Sacramento Pike Minnow in the Eel River

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

In our presentation, we will be researching and presenting the historical, and current effects in the Eel River regarding the invasive Sacramento Pike Minnow. This fish was introduced into the Eel River watershed in 1962 and has been an issue for people who depend on the river for the past 45 years. The pike minnow is a species that eats juvenile salmonids (salmon, trout, steelhead). Salmonids are extremely important to the eco-system as well as the people who rely on it. The Wiyot people depend on healthy salmon runs each and every year as a source of food, and more importantly in today's day and age, a source of income.

Sacred Drugs

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This Ideafest presentation aims to argue that our society might be studying drugs wrong. I will explore this topic using a problem/solution model. The problem is that drugs are stigmatized, causing a reluctance to talk openly about their role within society. I suggest the validation of drugs through pragmatic discussions within all appropriate avenues of study. Gary Laderman and Michael Pollan prove ideal examples of this solution. Quotes from Laderman highlight the integration of drugs in religion courses and academia at large. Michael Pollan is another example, and exploring his work presents another case of the topic of drugs being discussed in academic and such public settings.

Safety Plan

Alyssa Lawrence, Social Work Graduate Student

College of Professional Studies

We collaborated with Dr. Bayan at Waterfront Recovery Services to create a post-discharge safety plan for patients. The safety plan will be used and implemented on each individual client to reduce substance use and create a life of sobriety.

SAL: A new method for modeling stream flow in small watersheds

Jim Graham, Environmental Science & Management Faculty

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Streams Across Lands (SAL) is a new stream flow modeling method for small watersheds. SAL is based on standard hydrological equations for water flow on the surface, through soil, and in stream channels. The model can be used with standard spatial datasets including Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO, NRCS) and National Land Cover Data (NLCD). SAL was tested primarily within the Elder Creek watershed and showed a high level of correlation with the observed discharge at the USGS station. SAL includes an easy-to-use graphic interface within the BlueSpray GIS application and provides a variety of graphic outputs for use in watershed analysis and community outreach.

Salamander activity: The impact of abiotic factors on salamander movements in Northern California

Luke Leuty, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This poster focuses on studying the relationship between abiotic factors and salamander activity. We predict soil saturation to be the biggest factor influencing salamander activity. We also examine soil temperature, air temperature, daily precipitation, and accumulative precipitation and their affects on salamander activity.

Salamander Habitat Abundance Based on Water Flow

Chris Vignery, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

A study related to finding out a relationship between the abundance of salamanders and the flow of water in the Arcata community forest.

Salamander occupancy according to log shape and condition in Humboldt County

Riley Tetzlaff, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

For my research project I studied whether or not the shape and condition of a log effected the occupancy rate of salamander, and according to my data I was half right.

Salinity influence in feeding of dabbling and diving ducks

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Tested to see if salinity levels in water had an affect on feeding in water fowl. Looking at dabbling and diving ducks, I saw which one exhibited most feeding. Species studied were Buffleheads as diving ducks(Bucephala albeola) and Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) as dabbling ducks.

Sammich and Rumples Pilot Preview

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

I received the Undergraduate Research and Creative Award in Fall of 2015, and as per the requirements of the grant I am to present my work at IdeaFest this coming April. It is a children's story nearing the end of its production, and will mostly be a stationary display or booth where I'll gladly do Q&A about the process, where I'd like to see it go, and so forth.

Sand Crab, Emerita analoga, Burrowing Time in Relation to Relative Abundance in Humboldt County

Andrew Cha, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

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.