Dr. Stephen Schroeter

Dr. Stephen Schroeter is a marine ecologist at UCSB’s http://www.msi.ucsb.edu/ with a strong background in field experimentation, and currently one of a team of scientists conducting independent monitoring of two large mitigation projects for the California Coastal Commission: the San Dieguito Lagoon Restoration Project and the Wheeler North Reef. His work has both theoretical and applied aspects. His applied focus has been on anthropogenic impacts and mitigation activities for these impacts on nearshore systems, including rocky intertidal, kelp forest and coastal wetland habitats. His theoretical work has focused on demographics and the process of larval recruitment in populations of benthic invertebrates, primarily sea urchins. He has sustained a monitoring program on the larval settlement of sea urchins for more than 20 years, a data set that has become increasingly valuable for analysis of recruitment and post-recruitment processes and assessing the impacts of ocean acidification.

Along with colleagues at UCSB, he has been conducting long-term research on the community ecology of rocky intertidal systems for the past 37 years. In addition to his work in marine systems, Dr. Schroeter has conducted ecological research in Coastal Sage Scrub and Chaparral systems in southern California.

An important aspect of the applied work for the Coastal Commission has been the focus on developing field and analytical techniques to determine the success or failure of restoration activities. This is important in implementing adaptive management techniques to detect and correct failures to meet restoration goals.

Dr. Schroeter has served on the Board of the San Diego Children’s Choir since 2001 in the capacities of Director and Board Chairman. He served as Treasurer of the San Diego Children’s Choir Parents’ Association from 1996 to 2001.

Stephen shares his 2014 presentation here (10 meg .pdf).