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Articles 1 - 30 of 108
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Effects Of Native Perennial Cover On Physiological Indicators Of Habitat Quality For Sparrows In California Coastal Prairie Rangelands, Madeleine A. Ybarra
The Effects Of Native Perennial Cover On Physiological Indicators Of Habitat Quality For Sparrows In California Coastal Prairie Rangelands, Madeleine A. Ybarra
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Prescribed grazing management can have myriad effects on wildlife, with low to moderate grazing being associated with an increased abundance of some grassland birds. Specifically, Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) and Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) abundance have been shown to be positively associated with both grazing and a higher percentage of native plant cover. However, measures of abundance provide an incomplete assessment of habitat quality for birds. Physiological and morphological measurements can help indicate environmental stress in individual birds, which reveals more information about habitat quality. We measured body condition and heterophil:lymphocyte ratios to gauge avian stress …
Using Novel And Traditional Survey Techniques To Monitor Small Mammal Species In Northwestern California, Sydney Mccluskey
Using Novel And Traditional Survey Techniques To Monitor Small Mammal Species In Northwestern California, Sydney Mccluskey
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Small mammal species play a critical role in forest ecosystems contributing significantly to overall forest biodiversity and ecological dynamics. Forest-dwelling species are among the most vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation. It is essential to develop efficient techniques for monitoring small mammal populations in forested ecosystems to inform conservation efforts and management plans; yet, monitoring small mammals in these habitats can be particularly challenging due to their size, activity patterns, and frequently nocturnal nature. In this study, I aimed to address two primary research objectives: 1) compare the effectiveness of 3 distinct camera-trap survey techniques (i.e., ground, tree, and tube) …
Scale And Habitat Effects On Measurement Of Streptomyces Biogeography And Biodiversity, Terilyn A. Stoflet
Scale And Habitat Effects On Measurement Of Streptomyces Biogeography And Biodiversity, Terilyn A. Stoflet
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Bacteria in the genus Streptomyces are detected in most soils around the world, as well as on and in seeds, plants, animals, insects and the wind. Currently, more than 700 valid species of Streptomyces have been identified worldwide. Streptomyces produce the majority of antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals, as well as important agricultural bioactive molecules due to their unique genetic capabilities. Their distinct genetic abilities allow them to produce an unlimited amount of biosynthetic gene clusters, or BGC’s. Although many compounds come from Streptomyces, scientists have not discovered the biogeographic patterns of this genus. The biogeography of Streptomyces is a …
The Effects Of Scour And Marginal Inundation On Trinity River Invertebrate Biomass And Density With Potential Implications For Juvenile Salmonid Food Resources, Benjamin King
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Regulated flow releases on the Trinity River in northern California have shifted the timing of high flows from winter to late spring and reduced their magnitude. The timing and extent of scour from high flow events and the timing and duration of marginal (bankside) habitat inundation has shifted as a result. Literature is sparse regarding the effects of these hydrologic alterations on Trinity River benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) communities, an important food resource for juvenile salmonids. In the 2023 water year, a wet winter coupled with additional flow releases from Lewiston Dam provided the opportunity to analyze the impact of scour …
Post-Fire Vegetation And Pyrodiversity Influence Breeding Abundances Of Lewis's Woodpeckers In The Eastern Cascades, Oregon, Brittany Welch
Post-Fire Vegetation And Pyrodiversity Influence Breeding Abundances Of Lewis's Woodpeckers In The Eastern Cascades, Oregon, Brittany Welch
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Lewis’s woodpeckers (Melanerpes lewis) are described as "burn specialists" due to their preference for breeding in recently burned pine forests in the western US. However, despite increasing fire activity, this species experienced a 48% range-wide decline between 1968 and 2019, which raises questions about their adaptability to altered fire regimes in the region. We partnered with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife to investigate how Lewis’s woodpeckers in the eastern Cascades, Oregon were influenced by post-fire habitat characteristics such as snag size, snag density, and burn severity across five wildfires that varied in fire age, size, and …
The Nature And Extent Of Algal Symbiosis In Three North American Ranids, Zachary T. Vegso
