CIR's Environmental Experts Webinar Series Presents

Hidden Meadows: Understanding Seagrass Ecosystems in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

From 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Seagrass meadows are some of the most productive and ecologically valuable habitats in the ocean. However, they remain some of the least well-understood habitats within diveable depths of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. As a foundational habitat, seagrasses support a diverse community of marine life, stabilize coastal sediment, improve water clarity, and play a key role in carbon storage. This talk will explore the science and significance of these vibrant underwater ecosystems, highlight what we're learning from recent research and monitoring, and discuss the importance of protecting and restoring seagrass meadows to strengthen sanctuary resilience. 

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Duncan is a dedicated Research Ecologist at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS), initially joining the team in 2017 as a California Sea Grant fellow. Her work at the sanctuary began with providing project field support as a scientific diver and exploring data for characterizing sanctuary visitation. As a federal employee since 2020, Lizzie's expertise extends to deep-sea ecosystem exploration and characterization using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), alongside revitalizing a community-involved, long-term eelgrass monitoring program. She also continues to support dive operations as a NOAA dive master.

Before her time at CINMS, Lizzie earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in marine biology from California State University, Long Beach. As a first-generation college student, her passion for marine conservation was sparked during an undergraduate internship with the NOAA Montrose Settlements and Restoration Program. There, she supported outreach efforts related to local wetland restoration, gaining valuable insights into NOAA's diverse management questions and shaping her Master's thesis research. In her work, Lizzie strives to balance the dynamic connection between science and community, driven by the diverse habitats, research needs, and management applications within the sanctuary, from intertidal zones to deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems.