Northern harriers are generalist predators known to occupy and forage over a variety of wetland and grassland types in North America. Whether Northern harriers adapt their foraging modes over different habitat types to maximize their success and energy intake is not known with any confidence. This study addresses this knowledge gap on a small scale around Humboldt Bay at various wetland and grassland sites.

Behavioral and neuroimaging work on the visual processing of facial stimuli has consistently demonstrated a right hemisphere bias in face perception generally as well as in emotion perception. Research on lateralization of other cognitive functions such as language has found differential patterns of lateralization between right-handed and left-handed individuals. Several neuroimaging studies found evidence between handedness and degree of lateralization for face processing. The current study seeks to extend previous work by investigating the relationship between degree of handedness and degree of hemispheric lateralization for the processing of faces displaying positive and negative affect.

Pregnancy nutrition determines the strength of connection between maternal gut microbiota quality and the developing immune system of the fetus (also known as the Maternal-Fetal Gut Microbiota Axis. )

How successful great blue herons are with their feeding strategies and how anthropogenic factors may influence behavior in the ardeids.

To promote equitable learning and assessment practices in Supplemental Instruction classrooms, weekly surveys were conducted in a BIOL 198 SI course linked to a Genetics (BIOL 340) core class. These weekly surveys provided opportunities for students to reflect on the effectiveness of their learning strategies. The Supplemental Instruction Leader then implemented activities during class to focus on reading comprehension and test preparation, the two areas indicated by students as their areas of least confidence. Quantitative and qualitative data demonstrated improvement in SI student reflections of self-efficacy throughout a non-consecutive six-week period.

Open Door Health Centers is a nonprofit community clinic that provides affordable, accessible healthcare to underserved populations. As a College Corps Fellow, I work with the Member Services department, specifically supporting gardens and food resources. My role focuses on increasing access to fresh, healthy food through community garden initiatives and resource navigation. This experience has allowed me to support food security efforts while gaining insight into the intersection of health, nutrition, and community service.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, or Caterpillar fungus, has been used as a cure all for millennia by Tibetan nomads. The fungus which parasitizes the larva of moths is also used in China. Supply of the prized fungus, which only grows on the Tibetan plateau and northern slope of the Himalayas, was not always available to the Chinese given the remote nature of the plateau. In recent decades however, developing relations between China and the Tibetan region have led to increased gathering of the fungus. This poster will discuss the history of O. sinensis as medicine, as well as the modern relationships between the fungus and the people who use it, and what that means for the fungi’s future.

Content analysis of the sexual assault prevention programs and education provided at the 23 universities within the California State University system.

Hesperocyparis bakeri, better known as Baker cypress, is a serotinous species which suffers from low seed viability. Previous research has shown that Baker cypress seed viability begins to decline with cone age and thus the low overall viability of Baker cypress cones is not unexpected (Milich et al., 2012). However, little is known about the cone age at which seed viability begins to decrease. We investigated seed viability in relation to cone age by sampling twenty branches from five Baker cypress trees located in Burney, Shasta County in north-eastern California. Seeds were scarified and placed in a 1% tetrazolium red solution for 18 hours, cut longitudinally to determine viability.

Wailaki is an indigenous Northern California language within the Dene (Athabaskan) language family historically spoken in the Eel River basin. The language is categorized as a 'sleeping' language as there are no longer living first language speakers; however, there are second language learners today. This project examines translations in texts for words used in the Wailaki directional system and determines if this system is closer to river-based systems common to Northwestern California, or cardinal direction-based systems. In addition, this research discusses the extent to which geospatial references may have been preferred to relative frames of reference involving the body (left, right).