Life Sciences Commons^™

Organic Carbon Content In Surface And Subsurface Soil On A Toposequence On The Peterson Ranch In Poly Canyon, San Luis Obispo, Renee Michelle Nall

Earth and Soil Sciences

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is directly related to soil organic matter (SOM), and is important in the functionality and stability of terrestrial ecosystems. Soil organic carbon is also an important pool for C storage and small changes of SOC may cause significant gains and losses in the large scale carbon cycle. The mechanisms by which SOC is transported and stored however are not widely studied. This study was conducted to determine if there is a relationship between toposequence and SOC in a small watershed on the Peterson Ranch, San Luis Obispo, CA. Nine soil pits were dug on various hillslope …

Relationship Between Tissue Carotenoid Concentrations In The Pacific Mole Crab, Emerita Analoga, And Parasitism By The Acanthocephalan, Profilicollis Altmani, Whitney Melroy

Biological Sciences

Acanthocephalan worms infect two hosts to reach full development. Some species have been demonstrated to change their intermediate host’s behavior or coloration to increase the likelihood they will reach the final host. The pacific mole crab, Emerita analoga, is commonly parasitized by Profilicollis altmani along the Pacific coast of North and South America, but the impact of parasitism on the crab intermediate host is unclear. We investigated whether P. altmani alters the concentration of dietary carotenoids present in E. analoga tissues and if the parasite may also acquire pigments normally allocated to the host. Fifty eight gravid female crabs were …

Attempted Cloning Of A Wnt Gene From Botrylloides Violaceus, Manasa Chandra, James Tumulak

Biological Sciences

Botrylloides violaceus is a colonial ascidian with the ability to undergo sexual and asexual reproduction as well as regeneration. The canonical pathway starts with the extracellular protein Wnt and ends with β-catenin, a transcription factor, which also functions in cell adhesion. The Wnt signaling pathway is involved in embryogenesis and regeneration in a variety of other species. In our studies we attempt to isolate and sequence both a Wnt gene and from Botrylloides via degenerate primer design and PCR. Using bioinformatic methods we aligned sequences from other organisms, as the Botrylloides genome has not yet been sequenced. Using mouse, Ciona, …

Overexpression And Partial Purification Of Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase, Kimberly Rose Stevens

Chemistry and Biochemistry

No abstract provided.

Dairy Cow Grouping, Allison Mcmillan

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Relationship Of Copper, Zinc And Selenium Status With Udder Health And Mastitis Incidence In The Cal Poly Holstein Herd, Michelle Van Ryn

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Use Of Loading Reports To Evaluate The Accuracy Of The Total Mix Ration, Kailen Johnson

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Lameness And Locomotion Scoring Of Dairy Cows, Haley Lynne Aquino

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Algae As An Economical Protein Source For Dairy Cattle Nutrition, Brian Azevedo

Dairy Science

Dairying continues to change with economic and environmental demands of today’s fast moving society. Feed costs continue to rise and now account for a large majority of expenses on dairies; especially protein, which has become expensive to purchase. I believe that Algae can serve as a possible solution to aid in alleviating this problem. Algae grow rapidly and consume undesirable carbon dioxide to release oxygen to the environment, making it an environmentally friendly source of feed. There are particular strands of algae that are high in protein. During the course of this project, I intend to discover how effective protein …

Usage Of The Penn State Forage Separator For Evaluating Particle Size Of Tmrs, Ashley Rene Garcia

Dairy Science

Particle size has many effects on the cow. Adequate forage particle length is necessary for proper rumen function. Dairymen are also having a hard time measuring particle size. Proper particle size distribution of feeds is an important part of ration formulation. Management of forage particle size starts with harvesting forages at the proper stage of maturity. Chopping the crop at the right length helps to achieve the desired particle length in a TMR. Measuring particle length of the forages is only a portion of the solution. Analyzing the TMR particle size is the main goal in measuring the distribution of …

Training Manual And Protocol For Ultrasound At Cal Poly, Brian Andrew Waymire

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Where The Wild Stuff Grows: Bacteria From The Cow To The Pasture-Izer, Michael Stewart

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Selecting, Marketing And Rebuilding A Herd Of Genetically Superior Animals, Katherine Rector

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Formation Of Cull Cow Program For The Artificial Insemination Class, Brian O. Medeiros

Dairy Science

Cal Poly’s “Learn by Doing” philosophy is one of the great traits that the University holds. However it is this philosophy that is also one of the most expensive and hardest to maintain. “Production agriculture majors use more dollars per unit than any other major in the entire college,” as Dr. Golden stated during his talks about herd cut backs. Never the less the College of Agriculture prides itself on supplying knowledgeable and experienced students to the industry that supports it so much. One of the amazing classes that are offered at the university is the Dairy Science Artificial Insemination …

