Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ashes To Algae: Phytoplankton Communities In Early Successional Ponds At The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Lillie Tomlinson

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Freshwater biodiversity is declining worldwide, and ponds have been found to be incredibly biodiverse freshwater habitats that provide important ecosystem services and create critical terrestrial-aquatic linkages. Phytoplankton are fundamental components of aquatic communities and provide ecosystems with oxygen, send energy throughout the food web, and are an important food source for organisms like zooplankton. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens led to the formation of over 100 diverse ponds in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. This study aims to shed light on phytoplankton community dynamics and assemblages as well as regional differences in community dynamics in previously …

Evaluating The Efficiency Of Soil Amendments To Mitigate The Leaching Of Copper Nanopesticides, Brianna Benner

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

As pesticides are necessary to meet current and future agricultural needs, nanopesticides have seen increased use resulting from their more targeted application at lower doses. Copper-based nanopesticides have demonstrated efficacy but there are also concerns about their potential toxicity to aquatic species. This unintended toxic exposure resulting from agricultural runoff containing these nanopesticides can be mitigated through the use of soil amendments. In this study, biochar and chitosan were investigated as soil amendments, as they can bind metals and nutrients; however, there are still open questions about how their effective they are in different soil types and in relation to …

Food Systems Mapping And Goals At Western Washington University, Dylan Braund

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

In this project, I map food systems on the Western Washington University (WWU) campus with the intention of better understanding how different groups are working and collaborating to make food systems more accessible and sustainable on campus. By examining these connections, I also hope to reveal areas for potential future connections to form between groups engaging in similar work. In addition, I provide recommendations for new goals to be added to the existing WWU Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) related to food systems. As most of the goals currently listed in this plan relate directly to Dining Services, this research provides …

From Threads To Treasures: The Resilient Journey Of The Western Worn Community Closet, Jessica Dietzman

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Picture this - You are walking into a room filled with made-from-scratch clothing racks, hangers donated from the College of Business and Economics (CBE) Career Closet, clothes, shoes, and accessories filling up the shelves and racks all donated by your fellow students, professors, and faculty. You notice artwork decorating the walls designed from art students, and you have total access to any of these articles of clothing for free! This room is called the Western Worn Community Closet and written here is the resilient story of how it came to be.

Sustainable Lab Certification Project Report, Alyssa White, Megan Ellis

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This report describes the creation of the new Sustainable Lab Certification program at WWU. Scientific and research labs are known to produce a lot of carbon emissions, and Western's labs are no exception. The Sustainable Lab certification process is open to labs from any department on campus, and includes a self-reporting audit that covers four categories of sustainability. Once labs fill it out, they can receive their certification scoring of Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. We applied for and won a grant to provide participating labs with more sustainable options of different instruments and lab supplies and were able to …

Assessing The Efficacy Of The Washington Ban On Phosphorus Fertilizer, Pilar Deniston

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Freshwater lakes are essential ecosystems, providing crucial services for humans, plants, and animals. However, eutrophication, a process driven by an excess of nutrients such as phosphorus, poses a significant threat to lake health and water quality. To mitigate excess phosphorus and eutrophication, many states, including Washington, have implemented bans on phosphorus-containing fertilizers. This study evaluates the efficacy of Washington State's 2013 phosphorus-containing fertilizer ban, focusing on 58 lakes in western Washington. This study organized, filtered, and analyzed data from multiple counties' monitoring programs to examine total phosphorus concentrations before and after the ban. Additionally, this study involved a land cover …

Life Cycle Progression Of Chlainomonas Sp.: A Field Study, Honu Pata, Robin Kodner, Ag Camara, Clare Hanneman, Maya Matsumoto, Dan Van Hees

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Every year, there are blooms of algae in snowy alpine environments during the summer snow melts. One environment in particular, the snow-on-lake habitat on Bagley Lake in Mt Baker, has been the subject of study by the Kodner lab for many years. In this habitat, we find the genus Chlainomonas which has bloomed in late spring and early summer annually. Our lab has proposed a life cycle for the genus (Matsumoto et al 2024), and there are many morphologically distinct cell stages found in field collected samples. This study has expanded our understanding the life cycle dynamics by examining the …