The Nature And Extent Of Algal Symbiosis In Three North American Ranids, Zachary T. Vegso
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The symbiotic relationship between the chlamydomonad green alga Oophila amblystomatis and embryos of certain amphibian species is often presumed to be mutualistic. However, the existence of a mutualism has only been experimentally tested and established in two closely related ambystomatid salamanders. These experiments showed a positive correlation between intracapsular algal density and embryonic growth, survival, hatching synchrony, and hatchling body size. Oophila has been documented within egg capsules of a growing number of amphibian species, including several frogs in the family Ranidae. However, the nature and extent of this relationship remains unclear. Ranid eggs are better oxygenated than ambystomatid eggs, …
Characterizing New Plant Fossils With Woody Growth From The Battery Point Formation Of Quebec (Canada), Emma T. Casselman
Characterizing New Plant Fossils With Woody Growth From The Battery Point Formation Of Quebec (Canada), Emma T. Casselman
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The oldest woody growth has been recognized in several Early Devonian (ca. 410-395 Ma) euphyllophytes. Their taxonomic diversity is difficult to evaluate due to a lack of quantitative methods for comparing plants based on secondary xylem anatomy. In turn, this hinders understanding of their implications for the evolution of plant development. To develop metrics that quantify secondary xylem anatomy and allow for conclusive comparisons, I investigated extant taxa and Early Devonian fossil woody taxa. I developed multiple metrics for quantifying tracheid size as a function of position in the secondary xylem and tested them on a dataset of extant gymnosperms. …
Characterizing The Habitat Use Of Pacific Coast Feeding Group Gray Whales (Eschrichtius Robustus) And The Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Their Benthic And Planktonic Invertebrate Prey In Northern California, Robyn E. Norman
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
As opportunistic foragers, the Eastern North Pacific population (~20,000) of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) feed on diverse benthic and planktonic invertebrates in northern Alaska foraging grounds before they undertake one of the largest yearly migrations of any mammal to breed in Baja California, Mexico. While most of the population travels to the summer foraging grounds in Alaska, a sub-group of whales (~230) called the Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG) summer between British Columbia, Canada, and northern California. The diet of PCFG whales typically includes high-density and/or high-caloric prey items like mysids and diverse species of amphipods, yet a …
A Case Of Incipient Budding Speciation In The California Floristic Province, Infraspecific Divergence In Abronia Villosa, Eli J. Allen
A Case Of Incipient Budding Speciation In The California Floristic Province, Infraspecific Divergence In Abronia Villosa, Eli J. Allen
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Physical barriers to gene flow are the traditional evidence for species divergence. Conversely, there has been increasing acknowledgment of speciation in the face of gene flow as an evolutionary process. Budding speciation involves peripheral populations adapting to local ecological conditions, thereby budding off from a widespread progenitor species. Budding speciation is distinguished by ecological divergence and is generally evidenced by asymmetrical range size and nested phylogenetic relationships of sister species. The narrow endemic Abronia villosa var. aurita is adapted to montane sandy washes adjacent to its widespread sister variety, the desert dwelling var. villosa. Here, I tested the hypothesis …
Microbes: Key Constituent Of Predator Risk Cues?, Jake R. Vargas
Microbes: Key Constituent Of Predator Risk Cues?, Jake R. Vargas
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Chemical cues emanating from predators can play a key role in aquatic predator-prey interactions and food webs. Understanding how prey respond to these risk cues is therefore critical for understanding the direct effects of predators on prey populations and their indirect effects on communities. To respond adaptively, prey must accurately assess the risk of predation associated with perceived chemical cues, an oft-documented phenomenon. However, little is known about how cues disperse, persist, and degrade, all of which could limit the adaptive responses of prey. Using laboratory-based observations of a well-studied predator cue-induced antipredator behavior by the marine gastropod Tegula funebralis …
Fire Severity Mediates Marten And Fisher Occurrence: Impacts Of The Dixie Fire On A Carnivore Community, Christopher James Collier
Fire Severity Mediates Marten And Fisher Occurrence: Impacts Of The Dixie Fire On A Carnivore Community, Christopher James Collier
