DOC Sampling from Little River and Mad River

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) is a fraction of organic carbon with size less than 0.2 micrometers. DOC comes from decomposed plants, bacteria, and algae. Abundant in marine and freshwater systems, it serves as the primary food source for aquatic webs. Generally, rivers have higher concentrations of DOC than the ocean does. In the estuary, a linear relationship between salinity and DOC indicates that the DOC concentration is fully due to mixing of freshwater and saltwater, and not any significant additional source or removal terms. DOC concentrations decreased from river to ocean. Scholarly articles have pointed this to be normal. Interpretation of data will continue.

Does Juvenile Life History Affect the Marine Survival Rate of Coho Salmon?

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

I created a full life cycle model for Coho Salmon in Freshwater Creek in an effort to estimate separate overwinter and marine survival rates for two distinct juvenile life history strategies.

Dragon Ecology

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Research focus is the resources and abiotic requirements 3 dragons ( from TV series Game of Thrones) need in order to survive different environments around the world.

Duff accumulation around legacy sugar pines in the Russian Wilderness in northwest California

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Fire suppression over the 20th century has created dangerous conditions in many western forests. Removing fire as a natural disturbance has brought about increased fuel loading and extreme fire behavior in many areas. This study researched the accumulation of duff mounds (decomposed plant material) around legacy sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) in the Russian Wilderness Area of the Klamath National Forest. Large amounts of fuel beneath trees poses the potential risk of tree mortality, even in a low intensity fire By assessing the dimensions, volume, distribution and physical properties of duff mounds, we can better the variability of how and where duff mounds accumulate.

Dymaxion Projection

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

An exploration of various spatial phenomena using the Dymaxion Projection (aka Fuller Projection).

Early Cretaceous Cupressaceae in the Budden Canyon Formation of northern California

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The Early Cretaceous Budden Canyon Formation of North America contains a few anatomically preserved plant fossils ca. 125 Ma old (Barremian-early Aptian). Recent investigations of the Budden Canyon Formation have revealed a preserved seed cone assignable to the Cupressaceae. Based on serial sections and a 3-D reconstruction, the fossil cone was compared with living Cupressaceae and revealed significant differences from most genera and closest similarity, but not identity, with Sequoia. The age and morphology of the cone also suggests that it may represent an extinct member of the sequoioid, a lineage which gave rise to modern redwoods (Sequoia) and giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron).

Ecocentrism vs. Individualism

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Congress okays reducing sea lion populations to help out Chinook Salmon. Salmon are a cultural importance to Indigenous populations and play a key role in the ecosystems it lives in. The idea of killing a natural predator to save another that is used in many ways. The declining salmon populations are being affected by many different pressures and many others are being affected by it such as killer whales.

Ecological Interactions in Indigenous-Managed Landscapes: Avian and Arthropod Predation on Artificial Caterpillars

Jaime Lara, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Indigenous knowledge systems have long supported biodiversity and ecosystem health. As environmental challenges grow, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is recognized in restorative land management. Colonial expansion has altered habitats, pushing wildlife into agroecosystems. Indigenous-managed spaces, such as cultural gardens and restoration areas, offer critical habitat and influence ecological interactions like predation. This study explores avian and arthropod predation in these areas at United Indian Health Services Potawot Village and Blue Lake Rancheria, California, using simulated prey to assess predator-prey dynamics and ecological functions.

Edge Effects on Salamander Morphology in the Arcata Community Forest

Blake Knapp, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This project examines how edge effects influence the weight and snout-to-vent length (SVL) salamanders (Order Caudata) in the Arcata Community Forest. Effects, caused by habitat fragmentation, can alter environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and soil composition, potentially affecting salamander physiology and well-being. The study aims to investigate whether salamanders living near forest edges exhibit different morphological characteristics compared to those in interior habitats. If salamanders in the Arcata Community Forest are impacted by edge effects, then there will be a significant correlation between snout to vent lengths (SVL) and weight and distance from the edge.

Eelgrass beds impact on juvenile Dungeness crab in Humboldt Bay, CA.

Jillian Hodge, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) is a pivotal decapod species along the Pacific coast, playing a significant role both economically and ecologically. This study aimed to investigate the influence of common eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds on juvenile Dungeness crab populations within Humboldt Bay, California. Utilizing crab hoop traps deployed across 30 sites at four distinct beach locations, the research sought to identify habitat preferences and better understand the ecological dynamics shaping juvenile Dungeness crab distributions.