Birds Of Costa Rica: Journal & Sketchbook, Clara Magsarili

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This project exhibits the birds of Costa Rica which are extremely beautiful and diverse. I had the opportunity to see 148 species of bird while studying abroad in Costa Rica in the fall of 2023. This project is a collection of personal observations of each species accompanied by a watercolor painting or colored pencil drawing. Inspired by a Tropical Birds class that I took at Veritas University in San Jose, Costa Rica, 'Birds of Costa Rica: Journal & Stetchbook' grew into a piece that encapsulates a lifetime of a love of birds, art, and sharing my passion with others.

Developing Two-Dimensional Ammonium Sensors For Use In Marine Sediments, Zoe Kass

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Nitrogen spatial distribution and denitrification rates are not currently well understood in marine sediments. Both nitrogen distribution and denitrification rates vary widely. Better understanding these processes and the factors that impact them could have a variety of applications, from providing us with a foundation for determining any potential impacts of anthropogenic nitrogen to restoring eel grass beds. This project focused on the development of a two-dimensional ammonium sensor using diffusive equilibrium thin films. We successfully created and calibrated our sensor before deploying it at Padilla Bay to produce a two-dimensional image of the spatial distribution and concentrations of ammonium in …

Studying The South Lake Whatcom Fire, Lillian Buck

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This study investigates the ecological consequences of the South Lake Whatcom Fire, which occurred in August 2023, focusing on soil health and water quality. Lake Whatcom, historically shaped by indigenous settlements and 19th-century logging and mining activities, is a critical water source for Bellingham residents. The fire, sparked by lightning, was managed with hand-dug lines, and contained by September 2023. Soil analysis revealed a significant reduction in the organic matter/duff layer depth in burned areas compared to unburned sections, highlighting potential challenges for soil recovery and ecosystem health. Erosion concerns were raised, emphasizing the need for post-fire management strategies. This …

Animal-Sediment Relationships Reexamined, A Meta-Analysis, Christine Franzen

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The patterns associated with the influence of grain size on the spatial variation of the deposit and suspension-feeding groups have been studied since the late 1950s. The foundational paper for the theory, Sanders (1958), proposed that a higher proportion of clay and silt-sized grains in the sediments correlates with a higher proportion of deposit feeders compared to suspension feeders. This theory has become widely accepted and taught in textbooks despite subsequent papers indicating differing observations. Through a meta-analysis, this study examines whether the observation from Sanders (1958) was indicative of a general rule or an anomaly. Additionally, this study aims …

Salmon Against Humanity: Are Hatcheries A Part Of Salmon Recovery?, Janine Fong

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Salmon hatcheries have been in place since the late 1800s, but they are controversial parts of salmon recovery. Evidence has been found that hatcheries may be producing weaker fish and harming naturally-occurring populations. However, many of these issues can be addressed with hatchery reforms. There are also external factors to consider, such as the needs of those who depend on salmon and the loss of habitat. In the larger scheme of things, hatcheries appear to be important tools that can be utilized better in order to conserve salmon more effectively. This paper explores the hatchery controversy, from tribal rights to …

Overwintering Eagle Demographics On The Nooksack River, Collette Webb

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This paper provides a look into the demographics of overwintering eagles on the Nooksack River and their ties to salmon. Viewing overwintering eagles on the Nooksack River has become somewhat of a tradition for locals wanting to catch sight of these American icons in their natural habitat and consuming another PNW favorite; salmon. However, climate change and ever increasing ecological pressures have begun to alter the eagle-salmon food web dynamic in ways that are just starting to be explored. During the winter, eagles rely on the supply of salmon carcasses that wash onto the river banks and gravel bars after …

How-To: Make Your House A Battery--How Demand-Side Management Will Be One Key To A Greener Future, Explained For Popular Audiences., Olivia Kaulfus

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Demand-side management will be used to increase the electric grid's flexibility and make it easier to achieve a clean energy future. But what is it? How will it affect me, and what do I need to know? This brochure (and slide deck from the in-person presentation) will hopefully give you a bit of insight into the greater world of demand-side management. Don't know anything about electricity? No problem. Only the most necessary information is provided by this little handout. Most exciting of all is that demand-side management could be coming to a utility near you and could even help lower …

Bellingham's Housing Ecosystem, Malene Garcia

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The goal of my project was to understand what puts people at risk of becoming unhoused and what solutions are the most effective in combating and preventing houselessness.