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The consumption of an astounding one million acres resulted from California’s largest single fire to date, the 2021 Dixie Fire. The social and economic losses associated with the fire were immediately apparent, but the effects on wildlife remained unknown. While previous research has suggested mixed or low severity fire may be beneficial to certain wildlife species, the responses to megafires are poorly understood for many carnivores. To better understand these responses to severe fire, I used a random sampling design stratified by burn severity to survey in and around the Dixie Fire footprint using baited camera stations. This allowed me …
Pond Characteristics That Influence Oviposition Site Selection By Two Pond-Breeding Amphibians, Northern Red-Legged Frog (Rana Aurora) And Northwestern Salamander (Ambystoma Gracile), Jessica Jones
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Pond-breeding amphibians connect aquatic and terrestrial habitats through their biphasic life cycle, and understanding pond characteristics that support oviposition sites for multiple species is important for amphibian conservation. Two common amphibians in the Pacific Northwest, Northern red-legged frog (Rana aurora) and Northwestern salamander (Ambystoma gracile) often oviposit in the same pond; however, prior studies have focused on pond use by one species or the other, but not both together. I surveyed pond and oviposition site characteristics of 26 ponds in Humboldt County, CA, 10 of which were used only by R. aurora and 16 of which …
Effects Of Habitat Selection And Individual Quality On The Reproductive Success Of Barn Owls (Tyto Furcata), Jaime E. Carlino
Effects Of Habitat Selection And Individual Quality On The Reproductive Success Of Barn Owls (Tyto Furcata), Jaime E. Carlino
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The hypothesis of adaptive breeding habitat selection proposes congruence between the evolved selection of habitats and fitness components such as reproductive success. However, mismatches between habitat selection and observed fitness outcomes are not unusual and can arise for multiple reasons. Variation in individual qualities of animals has also been found to affect reproduction and survival. I examined associations between barn owl nest box selection, reproductive output, and plumage characteristics previously shown to correspond to individual quality. I found that barn owls selected tall nest boxes made of wood, mounted high off the ground, and with increased proportions of grassland around …
Effects Of Depth, Distance To Shore, And Water Velocity On Organismal And Extra-Organismal Environmental Dna Concentrations In A Large River, Dylan Keel
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a sensitive tool for detection of aquatic species and concentrations of eDNA in water samples have been useful for estimating abundance. This study evaluated the effects of depth, distance to shore, and water velocity on the concentration of organismal and extra-organismal eDNA concentrations in the Klamath River, California (basin area ≅ 40,000 km2). At each of six river cross sections 32 water samples were collected, including surface samples and depth samples evenly distributed across the cross section, and eDNA concentrations were determined for the parasite Ceratonova shasta and Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, using …
Carnivore And Ungulate Occurrence In A Fire-Prone Region, Sara J. Moriarty-Graves
Carnivore And Ungulate Occurrence In A Fire-Prone Region, Sara J. Moriarty-Graves
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Increasing fire size and severity in the western United States causes changes to ecosystems, species’ habitat use, and interspecific interactions. Wide-ranging carnivore and ungulate mammalian species and their interactions may be influenced by an increase in fire activity in northern California. Depending on the fire characteristics, ungulates may benefit from burned habitat due to an increase in forage availability, while carnivore species may be differentially impacted, but ultimately driven by bottom-up processes from a shift in prey availability. I used a three-step approach to estimate the single-species occupancy of four large mammal species: mountain lion (Puma concolor), coyote …
Will Climate Warming Amplify The Competitive And Predatory Effects Of A Range-Expanding Marine Gastropod (Acanthinucella Spirata)?, Bailey N. Mccann
Will Climate Warming Amplify The Competitive And Predatory Effects Of A Range-Expanding Marine Gastropod (Acanthinucella Spirata)?, Bailey N. Mccann
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The effects of climate warming on the distribution of range-expanding species are well documented, but the interactive effects of climate warming and range-expanding species on recipient communities remain understudied. For example, with climate warming, range-expanding species may become a threat to local biodiversity due to their relatively stronger competitive or predatory effects on potentially weakened, or less well-adapted recipient communities. Acanthinucella spirata is a predatory marine gastropod that has expanded its distribution north along the California coast since the Pleistocene via a poleward geographical range shift, tracking climatic warming. To assess whether A. spirata has stronger predatory effects on the …
