The Response of Breeding Western Snowy Plovers to Habitat Restoration and Sea Level Rise in Coastal Northern California

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The Western Snowy Plover is threatened by habitat loss from invasive European Beachgrass. Habitat restoration is implemented to counteract this threat. A second threat to this beach-nesting bird is flooding from sea level rise due to global warming. To inform managers, we evaluated these threats using GIS geospatial analyses to compare nesting habitat features in restored areas and evaluate sea level inundation. In this preliminary study, we found plovers nested on wider beaches with more woody debris, open sand, and other nests than at random. Most nests (84%) were in restored habitat, and a two meter increase from mean sea level would result in 53% of plover nests becoming inundated.

The Role of Lgl1 in Tumor Forming Properties of Mouse Neural/Progenitor cells

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

In the Sprowles lab we are interested in understanding the cellular mechanisms involved in development and disease. One of the main projects in our lab is understanding the stem cell origin of glioblastoma, an aggressive and highly malignant form of brain cancer. We are investigating the role of Lethal Giant Larvae homolog 1 (Lgl1), a cell polarity protein and its role in tumor initiation and maintenance. Through the use of transgenic Lgl1 knockout mice we have isolated and propagated neural stem/progenitor cells from different region of the adult mouse brain and are investigating the functional consequences of Lgl1 deletion on signaling pathways often see to be dysregulated in cancer.

The role of the transcription factor cJun in the regulation of murine embryonic stem cell potency

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The OCT4 gene is a POU class V transcription factor essential for establishment of the inner cell mass, pluripotency and self -renewal of embryonic stem cells (ESs). OCT4 gene expression is controlled by various mechanisms including transcription factor regulation. The AP-1 transcription factor c-Jun is known to affect proliferation, apoptosis, and cell survival. Its transcriptional activity is increased by phosphorylation of L40/42 by Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). In this study, we examine the role of c-Jun on the regulation of Oct4 expression.

The Role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Wildlife Management & Conservation

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

My Ideafest poster will be looking at ways in which traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) can be used to help with wildlife management an conservation efforts. traditional ecological knowledge can be used to get information on wildlife populations and habitats where proper scientific data is lacking, either from the past or due to being in a remote area. I will also be exploring potential problems from using traditional ecological knowledge and explaining how it is best used when paired with scientifically sound data.

The Simplest Solution Is Almost Always The Best

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

We have discovered that online teaching is hard, and I am no expert, however I did what to better understand what types of presentations are possible when you have limited funds and even more limited expertise. The simplest solution is almost always the best. I believable this statement and reference it often when I am working on a problem. However I wanted to look at some ideas. In this presentation I will explore, through demonstration several ways of presenting online. My initial focus was to find ways to do home video with better sound, but a little research has shown me that with a some effort and a small investment you can create more interesting and engaging material for students.

The Smith River Plain Water Quality Management Plan: A collaborative Effort Between the Regional Water Board and Cal Poly Humboldt

Logan Wolfe, Chemistry Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The Smith River, known as one of the most pristine watersheds in the continental United States, dissects agricultural land used for Easter lily cultivation in the Smith River Plain of Del Norte County, California. It is estimated that this region grows 95% of all Easter lilies grown in the world. High amounts of pesticides are applied during cultivation to combat nematodes and fungi. The Regional Water Board created the Smith River Plain Water Quality (SRPWQ) Management Plan in response to pesticide and fertilizer concentrations that have exceeded USEPA benchmarks. Included in this plan are Best Management Practices (BMPs) that aim to improv

The Sodium Channel Blocker Tricaine Reduces Regeneration in Lumbriculus variegatus:a Study at the Ultrastructural and Light Microscopic Levels

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Lumbriculus variegatus has great ability to regenerate from small fragments into a new worm. In this study, we expose the worms to the voltage-gated sodium channel blocker Tricaine (MS-222) and examine somatic regeneration of heads and tails following body transection. Images of regenerating worms under normal conditions and treated worms with (1700μm) of tricaine were examined after amputation through TEM, SEM, and light level. Regeneration of both new head and tail body segments was reduced in the presence of tricaine, especially in the tail regeneration. Therefore, voltage- gated sodium channels showed to affect regeneration in the blackworms.

The Surface Distribution of Trace Metals Along a Pacific Meridional Transect: GEOTRACES GP-15 Research Cruise

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Many trace metals are delivered to the ocean in the form of wind-blown sediments and by riverine input, some of which are essential micronutrients. Iron has been found to play a significant role in limiting biological productivity in many regions of the ocean such as in the California Current System. Investigating this distribution of trace metals provides insight into processes affecting surface ocean waters. In Fall 2018, the GEOTRACES GP-15 cruise traveled from Alaska to Tahiti along the 152°W meridian, a region yet to be well characterized for trace metals. Our group is interested in the distribution of scandium in surface waters as a proxy for understanding processes affecting iron.

The Table Tabletop: A beautiful, awful game with my friends

Thomas Franaszek, Forestry, Fire & Rangeland Management Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The presentation is a showcase of a tabletop roleplaying game I made and played with my friends. The game was initially a way to connect in the the hard times of the Covid lockdown, but became much more than that. It demonstrates how the art and storytelling of myself and my friends has evolved over three years.

The True Roots of Chocolate: A Study of Cacao

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

When we eat food, we don't tend to think about its agricultural history and origins. An effective way to learn this history is by looking to the original Indigenous peoples' relationships with this food. This is a look at a plant/food we heavily value in the present day: chocolate, otherwise known as cacao. Though we presently have it all around the world in a variety of methods of consumption, this poster will help inform the ways in which cacao was used by Indigenous peoples of North and South America. Studying the past uses of this plant in compared to current uses will provide a thought-provoking learning experience that allows us to reassess our own present uses of cacao.