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Presenters & Abstracts: College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Plastics in the Gut's of Leach's Storm Petrels in Humboldt County, California
- Grace CunninghamWildlifeUndergraduate Student
For this project, we looked at the plastics that were found in the Guts of Leach's Strom Petrels in Humboldt County, CA. In 2020, 57 of these storm petrels were found dead of natural causes and stored at Cal Poly Humboldt. In my project, I analyze if these storm petrels had plastics in their stomachs at the time of their death, and if so, how much plastic. This is the first of such studies done on Leach's Storm Petrels on the Pacific Coast. The results help to contribute to the ever-growing knowledge of how plastics in our oceans are affecting wildlife.
Plethodontid Salamander Proximity to Surface Water Relative to Ocean Distance
- Eagan MaguireWildlife DepartmentUndergraduate Student
My research was conducted on the coast of Humboldt County, where I measured salamander proximity to a freshwater source relative to the distance to the ocean. I used two study sites, one in the Arcata Community Forest and one in Trinidad. I found 38 salamanders while sampling 60 1x1 meter quadrats.
Pollinator Response to Ultraviolet Light Reflection in Flowers
Carina Trentini, Wildlife Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & SciencesThis research project was a the capstone project for my Wildife degree, in which I researched the impact short-wave UV light reflection by flowers affects pollinator behavior. Insects can see into the ultraviolet light spectrum, and plants are known to reflect these light wavelengths for aiding pollinators. I studied the correlation between pollinator visitation frequency and the proportion of flower surface area that is reflective of UV light. I focused on 3 main pollinator groups: bumble bees, native bees and flower flies. I found that pollinators are significantly more likley to visit flowers with high UV light reflection than flowers with low amounts of UV light reflection.
Post-Fire Seedling Recruitment by Burnt Trees at the 2017 Helena Fire
- Buddhika MadurapperumaForestry and Wildland Resources/ Environmental Science and ManagementFaculty
- David GreeneForestry and Wildland ResourcesFaculty
A regeneration survey was conducted in Weaverville by the 2019 Forest Ecology class at the 2017 Helena Fire students looking at post-fire seedling recruitment. Forty five 10-meter radius plots were established. Within the plots, seedlings and fallen seed cones were counted. We assumed that the seeds were mature when this site burned (August 31) and that all seedlings came from burnt trees; i.e. the seeds within the cones survived the flames. Thus, we hypothesized there would be a positive relationship between seedling and seed cone density. The results showed a positive correlation (R2 = 0.82) between seedlings and seed cones per plot, thus sustaining our hypothesis.
Post-fire seedling recruitment in the 2008 Siskiyou complex fire
- Buddhika MadurapperumaForestry and Wildland Resources/ Environmental Science and ManagementFaculty
- David GreeneForestry and Wildland ResourcesFaculty
- Michael PerezForestry (Wildland Fire Management)Undergraduate Student
The spate of recent high intensity (stand-replacing) fires in California has led some to wonder whether our tree species are adapted to such large burns. Many assume that regeneration will typically be so poor that many of these burns will be dominated by shrubs and herbs instead of forests. This study examines seedling recruitment of conifers as a function of distance across a 1 km-wide burn near Hoopa. Six transects, each 50 m x 4 m, were spaced along the 1 km transects, and seedlings and burnt cones were counted. Douglas-fir and white fir averaged 2903 ha-1 and 1996 ha-1 seedlings, respectively, and 75% of the km had >490 recruits/ha (the minimal acceptable density in California).
Post-Wildland Fire Prescribed Burning: Regeneration of Ponderosa Pine and Changes in Fuel Loads Following the Jasper Fire
Cristina Winters, Forestry, Fire & Rangeland Management Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & SciencesAs high-intensity wildland fires occur more frequently and increase in size, the occurrence of reburn in burn scars is also increasing; however, the ecological effects of such reburn in Western coniferous forests are not well understood. Post-prescribed fire, we investigate the changes in woody fuel loads in high and moderately burned areas of the 2000 Jasper Fire and the patterns of ponderosa pine regeneration survival in those areas. Our findings can inform a management plan to restore historic heterogeneity in the Black Hills, a culturally and economically important region of the U.S., and increase resistance and resilience to climate change.
Predicting Phosphorus Retention in Two Volcanic-Derived Forest Soils of Northern California
- Nichole R. BesykForestry and Wildland ResourcesGraduate Student
Plant available phosphorus (P) occurs in anionic forms which become plant-unavailable ("fixed" or "retained") when iron and aluminum oxides form insoluble phosphate complexes. P-retention is especially likely to occur under acid conditions in soils containing short range order (SRO; poorly crystalline) materials, namely allophane and imogolite. This set of characteristics is common in volcanic-derived forest soils in Pacific Northwest timber regions. We built upon 25 years of research by investigating phosphorus retention on two well-studied sites, Whitmore and Feather Falls. Simple soil assays were used in a mixed-effects model to predict P-retention on these soils.
Predicting Renewable Energy Usage with Linear Regression and Time-Series Analysis
- Linh PhamBiologyUndergraduate Student
- Kayleigh MigdolMath and Computer ScienceUndergraduate Student
For California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, increasing renewable energy production and consumption is important in the face of climate change. We develop a model to analyze these states’ current renewable energy production and future projection. Findings from the model could lead to policy changes in favor of renewable energy.
Preparation and Evaluation of Polylactic Acid-Quinoa Composite films
David Schmitz, Chemistry Undergraduate Student
- RafaelBernardChemistryUndergraduate Student
- PriscillaGamezChemistryUndergraduate Student
- GavanJonesChemistryUndergraduate Student
- JennyCappuccioChemistryStaff
- FrankCappuccioChemistryStaff
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.) was evaluated as a starting material for the preparation of biodegradable composites with polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-renewable polymer. Incorporation of natural plant fibers into composite material has been shown to generate active packaging materials with a variety of benefits as well as increasing the rate at which these materials degrade back into the environment. Films with varying amounts of quinoa combined with PLA were prepared and studied in a variety of methods to evaluate their usefulness as bio-renewable materials.
Preservation of Diatoms Around the January 26, 1700 Earthquake Event, using Core Sample MD.14.03B collected at McDaniel Slough, North Humboldt Bay, Arcata
- Gwynn NeilsonGeologyUndergraduate Student
Core MD1403B contains a salt marsh soil layer between mudflat material, which was caused by subsidence produced by the 1700 earthquake. Three samples were taken from the core to look at the preservation of the diatoms from each sample and compared to one another to determine if the 1700 earthquake caused a large enough subsidence to produce high velocity water to flow into the area. The samples were examined at using the secondary electron(SE) feature of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Increased occurrence of damaged cells supports the conclusion that there was a fluctuation in water levels that produced a high velocity flow of water.