Unearth the Ruins of Animal Agriculture in the Amazon

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

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.

United Indian Health Services Community Garden

College of Professional Studies

This Project looks at United Indian Health Services’ Community Nutrition Project and the Potawat Community Food Garden in Humboldt County, California. Throughout the poster we’ll examine how they function, who they serve, and how COVID-19 has impacted their services. The information was gathered from both online research as well as first hand accounts from some of the garden's volunteers. The purpose of this project is to bring awareness to how the Potawot garden has benefited the Humboldt community and how community gardens can benefit other communities in general.

University Singers

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

HSU's choirs have found ways to make music together despite the huge obstacle of not being able to rehearse together as we normally do. We have been primarily working on "virtual choir" projects and performances. For these projects, we rehearsed together online and then the students each recorded their part for each piece we worked on individually. The individual recordings were then compiled to create the performance videos shown here. These videos are from Fall 2020: University Singers performs "Safe with Me," a new and poignant piece by Bryan Sharpe, as well as a fun arrangement of "Feeling Good," the iconic tune made famous by Nina Simone.

Unlearning to Use the "N" Word

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

I will analyze the way people in marginalized communities, specifically those who do not identify as Black, internalize the “N” word through the lyrics of music in hip hop. Although those in similar systems of oppression relate to the the word’s connotation, it does not entitle anyone who does not identify as Black to use the “N” word. Through ethnomusicology paired with metalinguistics, I conclude that hip hop should diversify the industry with artists from different social positions to represent other minorities, leaving room for marginalized groups to create artifacts that directly represent their day-to-day experiences in this oppressive society without having to use the “N” word.

Unraveling the Taxonomic Classification of the Tolowa wallflower (Brassicaceae: Erysimum), a dune endemic of the California North Coast

Cameron Jones, Biological Sciences Graduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Found in Del Norte County, California, in the Tolowa Dunes State Park, there is an Erysimum population that does not fit the species boundaries of E.concinnum Eastw., its current assigned name. A closely related species, E. menziesi (Hook.) Wettst arguably better fits the morphology of the Tolowa Wallflower, with the caveat that it does not adequately depict the population. Because of the endemicity of the two aforementioned species and the Tolowa wallflower, correct taxonomic assessment and a clear definition of species boundaries are warranted. To evaluate the species boundaries and circumscription of the Tolowa wallflower, we would collect DNA samples from Erysimum found on the coast.

Urbanization Impact on Native Avian Species Richness

Makana Kiakona, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The aim of this study was to focus on the richness of native avian species to determine if they are influenced by urbanization. To measure this, point counts were conducted, in which all birds were counted and identified. A total of 30 survey sites were evenly divided between Arcata, Arcata Bottoms, and Eureka, to encompass a gradient of urbanization.

Uses of Traditional Ecological Knowledge

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The poster will be about how Native American studies go hand in hand with the field of Zoology and natural resources and management as well as wildlife and game management. It will delve into the benefits of applying Traditional Ecological Knowledge to conservation-related issues as well as some of the social and economic issues that we are facing. In particular, This poster will address some of the issues regarding the environment today and how TEK can help to both resolves and benefit from the initial problems. In addition to the management benefits that Traditional Ecological Knowledge offers, I want to include how TEK can help bridge the gap between different communities.

Using a UAV to Calculate a Very Low Hydraulic Gradient in a Coastal Karst Aquifer System: The Yucatan Aquifer System Example

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This research project explores the feasibility of using UAV´s (drones) to measure the hydraulic gradient in the Yucatán Peninsula Coastal karst Aquifer system. This karstic groundwater system is highly vulnerable to contamination by tourists and the growing local population. Although the hydraulic gradient does not necessarily predict groundwater flow, it is a good indicator as to groundwater flow directions. Determination of the hydraulic gradient is explored through the use of a UAV (Phantom 4), in combination with a DGPS (used to obtain the ground control points). Results using the drone without ground control points give an error that is in the tens of meters range.

Using an unmanned aerial vehicle (uav) to survey Black Brant use of Sand Island in Arcata Bay

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This study was done on Black Brant commonly found in Arcata Bay during migration season. Preliminary camera trap data showed Brant to be utilizing Sand Island in the bay, so I used that to determine the optimal time to use a drone to survey the behavior of the birds. I conducted three different uav flights during the month of April, and obtained approximately 120 photograph stills and 15 videos. From these videos I'm going to count the number of Brant using the island within the timeframe of when the flights were conducted, and then calculate the proportion of birds engaged in gritting behavior- a process where birds swallow sand to help break down food in their gizzard.

Using Art and Mindfulness as Coping Mechanisms for Teens with Depression: A Guidebook

College of Professional Studies

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), as much as 10 to 15 percent of American teenagers experience symptoms of depression at any one given time (2014). Research has shown that mindfulness methods and art therapy methods have both proven themselves useful in treating this disease, but there is little research that has delved into the possible benefits of combining these two methodologies. This project combines these two forms of coping skills into one curriculum for use in school or therapeutic settings aimed at helping adolescents find outlets for dealing with their depression. That's the goal of this project: the creation of a mindfulness and art therapy guidebook.