Matthew Bracken

Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

School of Biological Sciences

Ph.D., Oregon State University

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Our lab group, based in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine, uses an interdisciplinary approach to evaluate the linkages between marine communities and ecosystems. We draw from a variety of ecological sub-disciplines, including community ecology, physiological ecology, and ecosystem ecology. Current projects in the lab address two related concepts in marine ecology that merge community and ecosystem perspectives: (1) evaluating the causes and consequences of biodiversity change and (2) quantifying the relative importance of consumers’ top-down and bottom-up effects on the growth and diversity of primary producers.

We are actively working to shift the current cultural paradigm toward one that enhances and embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are committed to building a culture that is anti-racist, safe, and supportive for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color at UC Irvine and in the communities we serve. We welcome people and perspectives regardless of race, gender, social class, disability, or sexual orientation. We recognize that diverse voices benefit our community and science. We do not tolerate racism, xenophobia, homophobia, or discrimination.

We acknowledge the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Naumkeag, Wabanaki, Passamaquoddy, Siuslaw, Graton Rancheria, Coast Miwok, Salinan, Kizh, Acjachemen, and Tlingit peoples and the Ngāti Rārua, Ngāi Tahu, and Ngāti Toa Rangatira iwi, where we live, work, and conduct our research.

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