The California Current Ecosystem LTER is part of the network of Long-Term Ecological Research sites funded by the National Science Foundation.
The California Current System is a coastal upwelling biome, as found along the eastern margins of all major ocean basins. These are among the most productive ecosystems in the world ocean. The California Current Ecosystem LTER (32.9°, -120.3°) is investigating nonlinear transitions in the California Current coastal pelagic ecosystem, with particular attention to long-term forcing by a secular warming trend, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and El Niño in altering the structure and dynamics of the pelagic ecosystem. The California Current sustains active fisheries for a variety of finfish and marine invertebrates, modulates weather patterns and the hydrologic cycle of much of the western United States, and plays a vital role in the economy of myriad coastal communities.
CCE News and Announcements
Latest Posts
A successful 2025 CCE Process cruise (18 Oct – 17 Nov)!
CCE LTER recently returned from our latest process cruise (P2510) aboard the R/V Atlantis. We completed a variety of deployments – in situ arrays, sediment traps, CTD casts, net tows, GO Flo casts, McLane pump casts, and tows of a Deep Plankton Imaging system. Many experiments were also conducted aboardRead more.
CCE REU applications OPEN until 31 Jan 2026
Applications are now open for our 2026 summer REU program, a 10-12 week internship at SIO, scheduled to begin in June! Please see the application link on our Education page here.
CCE LTER attends COP 30 in Brazil
Six CCE LTER Graduate students will attend the COP 30 international climate conference for a week during November 10-21, 2025. They include M. Alksne, V. Boatwright, A. Stajner, M. Titcomb, M. Weiss, and A. Wilson. They are part of UCSD’s delegation “to contribute expertise on the central role of oceansRead more.
P2510 research cruise now underway!
On October 18th, CCE LTER scientists departed on our latest process cruise aboard the R.V. Atlantis (Lead-PI Kathy Barbeau, pictured). Our group of 30 scientists, students and volunteers will spend the next month taking measurements and conducting experiments at sea to document the effects of climate variability on the California CurrentRead more.
CCE REUs complete summer 2025 research!
CCE hosted six REUs (Research Experience for Undergraduates) over 10-12 weeks this summer in various labs at SIO. They gained invaluable tools and knowledge to carry out their individual projects, mentored by CCE scientists and Grad students. Final presentations were given on 12 September (hybrid meeting), and wowed everyone listening!Read more.