Hummingbird Aggression and Use at Artificial Feeders with Varying Sugar Concentrations

Aviva Saadatfar, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Territorial hummingbirds often display aggressive behaviors to gain access to high-quality food sources. Previous studies have found that hummingbirds prefer to feed from feeders that have sugar concentrations that are slightly higher than regular flower nectar concentrations (20-25% sugar). However, to maximize their energy intake, hummingbirds may not always choose artificial feeders with the highest sugar concentration available to them. I used artificial feeders with varying sugar concentrations to determine if hummingbirds display more aggression and/or spend more time at feeders based on their sugar concentrations.

Hummingbird Flower Use at the Humboldt Botanical Garden

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

My research investigated further into the feeding preferences of hummingbirds, particularly on individuals in the Humboldt Botanical Garden. I focused on how hummingbirds select flowers to feed on based on color, as well as how they select which garden patch they feed at.

Hummingbird Nectar Preference in Urban and Forested Areas

Bridget Blanco, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

My study investigated the nectar preference of Anna’s hummingbirds and whether foraging increased as the temperature increased from winter to spring. The results of this study will aid in determining the best plants to maintain and restore in natural areas in order to maintain a healthy environment. By providing the best nectar solution, we can contribute to maintaining robust hummingbird populations.

Hybrid membrane processes for water reuse

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

A paradigm shift that utilizes water reuse strategies such as sewer mining is necessary as water resources become more stringent. Sewer mining is the beneficial reuse of wastewater before it is conventionally treated and discharged. This novel hybrid sewer mining system is a unique combination of proven unit processes: forward osmosis (FO), direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD), anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR), Sharon, Annamox, and struvite precipitation arranged in an innovative way. This poster will present the experimental results from a bench-scale automated FO-DCMD system to produce a high quality potable effluent under different operating conditions.

Identification of a Type 1 Regulatory T Cell Master Regulator

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Type 1 regulatory T cells (Tr1s) are critical for regulation of autoimmunity and acceptance of hematopoietic stem cell transplants. One major limitation of Tr1 research is the lack of known master regulator, which is a transcription factor that has essential roles in both differentiation and function of the cell type. My research leverages CRISPR-Ca9-induced knockouts and in vitro Tr1 differentiation to screen potential Tr1 master regulators.

Identification of Structure and Bio-Activity of Myxobacteria Fractions

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Myxobacteria are a large family of bacteria, of which some have proven to contain antibacterial and antineoplasticity secondary metabolites. These bioactive secondary metabolites have been the basis for new analog drugs approved by the FDA in the treatment of different cancers. This research focuses on finding and isolating myxobacteria strains from local soil samples, fractionating these isolated samples, then determining structure and bioactivity through Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and bio-assays, respectively. This is to gain a better understanding of the conditions that spawn wild myxobacteria colonies and any possibly new bio-active compounds.

Identifying Bus Stop Locations: Isolating Flow from Entering Creeks and Parks

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Municipal solid waste (MSW) aka. trash , is one of many stressors on global climate change. An estimated 19,832,501 metric tons generated within a year alone in California. Accumulation of trash can spread into creeks and parks.Trash flow can be mitigated through the use of waste and recycling receptacles.This study observers bus stops that are in proximity to selected creeks and parks based on 100, 200, and 300 meter zones of the Arcata Red and Gold Bus Routes.The Red Route buffer zones intersecting greatly with nearby creeks and parks.Community members and stake holders can provide further input where receptacles are most beneficiary for local green-space and city planning cost.

Identifying Pleistocene Ursus fossils from dental morphology analyses of American black bear (Ursus americanus) and brown bear (Ursus arctos) specimens

Tananya Alberts, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This project aimed to use black and brown bear teeth measurements in order to see if species identifications can be made for fossil bears. Using specimens across four Californian natural history museums, we found that one tooth measurement was sufficient to identify between the two species.

Impacts of the edge effect on avian species distribution in the Arcata Community Forest

Christy Wheatley, Environmental Science & Management Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Our study aimed to discover the impacts of the edge effect on bird species distributions within the secondary redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) Arcata Community Forest (ACF). We used the Merlin Bird ID app to record the number of species present at three edge and three interior sampling sites to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between the number of species present. We found that edge sites averaged 7.3 species while interior sites averaged 5.5 species. Our results indicate that the edge effect is being represented in bird habitat selection.

Improved Measurement of the Newtonian Gravitational Constant

Alexandra Papesh, Physics & Astronomy Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The Newtonian gravitational constant, G, is one of the oldest known fundamental constants in nature, and yet it is known with the least precision of all other fundamental constants. The research group at IUPUI, in collaboration with Cal Poly Humboldt, will use multiple approaches within a singular torsion pendulum apparatus to precisely determine G. Specifically, measurements will be made using the angular acceleration feedback and time of swing methods in the same apparatus, which was carefully designed for reduced error in both techniques. We expect to obtain a measurement at the 2 ppm level using these new methods.