School Breakfast Program: Efficacy And Impact, Amber Ward

Food Science and Nutrition

The primary goals of the school breakfast program are to reduce food-insecurity among low-income students and to decrease the growing habit of breakfast skipping. Consumption of school breakfast has been associated with improved health and academic performance. The purpose of this review was to investigate these alleged beneficial outcomes and to evaluate the program’s success in promoting accessibility and participation for all students. Results showed that children who ate a school breakfast were more likely to have a healthier BMI and a broader daily nutrient intake. Participation also helped students achieve higher math and reading grades. Their teachers reported improvements …

Developing A Green Tea Based Natural Energy Drink, Natalie Ohanessian

Food Science and Nutrition

No abstract provided.

Turning A Small Residential Farm Into A Non-Profit Educational Organization, Thomas John Anderson

Agribusiness

This study was undertaken to determine whether Felicity’s Farm could become a non-profit organization for education. In order to determine the feasibility of turning Felicity’s Farm into a non-profit organization, interviews were conducted and financial statements were collected. In addition, a Certificate of Incorporation was completed based on the interview and financial data. It was concluded that Felicity’s Farm could become a non-profit organization; however, better organization of finances, fund-raising and the use of volunteers was recommended.

Sim-Plete Feeding Trial, Kelsey Johnson

Animal Science

A. An internship with ENI will offer an opportunity to work in the field with horse owners, feeds, marketing, and nutrition. I will be assisting in the placement of a product in the field and evaluating response. It is the first step in evaluating if this product is an appropriate and marketable product.

B. The responsibilities will be to place a new equine feed product with 10-15 horse owners (approximately 30-45 horses) and measure customer response and potential marketability of the product. Including:

1. Delivery of the product
2. Creation of Questionnaires (one will be given before the owners begin feeding the …

The Malawi Project: From Conventional To Holistic Decision Making, Grace Wetmore

Animal Science

How the Cal Poly Malawi Appropriate Technologies Team, and other development groups, can use Holistic Management to aid developing countries in an effort towards a sustainable future.

Creating A Rabbitry For A High School Agricultural Program: A Guide For The Approval Process And Materials Required, Anne Marie Katuin

Agricultural Education and Communication

The proposal for a rabbitry to be added to the campus of Liberty High School in Golden Valley Unified School District in the designated agricultural area was proposed to the agricultural teacher and site administration for the high school. A floor plan was designed to fit the needs of a small rabbit breeding operation for the use of the LHS FFA students who wished to have a breeding or meat rabbit SAE.

Guidelines and plans were created in order to help an agricultural teacher or community member go through the previously mentioned approval process if they were to want to …

Student Sample Perceptions Of Organic Food Products And Buying Habits, Alycia M. Deus

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purposes of this senior project were to identify college students’ perceptions and knowledge of organic food. This study also focuses on the respondents’ purchasing and budgeting of organic food. This information is essential to inform farmers and ranchers because it serves as an indicator of future market’s demands.

A thirteen item questionnaire was distributed to sixty-five students attending California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, enrolled in either Agricultural Education and Communication courses or Agricultural Business courses. Both upper and lower division classes were surveyed. The questionnaires were distributed and collected from June 2, 2009 to June 4, 2009. …

Arroyo Toad (Anaxyrus Californicus) Life History, Population Status, Population Threats, And Habitat Assessment Of Conditions At Fort Hunter Liggett, Monterey County, California, Jacquelyn Petrasich Hancock

Master's Theses

The arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus) is a federally endangered species found on Fort Hunter Liggett, Monterey County, California. The species was discovered in 1996 and was determined to occupy 26.7 km of the San Antonio River from approximately 2.4 km northwest of the San Antonio Mission de Padua, to the river delta above the San Antonio Reservoir. The construction of the San Antonio Reservoir dam in 1963 isolated this northern population of arroyo toads. Through time, the Fort Hunter Liggett landscape has changed drastically. The land was heavily grazed by cattle until 1991, which considerably reduced vegetation in riparian areas. …

Techniques For Triggering Germination Of Adenostoma Fasciculatum In Revegetation Projects At Rocky Canyon Quarry, Stephanie B. Scolari

Master's Theses

Rocky Canyon Quarry is a granite mine located in the Santa Lucia Mountains about 5 miles southeast of the city of Atascadero. The Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA), which passed in 1975, dictates that California mines must rehabilitate lands disturbed by mining operations. Dr. V. L. Holland and his students in the Biological Sciences Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) have been working on restoration and revegetation of the Rocky Canyon Quarry since the early 1990’s.

