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Articles 1 - 12 of 12
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Detecting Change In Central California Coast Coho Salmon Habitat In Scotts Creek, California, From 1997–2013, Ashley Brubaker Hillard
Detecting Change In Central California Coast Coho Salmon Habitat In Scotts Creek, California, From 1997–2013, Ashley Brubaker Hillard
Master's Theses
Scotts Creek, in Santa Cruz County, Calif., supports the southernmost extant population of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in North America. In 1997, the California Department of Fish and Game (now Fish and Wildlife) conducted an extensive habitat typing survey of mainstem Scotts Creek, describing all habitat units from the top of the estuary to the limit of anadromy approximately 12 km upstream. I repeated this survey in 2013 to (1) assess changes in the quantity and quality of instream habitat, (2) compare the current condition to goals and standards established in the federal Central California Coast (CCC) Coho …
Digitization Of Disturbance History For Swanton Pacific Ranch From 1989 To 2015, Daniel Mcquillan
Digitization Of Disturbance History For Swanton Pacific Ranch From 1989 To 2015, Daniel Mcquillan
Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences
No abstract provided.
Investigating Meter Scale Topographic Variation As A Factor Of Monterey Pine (Pinus Radiata) Growing Conditions At Kenneth Norris Rancho Marino Reserve, Cambria, Ca, William J. Meyst
Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences
Endemic Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) is limited to three locations in California due to its unique ecological requirements. This project was conducted to investigate spatial growth patterns ofMonterey pine over complex ground surfaces. The coastal hills of Rancho Marino Reserve, Cambria, were surveyed using four 150-m transects to quantify and record ground surface features and growing conditions ofMonterey pine. Changes in elevation of each transect were measured using an Abney level. Linear ground surfaces were found at 86% (344 of 400) of survey nodes. Convex ground surfaces were found at 10.5% of survey nodes (42 of 400). Of …
Classification Of Plot-Level Fire-Caused Tree Mortality In A Redwood Forest Using Digital Orthophotography And Lidar, Brian David Bishop
Classification Of Plot-Level Fire-Caused Tree Mortality In A Redwood Forest Using Digital Orthophotography And Lidar, Brian David Bishop
Master's Theses
Swanton Pacific Ranch is an approximately 1,300 ha working ranch and forest in northern Santa Cruz County, California, managed by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). On August 12, 2009, the Lockheed Fire burned 300 ha of forestland, 51% of the forested area on the property, with variable fire intensity and mortality. This study used existing inventory data from 47 permanent 0.08 ha (1/5 ac) plots to compare the accuracy of classifying mortality resulting from the fire using digital multispectral imagery and LiDAR. The percent mortality of trees at least 25.4 cm (10”) DBH was aggregated to …
Road Cuts And Atterberg Limits Of Little Creek Road, Christopher A. Marquis
Road Cuts And Atterberg Limits Of Little Creek Road, Christopher A. Marquis
Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences
This senior project examined road cuts and soil adjacent to the road cut, along Little Creek road. Contrasting a landslide hillslope complex to a hillslope drainage complex, the project also compared the organic soil horizon to the mineral soil horizon in both soil units. The soils were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative measures of soil properties. The project utilized a road cut inventory to note the characteristics of the road cut such as presence of rill erosion, rock outcrop and sloping degree of the road cut. The project derived the plasticity index for both organic and mineral horizons, and compared …
Effects Of Silvicultural Management On Coast Redwood Forest Composition, Density And Structure In Santa Cruz And San Mateo Counties, Michael J. Papa
Effects Of Silvicultural Management On Coast Redwood Forest Composition, Density And Structure In Santa Cruz And San Mateo Counties, Michael J. Papa
Master's Theses
The multiple-objective exploratory study investigates effects of various silvicultural management regimes commonly applied to coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens [D. Don] Endl.) forests in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties, California, USA. A temporary forest inventory was installed in 24 harvest origin stands and 4 natural origin stands throughout the study area (sample area = 1189 acres). Data from the systematic sample of 233 one-quarter acre nested cluster plots (sample intensity = 4.9%) rendered overall forest descriptions in terms of species composition, density, and structure. The common forestry measures of trees per acre (TPA), basal area per acre (BA), and …
