In many Indigenous cultures animals are imbued with great spiritual significance. Their understanding of the natural world seems to be much more sophisticated and comprehensive than many people view it to be. This project will go over the interconnected relationship between animals and humans displaying the spiritual connection or view that the environment is one whole entity, not a separate entity. This interconnectedness is equivalent to the idea of caring for and respecting the natural world and one's surrounding environment. While many cultures are quite diverse, animals seem to frequently appear in creation stories, legends, ceremonies, and art.

This research evaluates the microplastic (MP) contents of commercially maricultured Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and wild mussels (Mytilus edulis) from Humboldt Bay (HB), California. Bivalves were collected from each of three different locations in HB, and oysters were cultivated in HB. All bivalves were digested with proteolytic enzyme complexes, vacuum filtered, and MP's were quantified by microscopic examination. All samples contained MP's, and significantly different concentrations of MP particles were found between bivalves collected from different locations. Results also suggest that Corolase 8000 is a more efficient enzyme complex than Corolase 7089 for this purpose.

Since the removal of the Klamath dams is such a current topic in today's society, we thought that it would be a great topic to research. The Klamath dams have since been an eyesore and a serious problem for organisms in the Pacific Northwest. Salmonid species cannot make their runs, water temperature increases, and Nitrogen blooms can occur with dams in place . These physical barriers, the Klamath dams, are not only a problem concerning the health of the salmon and other organisms, but the Indigenous tribes who live on these Pacific Northwest rivers as well. Their culture and way of life has become disrupted due to the lack of available salmon.

By presenting the issue of the lack of access Indigenous people have with health care, which is ultimately none, will enlighten individuals of the pressing issue of increasing mortality rates and implement change within the government.

Corn has been a staple food crop for over 10,000 years, having been domesticated by aboriginal peoples in Oaxaca, Mexico. Being successfully responsive to different environmental pressures corn not only represents aboriginal survivance, it also stands as a major testimonial to their culture’s magnitude. Iroquois white corn is an ancient variety that contains a myriad of nutritional benefits which could improve the overall health of indigenous people. In a community effort to revitalize native american customs, Iroquois white corn has been reintroduced back into their daily endeavors. This effort represents a growing awareness to see past the Western portrayal of a culturally rich community.

It is about the reintroduction of the condors in California in the areas of North America

My Ideafest poster will be looking at ways in which traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) can be used to help with wildlife management an conservation efforts. traditional ecological knowledge can be used to get information on wildlife populations and habitats where proper scientific data is lacking, either from the past or due to being in a remote area. I will also be exploring potential problems from using traditional ecological knowledge and explaining how it is best used when paired with scientifically sound data.

A regeneration survey was conducted in Weaverville by the 2019 Forest Ecology class at the 2017 Helena Fire students looking at post-fire seedling recruitment. Forty five 10-meter radius plots were established. Within the plots, seedlings and fallen seed cones were counted. We assumed that the seeds were mature when this site burned (August 31) and that all seedlings came from burnt trees; i.e. the seeds within the cones survived the flames. Thus, we hypothesized there would be a positive relationship between seedling and seed cone density. The results showed a positive correlation (R2 = 0.82) between seedlings and seed cones per plot, thus sustaining our hypothesis.

Taricha granulosa (rough-skinned newt) uses olfaction for feeding, migration, and mate choice. In this study, we are examining the olfactory epithelium with scanning and transmission electron microscopy to determine whether variation in cellular morphology exists amongst seasonally terrestrial adults and aquatic larvae.

In 1974, Federal District George Boldt granted a 50/50 share of salmon and steelhead fisheries for tribes and commercial fishermen, as well as co-manager statues over their natural recourses. My poster is going to cover the regulations this decision established for both local fisheries and surrounding waters of the Puget Sound.