts of the ocean

Seattle’s new waterfront is alive — if you know where to look Above the rebuilt Seattle seawall, people walk, bike, sit, chat, read and generally carry on. But come with us for a dip below.

Seattle’s new waterfront is alive — if you know where to look

Color graphic of the coastline of Washington State on the right with gray circles of seismic waves approaching from the left across the blue ocean. Black text on an orange background reads “There is a tsunami advisory for Washington State. Stay out of the water and away from the shore, including harbors and marinas. Dangerous waves and currents expected. More information at tsunami.gov.”

This TSUNAMI ADVISORY is now just for the outer coast of Washington state and does NOT include the inner counties of King, Pierce and Thurston. Ocean sensors indicate a possible one foot wave at some of the outer coast. There may still be some unusual currents on the inner coast. #wawx

Our team knows how to work quickly in the field. 😉 This time lapse shows the process of our team installing wave force dynamometers at one of our sites. The instrument locations will be mapped with drones with the data helping characterize the physical environment at our sites. @uwsafs.bsky.social

This #NationalMarineWeek, discover kelp — a vital, vanishing habitat that stores carbon, shelters wildlife & protects our coasts.
MBA’s work with #GreenGravel project aims to restore these underwater forests.
💙 Join us: buff.ly/EmadYTs
🔗 Learn more: buff.ly/UE3ggJr

Map of the Farallon Island refuge.

Zoom in of Farallon Island with birds and sea lions visible.

Zoom in of island showing sea bird colonies.

Aerial view of people standing next to a drone landing pad.

Today’s update from the field. Members of our drone team recently returned from the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge where they worked with @pointblue.bsky.social to test using drones for wildlife surveys. @uwsafs.bsky.social @uwmarinebiology.bsky.social @uwenvironment.bsky.social

Machine Learning Model Flags Early, Invisible Signs of Marsh Decline - Eos Decreases in underground plant biomass could signal future marsh loss and prompt conservation measures.

A computer model built on satellite and climate data could give scientists an early warning of coastal marsh decline.

New Stories from Space: More Satellite Imagery in Data Journalism Satellite data is currently all over the news. Color imagery illustrates the attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, thermal data shows…

📚 What we're reading: "New Stories from Space: More Satellite Imagery in Data Journalism" by @rsimmon.bsky.social

"Satellite data ... can also help reporters detect fine-scale damage across broad areas, or even locate fires over one of the largest countries on Earth."

➡️ medium.com/@robsimmon/n...

Read all about Annabella “Bella” Andre’s experience this summer as an undergraduate intern with our marine drone group. @uwenvironment.bsky.social @uwsafs.bsky.social

@uwmarinebiology.bsky.social @waseagrant.bsky.social @taylorshellfish.bsky.social