A Cladoxylopsid With Complex Vascular Architecture From The Early Devonian Battery Point Formation (Québec, Canada), Jessica Chu
A Cladoxylopsid With Complex Vascular Architecture From The Early Devonian Battery Point Formation (Québec, Canada), Jessica Chu
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Cladoxylopsids are seed-free plants that formed the world’s earliest forests and gave rise to horsetails (sphenopsids), but their evolutionary origins are poorly understood. Here, I describe a new Early Devonian cladoxylopsid from the Emsian (400-395 Ma) Battery Point Formation (Québec, Canada). The structural features of this plant indicate taxonomic affinity to cladoxylalean cladoxylopsids and its phylogenetic position supports placement in genus Cladoxylon (the proposed name, Cladoxylon kespekianum sp. nov., to be formalized by peer-reviewed publication). Specimens of this plant are permineralized in calcium carbonate and were studied using the acetate peel technique with light and electron microscopy. Cladoxylon kespekianum is …
Genetic Evaluation Of The Current Distribution And Possible Diffrentations Between Lasiurus Borealis And Lasiurus Frantzii In Southwestern North America, Zeinab M. Haidar
Genetic Evaluation Of The Current Distribution And Possible Diffrentations Between Lasiurus Borealis And Lasiurus Frantzii In Southwestern North America, Zeinab M. Haidar
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Several recent accounts of overlap and historic misidentifications regarding two species of the genus Lasiurus, Western red bat (Lasiurus frantzii) and Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), have cast doubt on our understanding of their distribution, assumed spatial allopatry, and interactions in the United States Southwest. With the use of morphometrics and genetic sequencing, utilizing tissue collected from specimens throughout California and adjoining states, we have reassessed the current distribution, best practices for field identification, and genetic differentiation between both species. Appropriate species classification by region was achieved utilizing mitochondrial DNA, targeting the cytochrome c oxidase …
Western Gulls’ (Larus Occidentalis) Reproductive And Behavioral Responses To Human Disturbance, Lilamarie 'Asta Bowen
Western Gulls’ (Larus Occidentalis) Reproductive And Behavioral Responses To Human Disturbance, Lilamarie 'Asta Bowen
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Human disturbances can negatively affect wildlife by causing stress, altering behavior, or even impacting populations through changes in survival or productivity. Colonial-nesting seabirds are of particular concern due to population declines and their gregarious and conspicuous nature, which may attract human visitors. However, the effects of nearby human activities, though frequently negative, could be neutral or even positive through phenomena like habituation to human activities or subsidization by human-supplied food sources. In this observational study, I evaluated relative support for three hypotheses which may explain how Western Gulls are impacted by human activity: disturbance, habituation, and subsidization. I investigated this …
Insights Into The Conservation Of The Rare Perennial Herb, Astragalus Applegatei, Sean Stewart
Insights Into The Conservation Of The Rare Perennial Herb, Astragalus Applegatei, Sean Stewart
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
As anthropogenic activities expand, conservation of rare and endangered species is critical to reduce extinction risks. Collecting and analyzing demographic data can assist in the development of conservation strategies and can help evaluate the success of existing strategies. In this study, I built integral projection models from five years of demographic data and conducted a population viability analysis on four populations of the rare perennial herb, Astragalus applegatei, to inform conservation decisions. I also assessed how planting A. applegatei seedlings might contribute to the growth of an extant population. I found that one population was already below the extinction …
Effects Of Ph, Eelgrass, And Settlement Substrate On The Growth Of Juvenile Magallana (Crassostrea) Gigas, A Commercially Important Oyster Species, Johnny S. Roche
Effects Of Ph, Eelgrass, And Settlement Substrate On The Growth Of Juvenile Magallana (Crassostrea) Gigas, A Commercially Important Oyster Species, Johnny S. Roche
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Worsening ocean acidification (OA), resulting from ongoing absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) by the oceans, threatens marine life globally. Calcifying organisms, especially their early life stages, are particularly vulnerable; this includes the economically important Pacific oyster, Magallana (Crassostrea) gigas. Uptake of dissolved CO2 through photosynthesis by seagrasses, like eelgrass (Zostera marina), may benefit calcifying organisms by increasing pH and carbonate availability. I conducted laboratory and field experiments to quantify carbonate chemistry modification by eelgrass and potential mitigation of OA impacts on growth in juvenile Pacific oysters. In the laboratory experiment, daytime …