Mortality Assessment Of Redwood And Mixed Conifer Forest Types In Santa Cruz County Following Wildfire, Steve R. Auten
Mortality Assessment Of Redwood And Mixed Conifer Forest Types In Santa Cruz County Following Wildfire, Steve R. Auten
Master's Theses
On August 12, 2009, the Lockheed Fire ignited the west slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains burning approximately 7,819 acres. Foresters and other land managers were left with challenging decisions on how to evaluate tree mortality. Big Creek Lumber Company, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly)’s Swanton Pacific Ranch (SPR), and other resource professionals familiar with this region teamed up to develop a method for evaluating damage and thereby mortality for redwood, California nutmeg, live oak, tanoak, California bay, Pacific madrone, big leaf maple, Douglas-fir, Monterey pine, and knobcone pine. Quantitative damage criteria were used to design …
Utilization Of Geographic Information System For Research, Management, And Education In The Natural Resources Management Department At California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, David In Yun
Master's Theses
Geographic Information System (GIS) is “an organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display all forms of geographically referenced information” (ESRI, 1997a). The Natural Resources Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, hereafter NRM, was one of the early users of GIS technology. Although GIS was primarily used as an educational tool, it was also used for cataloging and displaying resource information for management planning and research projects. As the computing technology advanced, GIS became more powerful and easier to use. NRM faculty and …
Fire: Ecology & Prevention, Justin R. Frey
Comparison Of Two Potential Streamgage Locations On Scott Creek At Swanton Pacific Ranch, California, Matthew C. Scrudato
Comparison Of Two Potential Streamgage Locations On Scott Creek At Swanton Pacific Ranch, California, Matthew C. Scrudato
Master's Theses
Two locations on Scott Creek, located 12 miles north of Santa Cruz California, are being considered for the installation of a streamgage to measure discharge. Each location offers unique considerations and challenges in gage construction and discharge measurement capabilities. A detailed flood frequency analysis was completed using a direct watershed comparison, direct equations developed by Waananen and Crippen, a Log Pearson Type III Frequency Distribution, a regional analysis, and two-station comparisons. Final results indicate a 100-year recurrence interval of 6,310 ft3/s at the Upper Scott Creek location and 6,520 ft3/s at the lower location. A detailed indirect measurement revealed that …
A Comparison Of Lidar Generated Channel Features With Ground-Surveyed Channel Features In The Little Creek Watershed, Ryan M. Hilburn
A Comparison Of Lidar Generated Channel Features With Ground-Surveyed Channel Features In The Little Creek Watershed, Ryan M. Hilburn
Master's Theses
Detecting change in stream channel features over time is important in understanding channel morphology and the effects of both natural and anthropogenic influences. Channel features historically, and now currently, are being measured using a variety of ground survey techniques. These surveys require substantial time commitments and funding to complete. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is an airborne laser mapping technology that holds promise to provide an alternative to ground-based survey methods. For this study, ground surveys were used to verify the accuracy of data collected using airborne LiDAR. Fifty nine cross-sectional profiles were surveyed in the Little Creek watershed at …
Development Of Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves For The Santa Cruz Mountains, Sarah Howell
Development Of Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves For The Santa Cruz Mountains, Sarah Howell
Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences
This study was conducted to develop regional hydraulic geometry curves for the Santa Cruz Mountains that could be used in stream related and/or engineering projects. Data used to form these curves was collected from the USGS and by conducting stream geometry surveys. The resulting regional curves had high R² values ranging from .82 to .92. Compared to other regional curves in nearby areas, the Santa Cruz Mountains regional curve equations have higher exponents, meaning bankfull channel measurements increase at faster rates as drainage areas increases. Further measurements and analysis should be done before applying these curves to project sites.