About

Dr. David Ginsburg is a Professor (Teaching) of Environmental Studies at the University of Southern California. He specializes in coastal ecology, focusing on the role of essential habitats such as seagrass and kelp forests in supporting fisheries and biodiversity. His research includes assessing how coastal seagrass contributes to the growth and production of kelp bass within protected areas off Santa Catalina Island, examining how different eelgrass species function as fish habitat, and documenting marine species richness and biodiversity across nearshore ecosystems. By combining detailed field surveys with habitat-specific assessments of fish recruitment, abundance, size, and growth, his work advances understanding of how coastal seagrass beds and kelp forests support juvenile fish populations and contribute to healthy coastal ecosystems. His background provides a foundation for ongoing investigations into the ecological connections between eelgrass beds and kelp forests, their importance for sustaining fisheries, and their role in marine protected area management in Southern California. Dr. Ginsburg holds a Ph.D. in Marine Environmental Biology from USC and has experience working in diverse marine environments, including tropical coral reefs, temperate kelp forests, and polar benthic habitats. He also serves as Chair of the Department of Physical Education and Mind Body Health.

Research topics

• Biology
• Ecology
• Environmental science
• Endocrinology
• Agronomy
• Geology
• Animal science
• Genetics
• Oceanography
• Cell biology
• Food science

Selected publications

• Heat shock protein 70s are modifiers of endothelial function in Fabry disease

  Kidney International · 2026-01-23

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Open-Coast Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Transplant Catalyzes Rapid Mirroring of Structure and Function of Extant Eelgrasses

  Estuaries and Coasts · 2025-09-30

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Seagrasses are marine angiosperms that function as ecosystem engineers, forming complex structure that enhance nearshore environments. Globally, seagrass habitats are threatened by intensifying impacts from climate change, which exacerbate non-climatic stressors such as coastal development, invasive species, and overfishing. Advances in the methodological efficacy of active seagrass restoration efforts have sought to mitigate substantial anthropogenic-induced losses. Restoration efforts along the U.S. West Coast have primarily focused on Zostera marina (common eelgrass) in shallow, sheltered estuarine environments, where most coastal development occurs. However, within the Southern California Bight, Zostera spp. also occurs along the exposed coastlines of the California Channel Islands archipelago. Despite their unique location and the ecosystem services they provide, a paucity of information persists on open-coast seagrass systems and restoration efforts. In this study, we conducted a novel transplant of Z. marina on Catalina Island and tracked temporal and spatial performance metrics (i.e., areal coverage, morphometrics, and fish assemblages) at the restoration site and seven extant Z. marina reference beds on the island from 2021 to 2024. The transplant activities successfully established over 0.18 hectares of Z. marina habitat. The transplant site paralleled or exceeded extant reference beds morphometrically (shoot density and blade length) and functionally (fish composition and fish diversity), while concomitantly providing habitat for the occupancy of, and utilization by, federally listed endangered and managed species. Our results provide a model for broadening the scope of, and augmenting strategies for, seagrass habitat recovery beyond conventional restoration spaces by underscoring the role of open-coast seagrasses in enhancing nearshore ecosystem function and resilience.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Variable fish habitat function in two open-coast eelgrass species

  Marine Ecology Progress Series · 2022-07-28 · 8 citations

  articleSenior author

  Eelgrasses Zostera are foundation species that perform myriad ecosystem services, yet research into their habitat function is often focused on regions susceptible to intense anthropogenic disturbance. This trend has created a data gap on the role more remote eelgrass beds provide among the mosaic of other temperate marine habitats. In this study, we surveyed 15 Z. marina and Z. pacifica beds along Catalina Island and the Southern California Bight (SCB) mainland coast from 2018 to 2020 for areal coverage, structural components and fish assemblages, from which a relativized index of fish utilization was then created. We then evaluated the landscape and structural components that potentially drive fish utilization in Z. marina using the index as a response variable in a model selection procedure. Zostera beds ranged in size from 0.06 ha to >27.5 ha. Fish assemblages in Z. marina and Z. pacifica beds were significantly different, and in the case of fishes found in both, individuals were often below size at maturity in Z. marina and above size in Z. pacifica . Distance to the nearest reef and bed area, both positively related to the fish assemblage index, were the most important factors. The results suggest Z. marina beds function as a nursery habitat while Z. pacifica are used by mid-level predators for foraging. These data represent the first rigorous study of fish utilization of open-coast Z. marina and Z. pacifica beds, and are invaluable to marine spatial planning efforts that may incorporate a more holistic approach to habitat management in temperate regions.

