Press Play with Madeleine Brand

A ravenous species of sea urchin is changing ecosystems off California’s coast

Seaweed is crucial to all sorts of life in the ocean. Here in California, it’s disappearing fast. And so are the fish and sea creatures that depend on it. The culprit: a purple sea urchin….known as a “purp” as the marine biology lingo goes.

By Madeleine Brand • May 27, 2019 • 1 min read

Seaweed is crucial to all sorts of life in the ocean. Here in California, it’s disappearing fast. And so are the fish and sea creatures that depend on it. The culprit: a purple sea urchin….known as a “purp” as the marine biology lingo goes.

Madeleine Brand
Host, 'Press Play'
Sarah Sweeney
Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW
Alexandra Sif Tryggvadottir
Associate producer
Caitlin Plummer
producer
Patrick Krug
marine biologist at California State University, Los Angeles

News

California

Environment

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

A ravenous species of sea urchin is changing ecosystems off California’s coast

Seaweed is crucial to all sorts of life in the ocean. Here in California, it’s disappearing fast. And so are the fish and sea creatures that depend on it. The culprit: a purple sea urchin….known as a “purp” as the marine biology lingo goes.

Share

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

A ravenous species of sea urchin is changing ecosystems off California’s coast

Seaweed is crucial to all sorts of life in the ocean. Here in California, it’s disappearing fast. And so are the fish and sea creatures that depend on it. The culprit: a purple sea urchin….known as a “purp” as the marine biology lingo goes.

Share