Host-Microbe Interactions In Non-Native Estuarine Anemones: Biogeography And Temperature, Parker K. Lund
Host-Microbe Interactions In Non-Native Estuarine Anemones: Biogeography And Temperature, Parker K. Lund
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Non-native species are increasing in prevalence around the world, resulting in negative economic and ecological impacts. However, the broad distributions of non-native species also offer a system for investigating the response of host-associated microbial communities to environmental factors across a range of ecological scales. At the broadest scale, I investigated the geography of microbial communities in the non-native estuarine anemone Diadumene lineata on the west coast of the United States of America. Across latitudes, microbial community composition was very similar and displayed a high percentage of Klebsiella spp. at all sites. However, the communities in California tended to exhibit higher …
Using Multiscale Ensemble Habitat Models To Identify Wildfire Risk To Habitat For An Iconic Forest Species, Logan Baker Hysen
Using Multiscale Ensemble Habitat Models To Identify Wildfire Risk To Habitat For An Iconic Forest Species, Logan Baker Hysen
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Large and severe wildfires, exacerbated by climate change and human behavior, are occurring more frequently in many forests across the western United States. While wildfire is a natural part of most terrestrial ecosystems, rapidly changing fire regimes have the potential to alter habitat beyond the adaptive capabilities of species. Spatial assessments of wildfire risks to species habitat may allow managers to pinpoint locations for management activities. To illustrate this, I spatially assessed wildfire risk within habitat that supports the nesting activity of the federally threatened northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) in the California redwood coast ecoregion. To …
Comparing Mexican Spotted Owl Habitat Suitability In Two Different Habitat Types Using A Multi-Scale Ensemble Learning Framework, Danial Nayeri
Comparing Mexican Spotted Owl Habitat Suitability In Two Different Habitat Types Using A Multi-Scale Ensemble Learning Framework, Danial Nayeri
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Habitat fragmentation and loss are major threats to species conservation worldwide. Studying species-habitat relationships is a crucial first step toward understanding species habitat requirements, which is necessary for conservation and management planning. However, some species inhabit a range of habitat types, potentially making the use of range-wide habitat models inappropriate due to non-stationarity. The Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) (MSO) is a species that inhabits both forests and rocky canyonlands, two habitats with large differences in environmental conditions. It is unclear whether the species uses habitat differently in these two habitat types or if previously builthabitat models …
Polymorphism Of Melanin-Based Pigments In Barn Owls In Winegrape Vineyards In Napa Valley, California, Laura Mariana Echávez Montenegro
Polymorphism Of Melanin-Based Pigments In Barn Owls In Winegrape Vineyards In Napa Valley, California, Laura Mariana Echávez Montenegro
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Many raptor species exhibit plumage polymorphism. Through the expression of a particular phenotype, polymorphism allows individuals to exploit alternative spatial or temporal environments and food resources most successfully. Barn Owls display within-species variation in their plumage, ranging from reddish to whitish and from heavily spotted to having no spots at all. In heterogeneous landscapes in Europe and the Middle East, reddish Common Barn Owls (Tyto alba) inhabit territories with proportionally more arable fields and consume proportionally more voles than mice in contrast to their whiter counterparts; a phenomenon known as habitat matching choice. This study sought to quantify …
Sympatric Carnivores And Vegetation Structure Influence The Distribution And Abundance Of Humboldt Martens In Northern California, Erika L. Anderson
Sympatric Carnivores And Vegetation Structure Influence The Distribution And Abundance Of Humboldt Martens In Northern California, Erika L. Anderson
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis) is a species facing conservation concern in Oregon and California. Historical populations were subjected to unregulated fur trapping and timber harvest throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries leading to a 90% decline in their distribution. As such, the Humboldt marten is listed as a state endangered species in California, and the analogous ‘coastal marten’ is listed as federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act and classified as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Oregon and California. Contemporary populations are small, and isolated, and threatened by habitat loss …