  PublisherDOI

• Over, Under, Sideways and Down: Patterns of Marine Species Richness in Nearshore Habitats off Santa Catalina Island, California

  Diversity · 2022-05-05 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Santa Catalina Island, located off the southern California coast, is home to the Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA), which is recognized as a marine protected area. Here, we provide an updated species inventory of nearshore macroalgae, seagrasses, bony and cartilaginous fishes and invertebrates documented inside the Blue Cavern Onshore SMCA. Species richness data were compiled using scuba-based visual surveys conducted in the field, references from the primary and gray literature, museum records, unpublished species lists and online resources. The current checklist consists of 1091 marine species from 18 different taxonomic groups, which represents an ~43% increase in species diversity compared to the value reported previously. These data are indicative of the high biodiversity known from the Southern California Bight (SCB) region. The total number of intertidal and subtidal taxa reported represent approximately 85% and 45% of the documented macroalgae and plants, 41% and 24% invertebrates, and 62% and 20% of fishes from Catalina Island and the SCB, respectively. Among the marine taxa documented, 39 species either have undergone a geographic range shift or were introduced as the result of human activities, while another 4 species are listed as threatened, endangered or critically endangered. Research findings presented here offer an important baseline of species richness in the California Channel Islands and will help improve the efforts by resource managers and policy makers to conserve and manage similar habitats in the coastal waters off southern California.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Nearshore Species Biodiversity of a Marine Protected Area Off Santa Catalina Island, California

  Western North American Naturalist · 2021-03-23 · 8 citations

  articleSenior author

  Santa Catalina Island, located ∼35 km off the Southern California coast, is home to the Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA). Although the conservation area is recognized as both an area of special biological significance and a marine life refuge, species richness of the nearshore taxa from this location is not known. In this study, we provide a comprehensive inventory of the intertidal and subtidal marine macroalgae, plants, invertebrates, and fishes documented from 5 different reef sites inside Blue Cavern Onshore SMCA. Species richness data were compiled using scuba-based visual surveys conducted in the field, references from the primary and gray literature, research collections maintained by scholarly institutions, and field monitoring programs. The total number of marine taxa documented in this study (765 species from 17 major phylogenetic groups) represents 63% of the estimated species richness in Blue Cavern Onshore SMCA and is indicative of the high biodiversity known from this region. Specifically, the intertidal and subtidal biota reported here represent 34% and 18% of the marine taxa known from Catalina Island and the Southern California Bight, respectively. Incidences of the introduction of exotic and invasive organisms (n = 18), changes in the geographic distributions of species (n = 14), as well as marine taxa listed as species of concern, endangered, or critically endangered (n = 4), were also identified in the current inventory. Research findings presented here offer an important baseline of species richness in the California Channel Islands and will help to improve efforts by resource managers and policy makers to conserve and manage similar habitats in the coastal waters off Southern California.

  PublisherDOI

• Effects of depth-cycling on nutrient uptake and biomass production in the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera

  Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews · 2021 · 51 citations

  • Environmental science
  • Oceanography
  • Biology

  Seasonal or chronic nutrient limitations in the photic zone limit large-scale cultivation of seaweed (macroalgae) in much of the world's oceans, hindering the development of macroalgae as a biofuel feedstock. One possible solution is to supply nutrients using a diel depth-cycling approach, physically moving the macroalgae between deep nutrient-rich water at night and shallow depths within the photic zone during the day. This study tested the effects of depth-cycling on the growth, morphology, and chemical composition of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, a target species for renewable biomass production. Giant kelp grown under depth-cycling conditions had an average growth rate of 5% per day and produced four times more biomass (wet weight) than individuals grown in a kelp bed without depth-cycling. Analysis of tissue from the depth-cycled kelp showed elevated levels of protein, lower C:N ratios, and distinct δ15N and δ13C values suggesting that the depth-cycled kelp were not nitrogen-deficient and assimilated nutrients from deep water. Depth-cycled kelp also exhibited smaller and thicker-walled pneumatocysts and larger blades. Overall, this study supports further investigation of depth-cycling as a macroalgal farming strategy.

  PublisherDOI

• Methane Reduction Potential of Two Pacific Coast Macroalgae During in vitro Ruminant Fermentation

  Frontiers in Marine Science · 2020 · 45 citations

  • Environmental science
  • Agronomy
  • Biology

  With increasing interest in feed-based methane mitigation strategies and regional legal directives aimed at methane production from the agricultural sector, identifying local sources of biological feed additives will be critical for rendering these strategies affordable. In a recent study, the red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis harvested offshore Australia was identified as highly effective for reducing methane production from enteric fermentation. Due to potential difference in methane-reduction potential and the financial burden associated with transporting the harvested seaweed over long distances, we examined locally sourced red seaweed A. taxiformis and brown seaweed Zonaria farlowii for their ability to mitigate methane production when added to feed widely used in the Californian dairy industry. At a dose rate of 5% dry matter (DM), California-sourced A. taxiformis and Z. farlowii reduced methane production by up to 74% (p ≤ 0.05) and 11% (p ≤ 0.05) during in vitro rumen fermentation respectively. No effect on CO2 production was observed for either seaweed. The measured decrease in methane production induced by A. taxiformis and Z. farlowii amendment, suggest that these local macroalgae are indeed promising candidates for biotic methane mitigation strategies in California, the largest milk producing state in the US. To determine their real potential as methane mitigating feed supplements in the dairy industry, their effect in vivo will need to be investigated.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Murine Surf4 is essential for early embryonic development

