Factors Influencing River Otter Diel Activity in Areas of Varying Human Activity

Marley Vulker, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This research investigates the factors influencing river otter (Lontra canadensis) diel activity along two contrasting study sites. Using camera traps from summer to fall 2023, I compare otter activity in two locations: the Eel River Estuary Reserve, an area of low human activity, and the Arcata Marsh, an area of high human activity. I explore whether otters exhibit different activity patterns depending on tidal phase and lunar phase. By comparing otter behavior in these contrasting environments, this study aims to understand how human activity and environmental conditions shape otter behavior, overall contributing to more effective conservation and habitat management strategies.

Fantastic Fiber Production at Brunner Family Farm

Malcolm Ridings, College Corp Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This project showcases Brunner Family Farm and the fantastic fiber production we do there. Discover the process of yarn production with our friendly Angora goats. We are able to shear, spin, and dye our yarn all within 200 miles.

Fawn Awareness - A Health Education Initiative

Jessica de Laguna, Other Undergraduate Student

Other

"Fawn Awareness" is a year-long health education initiative highlighting the often-overlooked fourth stress response: Fawn, or the “Submit” response. Seen across the animal kingdom, submission can be just as vital for survival as fight, flight, or freeze. In humans, Fawn often develops in childhood as a way to maintain a sense of security with inconsistent caregivers, later manifesting as difficulty setting boundaries and chronic people-pleasing. This project includes a YouTube video, news article, and research paper featuring expert insight and real-life anecdotes to raise awareness and promote mental health through understanding this misidentified trauma response.

Following the Menstrual Tide: A Counter Culture’s Conception of the Womb

Stella Rose Gallagher, Department of Geography, Environment & Spatial Analysis Undergraduate Student

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Menstrual practices sanction how menstruators engage with public and private spaces. Informed by the sociocultural factors of menstrual health today, I conducted several ethnographic interviews to further explore how menstruators mediate their own personal needs and the demands of their community throughout menses. Finally, I will integrate these interviews within the broader discourse of Critical Menstrual Studies.

Forage Site Selection of Woodpecker in Relation to Tree Species and Stage of Decay

Jeffrey Soltero, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The main objectives of this study are to determine the variation in forage habitat selection of each of these species located in the Arcata Community Forest, and to see what might influence their forage site selection. I hypothesize that forage site selection for woodpeckers will be influenced by their prey choosing certain tree species and trees in moderate to high stages of decay. The data collected and used to complete my objectives as gathered by surveying multiple trails throughout the Arcata Community Forest, taking note of any woodpeckers engaging in foraging activity along with the species of woodpecker, the species of tree, and the stage of decay the tree was in.

Forest Edge Effects on Insects in Coastal Redwoods

Sebastian Mendoza, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

When it comes to coastal redwood forests, there aren’t many studies that focus on insect abundance being affected by edge effects. The focus of this study is to see what species of insects are being affected by the forest edge. I will assess this question using pitfalls and sticky traps to trap ground insects and flying insects, respectively. I hypothesize that the closer distance from the edge habitat will positively influence insect diversity. This study will allow future researchers to see if there’s a correlation between insect abundance and other species that use insects as a food source.

Gender, Colonialism, and the Epistemology of Mycology

Toni Sardelis, Biological Sciences Undergraduate Student

Other

This paper critically examines the exclusion of Indigenous women and early women scientists from the field of mycology. It highlights how their ecological, medicinal, and ceremonial knowledge was appropriated by men who received institutional credit, authorship, and economic gain. Case studies include María Sabina, Mary Elizabeth Banning, Mapuche women, and more, whose work has been essential yet erased. It also critiques how contemporary myco-capitalism and tourism commodify their knowledge and cultural practices without consent, often disrupting local economies and ecosystems. The paper calls for accountability in attribution, citation, representation, and benefit-sharing.

Genome Compartmentalization of Effector Genes in Phytophthora

Charlie Deible, Biological Sciences Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Plants and their pathogens are often described as being in an "evolutionary arms race" that allows them to continue their survival. Effector molecules, which are what pathogens use to combat plant defenses, are encoded by genes that have often been observed to be located in more dense parts of the genome, providing a potential mechanism to accumulate more mutations than other genes. In this project, I used several statistical models to quantify the compartmentalization of effector genes. Understanding the genomes of some of the world's most devastating pathogens can inform the development of mitigation strategies that target stable characters which will not evolve rapidly.

Great Blue Herons and feeding ecology (title may change at a later date)

Thalia Contreras, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

How successful great blue herons are with their feeding strategies and how anthropogenic factors may influence behavior in the ardeids.

Habitat Edge Impacts on Predators in the Arcata Community Forest

Megan Singer, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Predators play a crucial role in ecosystem processes within various habitat types. My study aimed to analyze the impact of habitat edges on predators in the Arcata Community Forest by using remote camera traps to document predator presence in edge versus interior habitat sites. I also conducted supplemental vegetation surveys to compare the mean vegetation density at edge versus interior habitat sites. I predicted that if predator presence is influenced by habitat type and vegetation density, then predator presence would be higher at edge habitat sites than interior habitat sites, and there would be a negative correlation between predator presence and vegetation density.