Identifying Habitat Suitability And Connectivity For Roosevelt Elk (Cervus Canadensis Roosevelti) On The North Coast Of California, Ashley Ann Harper
Identifying Habitat Suitability And Connectivity For Roosevelt Elk (Cervus Canadensis Roosevelti) On The North Coast Of California, Ashley Ann Harper
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
As human development continues to expand, wildlife managers are faced with problems arising from human-wildlife conflict. To address conflict, it is vital to identify how animals view the landscape and move across areas of differing land use. On the North Coast of California, Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) are widely considered to be a valuable resource but are viewed by some as a nuisance due to economic losses caused by property damage. The aim of this study was to identify suitable habitat and movement corridors for Roosevelt elk across Humboldt and Del Norte counties in northern California. Suitable …
Effects Of Oyster Aquaculture On Elasmobranch Abundance And Habitat Use In Humboldt Bay, Ca, Rose Harman
Effects Of Oyster Aquaculture On Elasmobranch Abundance And Habitat Use In Humboldt Bay, Ca, Rose Harman
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Habitat modification from aquaculture can have large effects on natural communities, with the habitat complexity provided by aquaculture structure positively influencing benthic invertebrates and small fish abundance. However, the effects of aquaculture on larger predatory fish like elasmobranchs (i.e., sharks and rays), which use nearshore habitat to forage and provide top-down control of these ecosystems, is largely unknown. Over two years, I deployed baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) to examine the effects of oyster aquaculture and environmental variables such as habitat (mudflat or eelgrass), salinity (ppt), turbidity (m), temperature (°C), pH (mV), dissolved oxygen (mg · L-1), …
Phylogenetic And Geographic Relationships Of Cheilostome Bryozoans In The Eastern Pacific, Hannah E. Lee
Phylogenetic And Geographic Relationships Of Cheilostome Bryozoans In The Eastern Pacific, Hannah E. Lee
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The phylum Bryozoa is an incredibly diverse group of marine invertebrates with a widespread global distribution that is well suited for evolutionary studies but whose phylogenetic relationships are still poorly understood. Although recent studies on bryozoan taxonomies and phylogenies have increased, there is still a lack of assessment of species found at shallow water (<1 m) to intertidal depths. In this study, I aimed to expand the taxonomic sampling and assessment of the phylogenetic diversity of cheilostome bryozoans along the California coastline by utilizing mitochondrial DNA as well as inferring potential correlations between species presence and dispersal range both within and between rocky outer coast and sheltered harbor habitats. Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to produce mitogenomes for cheilostome bryozoan samples collected off rocks from two rocky intertidal sites and off settlement panels from two harbor sites. Phylogenetic analyses generated evolutionary hypotheses of species relationships alongside geographic mapping of their distribution. This study identified 15 distinct species that represent 10 different families to form the first comprehensive phylogeny for multiple bryozoan families in California across a total range of approximately 973 km of coastline. Three genetically distinct species were found at multiple sites that are separated by a combination of rocky shores and sandy beaches, which indicates that the dispersal range of these species are not limited by geographic barriers along the coast of California. These results provide a future opportunity for further integration of this data with the phylogenies generated in this study to examine more robust evolutionary hypotheses for the phylogenetic and geographic relationships of Californian bryozoan species.
Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga Angustirostris) Colony Establishment And Growth In The King Range National Conservation Area, California, Emma Hatton Levy
Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga Angustirostris) Colony Establishment And Growth In The King Range National Conservation Area, California, Emma Hatton Levy
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The King Range colony is the northernmost successful and expanding breeding site for northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). To evaluate the composition and growth of this colony, I conducted systematic surveys recording counts, age classes, births, and resighting seals with individually identifiable flipper tags. The timing of life-history events (breeding, molting, and resting) of all elephant seal sex and age groups at the King Range was consistent with observations at other colonies. Colony counts during breeding and molting have increased steadily over the 4-year study period (2018-2021), and pup production has increased by 87% since the first year …