Carolynn Culver

Biography

Dr. Culver runs her program from the Santa Barbara Channel region of south-central California. Her program addresses the general vision of California Sea Grant: to promote the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources in support of thriving human and natural communities. She supports this vision by facilitating and conducting research and extending research-based information to help California communities solve coastal and marine issues, especially those related to aquatic invasive species, marine invertebrate fisheries and shellfish mariculture.

Research Program

Culver's research interests include understanding life history characteristics and population dynamics of aquatic organisms and applying this information to improve management of non-native invasive species and fisheries resources, and to enhance culture technologies of marine species. She was a lead researcher on the successful eradication of a marine pest, and she remains actively engaged in management of invasive species. She is currently working collaboratively with many groups to minimize the impacts of non-native species, including quagga and zebra mussels and several marine organisms that are transported via boat hulls. Culver also is evaluating ways to assist the state with management of fisheries resources, through collaborative fisheries research to collect field data and promote its integration into the management process. She continues to gather essential fisheries information on marine resources and those who depend on them to enhance management of California’s fisheries. Her work in mariculture currently assists those interested in culturing rock scallops and other marine shellfish. Culver is a UC certified research diver, and SCUBA diving is often a part of her research programs.

Education and Outreach Program

Dr. Culver provides education and outreach programs to policy makers and stakeholders by conducting workshops for and disseminating information about research-based solutions for addressing marine and coastal issues. She develops materials and conducts trainings about citizen monitoring of invasive species, and provides information on ways to balance ecosystem health and boat operations through use of hull coatings and companion strategies such as the best management practices for hull cleaning. Culver also provides technical advice on collaborative fisheries research and fisheries management in general. To enhance marine stewardship and literacy, she developed summer youth journalism academies in collaboration with the 4-H Youth Development Program that educated youth and the public about the marine resources of the Santa Barbara Channel region. She continues to develop educational materials about local marine resources in collaboration with others.

Credentials & Experience

Dr. Culver earned her bachelor's, master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, working professionally both in the private and public sector between each degree. Her master’s degree focused on the biology and management of the California sheep (spider) crab; and her Ph.D. addressed the eradication and management of a non-native species pest of abalone culture in California. Prior to becoming a Sea Grant advisor, she was a research biologist and lecturer at UC Santa Barbara. Her previous experience includes working as a research scientist in the private sector on the culture of marine invertebrates for food and pharmaceutical products, as well as a consultant on the management of invasive species. 

Selected Publications

Culver, C., S. Schroeter, M. Page and J.E. Dugan. 2010. Essential fishery information for trap-based fisheries: Development of a framework for collaborative data collection. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management and Ecosystem Science. 2:98-114.

Schroeter, S.C., H.M. Page, J.E. Dugan, C.S. Culver, B. Steele, R. Gutierrez, J. Richards and D. Kushner. 2009. Scales of variability in larval settlement within the Channel IslandsNational Marine Sanctuary and along the mainland coast. Proceedings of the 7th California Islands Symposium. February 5-7, Oxnard, CA. pp. 151-160.

Page, H.M., C.S. Culver,J.E. Dugan, and B.A. Mardian. 2008. Oceanographic gradients and patterns in invertebrate assemblages on offshore oil platforms.  ICES Journal of Marine Science. 65:851-861.

Culver, C.S., J.B. Richards and H.M Page. 2006. Plasticity of attachment of the purple-hinge rock scallop, Crassadoma gigantea: implications for commercial culture. Aquaculture. 254:361-369.

Culver, Carolynn S., Henry M. Page and Jenifer E. Dugan. 2005. Oil, gas platforms: Sources for marine natural products?  Global Aquaculture Advocate. June: 60-61.

Rudnick, D., T. Veldhuizen, R. Tullis, C. Culver, K. Hieb and B. Tsukimura. 2005. A life history model for the San Francisco Estuary population of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis (Decapoda: Grapsoidea). Biol. Invasions. 7:333-350.

Culver, Carolynn S. and Armand M. Kuris. 2004. Susceptibility of California gastropods to an introduced South African sabellid polychaete, Terebrasabella heterouncinata. Invert. Biol. 123 (4): 316-323.

Culver, C.S. and A.M. Kuris. 2001. Sheep crab. In: California’s Living Marine Resources: A status report. pp. 115-117. Eds. W. Leet, C. Dewees, R. Klingbeil and E. Larson. University of California ANR. SG01-11. 592 pp.

Culver, C.S. and A.M. Kuris. 2000. The first apparent eradication of a locally established introduced marine pest.  Biological Invasions. 2:245-253.