Urchin Uprising: Who Really Destroyed California's Kelp Forests?

Produced by Kyra Shah, Natalie Bui, Felicity NguyenCalifornia’s kelp forests are among the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems, providing habitat, food, and protection for countless marine species. In recent years, however, many of these underwater forests have disappeared. At the center of this transformation remains an unlikely culprit: the purple sea urchin. In this podcast episode, we examine how ecological disturbances including disease outbreaks among sea stars, marine heatwaves, and climate change, have contributed to explosive growth in purple sea urchin populations. We also discuss ongoing restoration efforts and what the future may hold for California’s marine environments. Join us as we uncover the complex ecological story behind one of the Pacific Coast’s most significant environmental challenges.Acknowledgements:We would like to thank Dr. Craig for sharing his expertise on marine ecology and kelp forest ecosystems. His insights and perspectives greatly enriched our understanding of the ecological dynamics surrounding purple sea urchins and their impact on California’s coastal environments. We are grateful for his time and contribution to this project. Pests and Prejudice is a podcast series created by UCLA undergraduates in the spring of 2026.  Each episode is a story of a messy relationship, one in which people seduced pests, and then decided to break up with them... and it usually goes about as well as you would expect...