Adenostoma fasciculatum (chamise) dominates the chaparral communities (chamisal chaparral) found in Rocky Canyon. Chamise is the most common …

Dissolved Organic Matter Influences The Timing Of Embryonic Development Of The Purple Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus., Corbin J. Hodges

Master's Theses

Marine dissolved organic matter (DOM) comprises one of the largest carbon reservoirs on earth and has long been considered a potential energy source for marine invertebrates. The importance of DOM transport has been adequately demonstrated for unicellular organisms, where DOM can meet 100% of an organisms energy needs, but the effects of DOM uptake for marine metazoans are less well understood. In this study, three general areas involving the influence of DOM transport to marine invertebrates were explored. First, we assessed the effects of using seawater exposed to high intensity ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the study organism; embryos of the …

Analysis Of A Pinus Radiata Seed Stock Field In The Native Año Nuevo Stand In California, Christina Brassey

Master's Theses

This study was a part of the international collaborative IMPACT project, which aims to address the potential threat that the pitch canker disease poses to the use of Pinus radiata D. Don in plantations in New Zealand, Australia, and Chile. A field trial of 264 seedstocks was planted adjacent to a native stand of pitch canker infected P. radiata on the central coast of California, and disease symptom development was recorded over a period of 3 years. The results did not correlate with a greenhouse study of the same seedstocks inoculated with Fusarium circinatum Nirenberg & O'Donnell, the causal agent …

No-Till Tomato Production, Bradley L. Booker

Master's Theses

Tillage increases erosion rates and diminishes the quality of soils but has traditionally been a way to manage weeds and prepare a seedbed. No-till vegetable production can ameliorate the ill-effects of tillage in an economically effective way but has not been studied much in California. The objective of this thesis was to determine the viability of no-till vegetable cropping on the Central Coast of California. Tomatoes were grown in no-till and conventionally tilled treatments. Total yield, fruit weight, weed emergence, soil bulk density, soil aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon content were measured and compared. Yields and soil tests in …

Impact Of Dietary Arginine On Immunity In Broiler Chicks, Jennifer Lynn D'Amato

Master's Theses

Arginine (ARG) is an immunologic modulator due in part to its role as a substrate for leukocytes. Therefore, the objective of these studies was to evaluate the impact of dietary ARG on ARG utilization in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and thymocytes in broiler chicks as they provide a model that is not confounded by de novo ARG synthesis. Several experiments were performed to measure: 1) ARG transporters as markers of ARG utilization by leukocytes; 2) thymocyte proliferation; 3) PBMC phenotype, and 4) ARG’s impact on the acute phase response (APR). In experiment 1, chicks were fed diets containing 1.20% …

Effect Of Water On Micronutrient Content And Yield In Rice (Oryza Sativa L.), Sheila Lorraine Baker

Master's Theses

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important crop in many countries. According to the IRRI, more than 2 billion people globally depend on rice as a staple food (Dawe, et al. 2003). Studies on micronutrient content in rice and the effect of water in availability of the nutrients may aid in decreasing global nutrient deficiencies. Rice is grown under different water regimes such as AWD and intermittent flooding, sprinkler and furrow irrigation. A greenhouse pot experiment of rice utilizing a split plot design under different water regimes was conducted to assess the affect of water on (1) DTPA extractable soil …

Mimicking Fire For Post-Mining Restoration Success, Katherine M. Wilkin

Master's Theses

This study is based at Rocky Canyon Quarry (RCQ), a 200-acre granite aggregate open-pit quarry with chaparral-dominated plant communities located in San Luis Obispo County, CA. At RCQ, the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) of 1975 was interpreted as restoring the landscape to native plant communities. Native plant community restoration projects have occurred there since 1993 through cooperation with California Polytechnic State University Biology Department in San Luis Obispo, CA. I evaluated past restoration at RCQ and researched new techniques to improve chaparral restoration based on the natural processes of fire.

Chaparral is an important fire-dominated plant community within …

Restoration Of A. Fasciculatum At Rocky Canyon Granite Quarry, San Luis Obispo, Ca, Catherine L. Roy

Master's Theses

The objective of this study was to assess the above-ground factors affecting the establishment and recovery of the dominant chaparral shrub Adenostoma fasciculatum (chamise) on the Rocky Canyon granite mine.

Attempts to restore the California chaparral have been challenging and few successful efforts have been documented. However, the California chaparral can fully recover from fire in as little as 10-15 years. Factors affecting chamise seedling establishment were tested by planting chamise seed in forty eight 1square meter plots managed to test the effects of interspecific competition with native postfire vegetation, post-mining volunteer vegetation, and intraspecific only competition. Plots were managed …