  PLoS ONE · 2020 · 26 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Biology
  • Cell biology
  • Endocrinology

  Newly synthesized proteins co-translationally inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen may be recruited into anterograde transport vesicles by their association with specific cargo receptors. We recently identified a role for the cargo receptor SURF4 in facilitating the secretion of PCSK9 in cultured cells. To examine the function of SURF4 in vivo, we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing to generate mice with germline loss-of-function mutations in Surf4. Heterozygous Surf4+/- mice exhibit grossly normal appearance, behavior, body weight, fecundity, and organ development, with no significant alterations in circulating plasma levels of PCSK9, apolipoprotein B, or total cholesterol, and a detectable accumulation of intrahepatic apoliprotein B. Homozygous Surf4-/- mice exhibit embryonic lethality, with complete loss of all Surf4-/- offspring between embryonic days 3.5 and 9.5. In contrast to the milder murine phenotypes associated with deficiency of known SURF4 cargoes, the embryonic lethality of Surf4-/- mice implies the existence of additional SURF4 cargoes or functions that are essential for murine early embryonic development.

  PublisherDOI

• Murine <i>Surf4</i> is essential for early embryonic development

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2019-02-07 · 3 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  ABSTRACT Newly synthesized proteins co-translationally inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen may be recruited into anterograde transport vesicles by their association with specific cargo receptors. We recently identified a role for the cargo receptor SURF4 in facilitating the secretion of PCSK9 in cultured cells. To examine the function of SURF4 in vivo , we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing to generate mice with germline loss-of-function mutations in Surf4 . Surf4 +/- mice exhibited grossly normal appearance, behavior, body weight, fecundity, and organ development and demonstrated no significant alterations in circulating plasma levels of PCSK9, apolipoprotein B, or total cholesterol. Surf4 -/- mice exhibit embryonic lethality, with complete loss of all Surf4 -/- offspring between embryonic days 3.5 and 9.5. Taken together with the much milder phenotypes of PCSK9 or apolipoprotein B deficiency in mice, these findings imply the existence of additional SURF4 cargoes or functions that are essential for murine early embryonic development.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Secondary Production of Kelp Bass Paralabrax clathratus in Relation to Coastal Eelgrass Zostera marina Habitat in a Southern California Marine Protected Area

  Bulletin Southern California Academy of Sciences · 2019-12-20 · 6 citations

  articleSenior author

  Seagrasses are an important refuge for fishes and provide ecosystem services worldwide. Along the Pacific Coast, however, quantitative assessments of the ecological role of seagrass habitats with limited anthropogenic impacts are lacking despite their value to resource management. To address these issues, the ecological function of the eelgrass Zostera marina Linnaeus in a protected area off Santa Catalina Island, California, USA was quantified using estimates of secondary production in the kelp bass Paralabrax clathratus (Girard, 1854). Monthly assessments of Zostera structural complexity, as well as the size and abundance of juvenile kelp bass were used to establish a baseline of fish biomass and recruitment associated with Zostera habitat. The greatest number of kelp bass was recorded in the summer and fall months and the fewest during the winter and spring. Secondary production in kelp bass (0.1 to 0.59 g m–2 mo–1) followed monthly changes in Zostera habitat structure throughout the 24-month study period. Seasonal changes in the structural complexity of coastal Zostera beds may influence the flow of energy to adjacent reef environments through the transfer of fish biomass. These findings help define the potential role of Zostera habitat within the larger context of nearshore coastal ecosystems in the Southern California Bight.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• The Molecular Genetics of Hemostasis

  NIH · $4.1M · 2017–2024

Frequent coauthors

• Donal T. Manahan

  University of Southern California

  89 shared

• Scott L. Applebaum

  University of Southern California

  85 shared

• Kirk Baldwin

  Princeton University

  81 shared

• John P. Adelman

  81 shared

• Noritaka Adachi

  The University of Tokyo

  81 shared

• Amy L. Angert

  University of British Columbia

  81 shared

• Sócrates B. Munoz

  Kansas State University

  81 shared

• M. Sears

  Emory University

  81 shared

Labs

• USC Dornsife Environmental Studies ProgramPI

Education

• PhD, Biological Sciences

  University of Southern California

  2007

• MS, University of Guam Marine Laboratory

  University of Guam

  1998

• BA

  University of California Santa Cruz

  1994