Our group’s senior thesis investigated the physiological and water potential responses of redwood and tanoak trees to various thinning treatments that occurred during the Summer of 2017 in Redwood National Park. We selected 47 individual study trees among five different thinning intensities (No cut, 25%, 40%, 55%, and 75%) across three 1-hectare fixed-area plots. Our initial findings indicate a certain sweet spot which the trees seem to favor. Stop by our booth to learn more!

The spate of recent high intensity (stand-replacing) fires in California has led some to wonder whether our tree species are adapted to such large burns. Many assume that regeneration will typically be so poor that many of these burns will be dominated by shrubs and herbs instead of forests. This study examines seedling recruitment of conifers as a function of distance across a 1 km-wide burn near Hoopa. Six transects, each 50 m x 4 m, were spaced along the 1 km transects, and seedlings and burnt cones were counted. Douglas-fir and white fir averaged 2903 ha-1 and 1996 ha-1 seedlings, respectively, and 75% of the km had >490 recruits/ha (the minimal acceptable density in California).

ADCY5-related Dyskinesia is a rare movement disorder, with early onset in childhood and adolescence. Previous studies have linked this disease to various point mutations in the ADCY5 gene. One study has demonstrated two of these mutations cause an increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). However, the molecular basis of this disease phenotype has yet to be fully understood. Our study seeks to characterize the effects of one specific point mutation, p.R418W, on cellular cAMP levels using HEK293T cells, and to determine if increased cAMP levels affect neuronal differentiation using mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs).

We are assessing movement of juvenile Coho and adult straying among Freshwater Creek and two other Humboldt Bay tributaries using PIT tags and mark-recapture multi-state modeling. As salmon habitat becomes more fragmented through human actions, the need to better understand interactions between connected salmonid populations only grows. This research will focus on quantifying the frequency of juvenile dispersal between nearby watersheds to evaluate the need for changes in both management and monitoring. If there is significant movement between these watersheds, effective management and monitoring strategies of Freshwater Creek may need to be expanded to include nearby streams.

I created a full life cycle model for Coho Salmon in Freshwater Creek in an effort to estimate separate overwinter and marine survival rates for two distinct juvenile life history strategies.

For environmental and economic reasons, there is a global interest in reducing the use of fossil fuels, including gasoline for cars. Whether motivated by the environment or by the economics, consumers are starting to switch to electric vehicles. Several countries are seeing early signs of the potential for rapid growth in the adoption of electric vehicles. In the US and other countries, the release of the more affordable all-electric Tesla Model 3 has resulted in record numbers of pre-orders and long wait lists. Our group set out to find an optimal allocation of electric charging stations in the U.S and South Korea by creating a math model of the number of stations per region.

Concluding the 21st century, changing atmospheric processes will alter regional resource availability increasing a nation’s fragility. To examine the interconnected nature among socioeconomic structures and ecosystem services, a model was developed that measures a nation’s fragility in six categories: political, economic, social, agriculture, water resources, and culture. The model was then applied to the 10th most fragile nation, The Republic of Iraq, and the 158th most fragile nation, The United States of America. The United States will too experience great changes in the environment, but accessibility to mitigate greatly reduces their progression to a fragile state in contrast to Iraq.

The data analysis MCM problem asked us to create energy profiles and to understand trends and important variables in order to make future goals for the states Arizona, California, Texas, and New Mexico. We made statistical models for each state to understand trends, as well as to help in the predictions for energy usage in 1925 and 1950. A ranking of each profile was instituted based on an analysis of the given data. Using both the models and the profiles, goals were set for all the states to make together in an Energy Compact to increase renewable energy production and consumption. This was all compiled into a memo for the state's governors.

According to the Rainforest Alliance, agriculture drives 80% of all deforestation on earth. Animal agriculture in particular is responsible for 14.5% of all global greenhouse emissions. Cattle ranching specifically is the greatest driver of deforestation in the Amazon rain forest. This poster was designed with the hopes of serving the Rainforest of the Americas exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo, informing visitors that food choices can make a difference in helping or hurting the Amazon rainforest and wildlife habitat. Reducing cattle farming is one major key to sustaining our planet for future generations. Plant-based diets have been found to have less impact on resource usage and emissions.

In our study, an inventory of Humboldt State University's trees was conducted to better understand the current biomass and carbon the campus is sequestering. The goal of the study is to present HSU with an understanding of what trees sequester more carbon so they may make informed decisions on future tree planting projects.