Turkey vultures are well known for their incredible sense of smell due to their large olfactory bulbs, which are even larger than some mammals, such as rats. The study conducted compared the olfaction ability of turkey vultures to local mammals in the area by baiting sites in the Arcata Community Forest with carrion. It analyzed which species arrived to carrion sites first, and how weather, temperature, and humidity affected their ability to locate carrion efficiently.

Reliable measurements of gravitational forces at scales smaller than a centimeter carry significant challenges. The non-gravitational forces that are generally negligible at the scale of everyday objects have a much more substantial effect in the sub-centimeter regime. Due to the nature of precision required in measuring micron-scale gravitational forces and the inherent weakness of gravity, it is important to record, model, and possibly suppress environmental effects in and around the experiment that may affect measurements. Recently, members of the Cal Poly Gravitational Physics Lab have focused on developing these environmental instruments and models to ensure high levels of precision.

A comparison of the topography and microbial community of oyster gills with and without OsHV-1.

Our purpose is to analyze the ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) data from the PORTS Hookton Channel Day Marker 3 station in Humboldt Bay, CA, to compare with the analysis of the ADCP data at the PORTS Chevron Pier station done by Emma Modrick and Isabelle Marcus (Modrick et al., 2022). We want to determine the proportion that each tidal component makes to the mixed semidiurnal tides in the bay, by looking at the dominant frequencies in the tidal currents. We will then compare our results with those of Modrick and Marcus, as well as with the published results of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Finding the relation between grain size and burrowing time of sand crabs at study sites of Samoa, Mad River, Moonstone, Clam and Trinidad state beach. Relative abundance is measured at each study site to determine if there is a correlation between grain size, burrowing time and habitat selection.

In this project I measured changes in the level of salamander activity based upon the local temperature, humidity, and the presence of rain in the Arcata community forest behind Cal. Poly. Humboldt.

Our creative project from our Wildlife 309 class: Case Studies in Environmental Ethics, focuses on the ethics of the fashion industry. With our outfits made from trash or found objects along with our posters, we are bringing waste to the forefront to expose the fashion industries façade. Even though the fashion industry is highly valuable and earns high revenues, it comes at a devastating cost to the environment as this industry is one of the top 7 polluters globally.

Fluctuations in climate variables, such as temperature and precipitation, have the ability to negatively influence the breeding success of birds. This study aimed to determine how these factors impact the breeding success of cavity-nesting songbirds in California. In order to do this, I analyzed relationships between nest box data from the California Bluebird Recovery Program and climate data from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Intertidal invertebrates are an integral part of tide pool ecosystems, so what is the intertidal invertebrate’s ideal habitat? Which tide pools foster the greatest abundance and species diversity? This study was conducted to determine whether five major players in the northern California invertebrate community fair better in the rocky tide pools of a sheltered bay or the sandy tide pools of a beach exposed to the full force of the waves.

We created a website to promote ethical awareness and responsibility among the Cal Poly Humboldt community. The recent housing decisions have raised ethical concerns, and our website offers resources for housing, transportation, mental health, and local community services. We believe that these issues, such as food and housing insecurities and environmental impacts like pollution and resource scarcity, are interconnected. Our website aims to provide necessary resources to help address these issues and promote environmental consciousness.