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Presenters & Abstracts: 2023
Northern Harrier Foraging Modes in Habitats Around Humboldt Bay
Collin Silva, Wildlife Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Northern harriers are generalist predators known to occupy and forage over a variety of wetland and grassland types in North America. Whether Northern harriers adapt their foraging modes over different habitat types to maximize their success and energy intake is not known with any confidence. This study addresses this knowledge gap on a small scale around Humboldt Bay at various wetland and grassland sites.
Oh Sh*t! Roosevelt Elk Spread Invasive Plants
Elizabeth Luttrell, Wildlife Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Invasive plants and Roosevelt elk play important roles within an ecosystem, but knowledge on their interactions and ungulates roles as seed dispersers are limited. This study looked at Roosevelt elk in Humboldt County and if their pellets germinated plants, specifically invasive or native.
Physiological And Psychological Differences Between 20% Grade Incline Walking And Level Grade Jogging At Isocaloric Intensity
Motoki Sato, School of Applied Health Graduate Student
College of Professional Studies
Although the benefits of physical activity are well established, many adults do not meet the recommended weekly aerobic physical activity guidelines. Internal barriers such as enjoyment and affective response may challenge engagement and adherence of exercise. While walking and jogging are common modes of exercise, incline walking has recently gained popularity. Therefore, this study aims to compare physiological (fat and carbohydrate utilization) and psychological (enjoyment, affective response, rating of perceived exertion) differences between 20% incline walking and level grade jogging at isocaloric intensity.
Plant-Dwelling Spiders Care Where They Live: Higher Diversity and Greater Abundance On Native Plant Species, Specific Plant Types, and in Areas With Vegetation Richness
Brooke Culler, Biological Sciences Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Spiders are very effective biocontrol agents, particularly when their communities are more diverse. In the progression of more sustainable and natural agriculture, supporting spider communities in California vineyards has potential to keep vines safer from pests. I decided to observe spider taxonomic and guild richness, as well as abundance, on crop and non-crop vegetation in vineyards, while recording a site’s plant species richness and assigning each of those species to be native or not. I set out to determine what factors support more spider diversity, and ultimately, how those factors may encourage spider communities on the vines themselves.
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 & Sciences
As 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.
Pre Counseling for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery
Ana Lilia Alaniz, Nursing Undergraduate Student
College of Professional Studies
Following the plan for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) has many benefits for the post-operative patient. Pre-surgery counseling helps overcome some barriers that can prevent the ERAS pathway from being implemented. Addressing and including the patient in their post-operative care will increase the likelihood that patients will be compliant with the pathway. The ERAS pathway is designed to standardize and optimize post-operative care. Education during the preoperative period is essential to increasing the success and implementation of the protocols.
Raccoon (Procyon lotor) Trash Can Use in Relation to Distance from Dining
Haley Fowler, Wildlife Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Raccoons have been observed around the campus of Cal Poly Humboldt, particularly in the trash cans. In this study, I tested how distance from dining resources affects raccoon trash can use. I predicted that trash cans closer to dining resources would be visited more often than other trash cans. My results indicated that trash can location in relation to dining resources did not impact the number of visits.
Rapid Response Teams in Rural Hospital Settings
Tanner Broadstock, Nursing Undergraduate Student
College of Professional Studies
Rapid Response Teams are a resource for hospitals to provide early and emergent interventions to prevent the need for escalation of care. Team members can be called upon by units in the hospital for consultation and assist with assessments. Teams provide a proactive rounding process on patients with high-risk diagnoses to follow along with the bedside nurse to provide an interdisciplinary approach to a complex patient. Rural hospitals are challenged with retaining highly experienced nurses, these teams provide insight and mentorship to newer nurses.
Re-creating Ancient Egyptian Bread: An Experimental Archaeology Project
Ellen Durkee, Anthropology Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
This project attempts to re-creating the taste of ancient Egyptian bread. It began with a successful attempt to create a sourdough starter. Emmer wheat, one of the main grains cultivated by ancient Egyptians, was used as the flour for the bread. The overall project to create ancient Egyptian bread was also successful. Further experiments would help achieve the goal of re-creating the accurate style of ancient Egyptian bread by focusing on re-creating the conical mold it was baked in.
Recreational Trail Impacts on Presence and Abundance Patterns of the California Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps attenuatus) in the Arcata Community Forest, CA
Rashel Cazares-Navarro , Wildlife Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
My project aims at understanding how recreational trails have shaped terrestrial salamanders' presence and conditional abundance in the Arcata Community Forest. In this project, I aim to answer if hiking trails affect the presence and abundance patterns of the California Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps attenuates). To address my question, I conducted my research in two months, from February to April, at the Arcata Community Forest. I conducted my research on two different trails. The first is the Short Trail (0.11 miles), and the second is Redwood Park Trail (0.28 miles). This information is crucial to the conservation and management of salamanders as they are an indicator species.