Helena Fire Burn Severity and Effects on Vegetation

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The Helena fire occured August 30th– November 15th as a consequence of a power line contacting a tree limb on Bureau of Land Management public lands and spread to Trinity Alps Wilderness and Weaverville in Trinity County, California. This study examines before and after effects of this devastating fire using the Burn Index (BI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) using Landsat 8 images and ENVI and ArcGIS software. Burn severity acreage was calculated within fire State Responsibility Areas (SAR) and the results summarized using high, moderate and very high burn categories. The BI showed a 61% area effected by wildfire resulting in a 53% NDVI decrease within Helena fire SAR.

Helping the Community Save Energy

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Our project is focused on developing educational materials on energy efficiency targeted to renters and student residence hall occupants. We are developing a checklist of possible actions that will include building energy efficiency, appliances, transportation, and energy purchasing options that are available to typical renters, who do not have the ability to make major improvements to their home. The main outcome will be a set of appropriate outreach materials to help deliver these messages. We will develop draft materials, workshop these with current renters, and improve the messages based on their feedback. The goal is to empower renters to make positive clean energy choices.

How Anthropogenic Disturbance Affects Terrestrial Wildlife Use and Presence in a California Coastal Dune Ecosystem

Joshua Zastrow, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

My research looks at the influence of anthropogenic (human) disturbance upon the terrestrial mammalian community. The specific anthropogenic variables that I tested for against wildlife presence, use-rates, and species richness was human use intensity, human and domestic animal use intensity, building density (per mile), and distance to major roadway. The study area completed between February 20th and April 5th, 2023, within Humboldt County, California, USA. The transects were placed parallel to the coastline along an area of rural suburban, lite industrial, agricultural, and wildlands, within a coastal dune ecosystem.

How Different Tribes Harvest Their Deer

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

I will be providing information on how different tribes utilize parts of the deer and add insight on how it varies throughout area and season. I will include tribes from Wisconsin, California, and Oregon.

How Do Anthropogenic Disturbances Affect Marbled Godwits in Humboldt Bay

Emma Leininger, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

How Do Anthropogenic Disturbances Affect Marbled Godwits in Humboldt Bay? I looked into how different types of human disturbances effect responses and vigilance in marbled godwits.

How Does Habitat Ecological Resolution Effect Bat Population in Arcata CA and Trinity CA?

Katrina Maynez , Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Bat acoustic survey done in Arcata CA and Trinity CA across 6 different sites. How does habitat ecological resolutions effect bat population in Arcata CA vs Trinity CA?

How Does Restoration Affect Food Web Dynamics Within Quail Populations in the McKinleyville Land Trust Dow’s Prairie Educational Wetland?

Zen Godinez, Biological Sciences Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The McKinleyville Land Trust’s Dow’s Prairie Educational Wetland is a 2.55-acre endangered coastal prairie wetland in California, conserved in 2009. Restoration efforts with the Wiyot Tribe and U.S. Fish & Wildlife removed invasives and reintroduced native plants, but coincided with declining California quail (Callipepla californica) populations. This study establishes the first baseline conditions, using wildlife cameras and botanical surveys to assess quail habitat suitability, examining invasive removal, predation, and fragmentation impacts. Findings will guide adaptive management to balance biodiversity and restoration, while honoring the Baduwa’t Wiyot’s ancestral homeland.

How Does the Klamath Dam Effect Salmonid Species and Surrounding Indigenous Tribes?

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Since the removal of the Klamath dams is such a current topic in today's society, we thought that it would be a great topic to research. The Klamath dams have since been an eyesore and a serious problem for organisms in the Pacific Northwest. Salmonid species cannot make their runs, water temperature increases, and Nitrogen blooms can occur with dams in place . These physical barriers, the Klamath dams, are not only a problem concerning the health of the salmon and other organisms, but the Indigenous tribes who live on these Pacific Northwest rivers as well. Their culture and way of life has become disrupted due to the lack of available salmon.

How Ecological Restoration Affects Mammalian Species Diversity and Evenness in Coastal Dune Systems

Samantha Lieburn, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

I tested the effects of differning landscape management practices at two different coastal dune systems in Humboldt County , California. I did this to see how ecological restoration of native plant compositions affected mammalian species richness and evenness.

How Moon Illumination, Cloud Cover, and Temperature Influence Capture Rates for Small Mammals

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This research project uses small mammal trapping data that was collected over the summer of 2021 on Green Diamond Resource Company land in Humboldt and Del Norte County. There was a total of 841 captures (nocturnal = 694, diurnal =147) over the course of 39 trap nights. Data was extracted and analyzed to determine if there was any correlation between moon illumination levels and capture rate success. This study uses diurnal species as a control, however both diurnal and nocturnal species may be influenced by temperature.