Physical Fitness Characteristics of Rural Firefighters on the Northern Coast of California

College of Professional Studies

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to examine the health-related physical fitness status of rural firefighters. CONCLUSIONS:Exercise programs for firefighters should focus on improving flexibility and body composition, while maintaining muscular strength and aerobic fitness to meet the demands of firefighting.

Physiological And Psychological Differences Between 20% Grade Incline Walking And Level Grade Jogging At Isocaloric Intensity

Motoki Sato, School of Applied Health Graduate Student

College of Professional Studies

Although the benefits of physical activity are well established, many adults do not meet the recommended weekly aerobic physical activity guidelines. Internal barriers such as enjoyment and affective response may challenge engagement and adherence of exercise. While walking and jogging are common modes of exercise, incline walking has recently gained popularity. Therefore, this study aims to compare physiological (fat and carbohydrate utilization) and psychological (enjoyment, affective response, rating of perceived exertion) differences between 20% incline walking and level grade jogging at isocaloric intensity.

Physiological and Psychological Differences Between 20% Grade Incline Walking and Level-Grade Jogging at Isocaloric Intensity

Motoki Sato, School of Applied Health Graduate Student

College of Professional Studies

High-incline walking is a relatively new trend with little comparative information. This study aimed to compare physiological (indirect calorimetry, relative oxygen consumption, heart rate) and psychological (enjoyment, affective valence, rating of perceived exertion) differences between 20% incline-walking and level-grade jogging at isocaloric intensity in young adults. A secondary purpose of this study was to establish an isocaloric protocol to compare 20% incline walking with level-grade jogging using relative VO2 as the primary measure while maintaining constant duration and relative work intensity.

Picea Sitchensis Trees Have a High Capacity for Foliar Water Uptake

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Some plants absorb water through foliage as well as roots. This is an important water acquisition strategy for many plants in the redwood forest ecosystem during dry California summers when fog is often the only water input for months. The goal of our study was to determine if Picea sitchensis trees have the capacity for foliar water uptake, and if they do, how they compare to other species in redwood forests. We also wanted to learn if capacity for foliar uptake increases with height in tree crowns and how it changes under increasingly negative water potentials. Our findings have important implications for P. sitchensis water use, physiology, and growth potential.

Planet Rocket Collaboration Station

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

A collaborative experience where our team will interact with Ideafest participants and help them develop strategies to take their research to the next level. Our creative project is an online platform called Planet Rocket that will help spark community change by allowing users to crowd fund the talent and resources to make their projects a reality. We will give a live demonstration of how Planet Rocket works and recruit participants to list their projects on our platform so that they can take their research and create positive change in the local community.

Plant Traits Vary Across Microhabitats Under Solar Microgrids on Coastal Grasslands

Logan Holey, Forestry, Fire & Rangeland Management Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The development of photovoltaic systems is increasing with growing demand for clean energy. Plant functional traits can be used to understand what plants are establishing in different microhabitats because traits respond to environmental constraints and fluctuations. We sampled three solar microgrids in coastal grasslands in Humboldt County for plant community composition and leaf traits. We found that plant traits varied by microhabitat indicating that microgrids apply an environmental filter in plant community assembly. Results from this study can be used to inform plant selection for habitat enhancement or restoration.

Plant-Dwelling Spiders Care Where They Live: Higher Diversity and Greater Abundance On Native Plant Species, Specific Plant Types, and in Areas With Vegetation Richness

Brooke Culler, Biological Sciences Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Spiders are very effective biocontrol agents, particularly when their communities are more diverse. In the progression of more sustainable and natural agriculture, supporting spider communities in California vineyards has potential to keep vines safer from pests. I decided to observe spider taxonomic and guild richness, as well as abundance, on crop and non-crop vegetation in vineyards, while recording a site’s plant species richness and assigning each of those species to be native or not. I set out to determine what factors support more spider diversity, and ultimately, how those factors may encourage spider communities on the vines themselves.

Plastic Ectotherm Plasticity

Jacob Mackenzie, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Comparison of different anthropogenic materials as coverboards for ectotherm surveying, including two different kinds of plastics, Lexan and Acrylic, using temperature, humidity and occupancy status differences. The increased soil temperatures found from plastics compared to other materials may have further impacts on global warming and ectotherm ecosystems.

Plastic Ectotherm Plasticity

Jacob Mackenzie, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Comparison of different anthropogenic materials as coverboards for ectotherm surveying, including two different kinds of plastics, Lexan and Acrylic, using temperature, humidity and occupancy status differences. The increased soil temperatures found from plastics compared to other materials may have further impacts on global warming and ectotherm ecosystems.

Plastic Pollution and Effective Reduction Policies

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

During the International Mathematical Contest in Modeling, our team tackled the problem of the destructive accumulation of plastic in the earth's land and waterways. We researched national and international policies attempting to curb the production and consumption of plastic, and constructed a simple model to predict plastic mass growth in the future, under various parameters and scenarios.