To figure this out, I used Bellingham as a case study. I did research on homelessness in general, and then used that to guide my research specific to Bellingham. I focused on the causes of houselessness, the demographics of those experiencing houselessness, and the challenges that they face. Then, I researched solutions. To supplement this research, and get different perspectives specific to Bellingham, I interviewed people working in three different organizations: The …

What's In That Scat: An Analysis Of Canada Lynx Diet And Distribution In The North Cascades Ecosystem, Antonia Parrish

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This research provides critical information on the diet and distribution of the elusive North Cascades lynx population. Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) are considered threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and are the focus of protection efforts by the state of Washington as a result of climate change, heightened competition, and human interference. I analyzed the diet and distribution of both lynx and coyote (Canis latrans) in the North Cascades to determine whether there was an overlap of prey and habitat that could constrain lynx restoration. During the summer of 2020, the hiking trails in the North Cascades National Park …

Bivalve Monitoring At Weaverling Spit, Nathalie Wagler

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

A service learning project with the Samish Indian Nation to provide materials for increased volunteer training protocol for their bivalve monitoring research. This project is an extrapolation on my College of the Environment capstone project, where I analyzed data collected by Anacortes High School students on the quantity, species, and size of bivalves on Weaverling Spit, land owned by the Samish Indian Nation in Anacortes, WA. Students annually visit Weaverling Spit and follow a protocol to collect this data on bivalves, which hold cultural, economical, and ecological significance to the Samish Indian Nation. While the students are trained on bivalve …

More Than Meets The Eye; Accessibility Of Scientific Information Through Art, Rachael Barrows

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Science is inaccessible to learn in a myriad of ways. Financially it can be difficult to get information. It can also be hard to look up information on your own without knowing what to look for. Teaching science also involves a lot of reading that can be difficult for some disabilities. Through art, however, science can become more accessible, both to share and to learn. Visual learning benefits understanding and retention of information as well as creates clearer holistic concepts. Through paintings, this project shares some scientific information, exploring a way to share and teach science that is more accessible.

Design Portfolio For The Tri-Cities Homestead 2.0: A Second Look At A Doe Solar Decathlon Net Zero Home Design, Talia Dreicer

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The redesign of a Solar Decathlon Design Challenge home attempts to correct inaccuracies and works to create a more energy efficient and cost-effective home design. Comparative analysis is conducted to identify design characteristics that created the greatest efficiency increases for the lowest cost. The comparative analysis results in three versions of a house design: a “worst” efficiency, “best” efficiency, and final home design. The final, reimagined design is significantly more efficient than the original design and the associated pricing and energy analysis are more accurate and robust than their counterparts in the original design.

Estimating The Denitrification Rate In Hood Canal Using Water Circulation, Spencer Johnson

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Hood Canal is a long, fjordal estuarine inlet. Because of a sill near its mouth, Hood Canal experiences regular low oxygen in its bottom water; recently, dissolved oxygen has been even lower than usual, leading to fish kills and other ecosystem damage. Anthropogenic nutrients, particularly nitrogen, may be the cause, so it is important to quantify the components of the nitrogen cycle, like denitrification. To my knowledge, there is only one estimate of denitrification from Hood Canal in the literature. This study sought to supplement that data with an independent estimate of denitrification using water circulation along with N2 concentrations …

Radioactive Future, Avery Garritano

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Prior to being decommissioned in 1987, the Hanford Site— a nuclear production complex located in Benton County, Washington— was the local for reprocessing a large portion of the nation’s supply of plutonium and uranium. Now, over 30 years later, 430 million curies of radioactive waste are kept on-site in surface facilities or underground tanks which are beginning to deteriorate, and nearly two thousand capsules of highly radioactive cesium and strontium sit in an aging facility. This waste includes cesium-135, a by-product of plutonium production which has a half-life of nearly two million years. While the proposed disposal method of burial …

Whose Water Is It Anyway?: The Adjudication Of Water Rights In The Nooksack Watershed, Emma Ledsham

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This paper examines the current state of water rights in the Nooksack watershed, specifically looking at stakeholders such as the Lummi Nation, Nooksack Indian Tribe, and local farmers. I then go on to explore what an adjudication of water rights is, its process, and how it will be used in the Nooksack watershed to create an inventory of water users in the area. Finally, I explore the possible effects that adjudication might have on the different stakeholder groups and how they might respond to it.

Contamination In The Upper Columbia: Smelting And Its Impact To The Environment And Human Health, Brenden Murphy

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The objectives of this project include discussing the historical context of the smelting that occurred in Washington and Canada over the past century and how political events shaped the geographies of the region(s). Another objective will be to assess the level of environmental impact to the Upper Columbia region and the potential health effects to organisms and humans from the pollution released from the smelters. We will also explore the interaction of different agencies and stakeholders and the political processes of environmental cleanup to which parties are held responsible. Explaining the different advocacy and conservation groups already involved in the …

Environmental Impact Assessment: Nuyakuk River Small Scale Hydroelectric Project, Reed Squire, Amy Owen, Jessica Ngo-Ly, Tyler Sanderson

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

An environmental impact assessment of a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Nuyakuk River, AK. The proposed project was determined to have an impact of non-significance on the current environmental conditions.

Mentoring Through Moss: Measuring Air Pollution With High School Youth In The Duwamish Valley, Nichole Vargas

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This report is a reflection on my participation in the Duwamish Valley Moss and Air Quality Study. In this internship experience, I am mentoring South Seattle high schoolers participating in the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps to collect, prepare, and analyze moss samples from trees in the Duwamish Valley. This project is in collaboration with Seattle community organizations such as the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, Dirt Corps, El Centro de La Raza, the South Park Area Redevelopment Committee; and Just Health Action. This is the second year that this study has been done. Last year, the study found hotspots of heavy …

Wandering Whatcom Falls, Hailey Schmidt

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Wandering Whatcom Falls is an interactive walking loop focused on connection and ecosystems. It takes place at Whatcom Falls and runs as a scavenger hunt with 7 different activities throughout the loop.

Running Whidbey: The Physiological And Psychological Impacts Of A 60 Mile Ultramarathon, Bree Daigneault

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Impacts Of Nanopesticides And Microplastics In An Agricultural Rhizosphere, Emma Nordlund, Manuel Montaño

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The goal of this project was to develop a methodology for assessing the behavior and effects of two emerging contaminants in an agricultural environment. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using corn as a model organism with Kocide-3000-O and polyester microfibers as treatments. Additional benchtop experiments were carried out to evaluate the bioavailability and other chemical properties of the microfibers and nanopesticide.

Original Environmental Education Lessons And Curriculum, Waverly Shreffler

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This project is a culmination of my learning through Huxley and the Honors Program designed with the intent of exercising creativity, reflection, and resourcefulness to better myself as a future educator. I have designed a curriculum with five unique units and several coinciding lesson plans with ninth and tenth grade learners in mind. This work reflects my educational philosophy of bringing traditional curricular disciplines into relation through interdisciplinary teaching and multimodal learning. As an Environmental Education student, it has become my duty to acknowledge Place, Indigenous Knowledge, and social justice as integral to the future of education. I try to …

Call Of The Chorus Frog: An Undergraduate Experience In Field Research In The Elwha River Basin, Nicole Vandeputte

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

In scientific disciplines, students are not often taught to write in a way that is easily understood by people outside of their field. It is my goal to learn to communicate scientific research to a broad audience in a way that is both understandable and interesting. In spring of 2019, I participated in Huxley’s environmental science field camp. We traveled to the Elwha River basin in Olympic National Park and conducted wildlife research projects of our own design. My group’s research assessed amphibian habitat in two areas of the park, one of which was recently exposed after the removal of …