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Urban Edge Effects On Soil Conditions, Stand Structure, And Understory Composition In A Coast Redwood Forest, Nanako Oba
Urban Edge Effects On Soil Conditions, Stand Structure, And Understory Composition In A Coast Redwood Forest, Nanako Oba
Master's Theses
Forests in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) can experience edge effects caused byhuman activities, such as timber harvest and urban development, altering vegetation composition and structure. Both the WUI and resulting edge effects are well studied in general; however, the influences of the urban edge on coast redwood forests specifically are not well understood. I analyzed soil properties, stand structure, and understory composition in a coast redwood preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California using twenty 300 m transects established across an anthropogenic edge and twenty transects within a forest interior control. Spearman’s rank correlations indicated that several variables exhibited positive …
Climate Adaptation And Water Conservation Decision-Making In Paso Robles, California Vineyards, Christopher R. Klier
Climate Adaptation And Water Conservation Decision-Making In Paso Robles, California Vineyards, Christopher R. Klier
Master's Theses
This paper examines vineyard perceptions and adoption of climate change adaptation and water conservation measures in the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area (AVA). A survey was distributed to all 220 vineyards and vineyard management companies that operate in the AVA, with a 53.64% response rate. The objective of the survey was to determine vineyard manager and owner attitudes towards climate change and adaptation, as well as their perceptions of how these threats would impact their operation. A second objective was to document the current level of water conservation and climate adaptation while identifying the barriers and opportunities for further adoption …
Hook-Billed Kite, Chondrohierax Uncinatus, Southbound Autumn Migration In Belize And Mexico, Ryan Anthony Phillips
Hook-Billed Kite, Chondrohierax Uncinatus, Southbound Autumn Migration In Belize And Mexico, Ryan Anthony Phillips
Master's Theses
The Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) is a specialized Neotropical raptor with a wide distribution that has received little research attention. The species is considered non-migratory across most of its distribution, but there are scattered records of Hook-billed Kite migration. The present research describes, for the first time, the largest southbound autumn migration of Hook-billed Kite in Belize and Mexico and evaluates the effects of environmental conditions on this phenomenon. Eight years of count data were collected in Belize and 25 years in Mexico. During a total of 3093.1 count hr from 2013-2020 in Belize, 39928 Hook-billed Kites were counted on …
Distribution And Habitat Use Of The Santa Clara County Population Of Red-Bellied Newts (Taricha Rivularis), Joie De Leon
Distribution And Habitat Use Of The Santa Clara County Population Of Red-Bellied Newts (Taricha Rivularis), Joie De Leon
Master's Theses
Anthropogenically-induced habitat loss and degradation have increased extinction rates in amphibians worldwide, yet little is known about many remaining populations. A disjunct population of red-bellied newt (Taricha rivularis), an endemic California species, was discovered 130 km south of its previously known range. Here I document the range and breeding phenology of this population and contrast its mesohabitat use with that of other sympatric newts. Surveys across two years suggest that the southern population of T. rivularis is confined to a 1 km segment of Stevens Creek, and the population follows an early-March to late-April migratory breeding pattern, similar to one …
Changes In Allochronic Breeding Populations Of Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus Gorbuscha) Of Prince William Sound, Alaska, Claire Dormody
Changes In Allochronic Breeding Populations Of Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus Gorbuscha) Of Prince William Sound, Alaska, Claire Dormody
Master's Theses
Prince William Sound, Alaska is home to one of the largest pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) fisheries in the world. Salmon populations there have been fished commercially for over a century, and the State’s documentation of commercial fishing provides a valuable dataset in order to examine abundance trends of species in this region. For this thesis research, I analyzed the fluctuations in abundance and isolated even year and odd year breeding populations of pink salmon to assess whether there is a numerical discrepancy between pink salmon that spawn in odd years and the population that spawns in even years. Analysis of …
Urban Agroecology For Food Sovereignty And Biodiversity: Are Urban Community Farms Or Gardens More Effective?, Heidi L. Giancola
Urban Agroecology For Food Sovereignty And Biodiversity: Are Urban Community Farms Or Gardens More Effective?, Heidi L. Giancola
Master's Theses
Industrial agriculture is accurately criticized for eliminating biodiversity and destroying food sovereignty. Urban agroecosystems, usually individual plots in community gardens, are promoted to restore ecological services and equity to food systems. Recently, collectively tended urban community farms have developed, with explicit social justice goals. This study directly contrasts the effectiveness of the urban community farm and garden models. Spatial analysis is used to confirm that community farms enhance geographic access for healthy food priority areas compared to gardens in the San Francisco bay area. An online survey of farm staff and gardeners from Marin to Santa Clara County resulted in …
Important Factors For Changing Plastic Consumption Among Highly Educated People In China, Shen Shen
Important Factors For Changing Plastic Consumption Among Highly Educated People In China, Shen Shen
Master's Theses
As the global plastic pollution situation is getting much more serious, how to change the trend of plastic pollution to save humankind itself has become an urgent issue. In China, the country with the world's fastest-growing economy and the largest population, solving the problem of plastic pollution presents a serious challenge. This thesis draws on a survey of highly educated people in China to investigate how these people's understanding and awareness of plastic pollution, willingness to change their behavior and perceptions of who is responsible for addressing the problem might inform strategies for reducing plastic pollution in China. The analysis …
Recreation And The Sacred: A Case Study Of Diné Bikéyah, Brian Andersen
Recreation And The Sacred: A Case Study Of Diné Bikéyah, Brian Andersen
Master's Theses
The relationship between indigenous groups and outdoor recreation is something that has been analyzed by various scholars. In the North American context, scholars have primarily focused on conflicts regarding land use, particularly as it relates to the concept of the sacred. Although these works speak to general truths, the complexity of the relationship between outdoor pursuits and Native American groups is often over-simplified. This thesis analyzes the potential of outdoor recreation as a means of economic empowerment for the Navajo people. The work draws on the various initiatives currently underway to promote outdoor recreation in the Navajo Nation. These initiatives …
The Role And Impact Of The Environment In Shaping The Decisions Of Parents And Alternative Educators In Early Education, Mia Hopkinson
The Role And Impact Of The Environment In Shaping The Decisions Of Parents And Alternative Educators In Early Education, Mia Hopkinson
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to research parents’ and alternative educators’ perspectives on the role of the educational environment in early education and how this impacts their pedagogical beliefs. The qualitative study explored the following research questions: What do traditional school parents and outdoor alternative parents seek in their child’s early education environment? What shapes parents' decisions on their child’s educational and learning experiences? How do alternative educational leaders and educators understand the role of the alternative environment? How does this impact how they think about education? Interviews were conducted with two traditional parents, two alternative parents and four …
Assessing Convolutional Neural Network Animal Classification Models For Practical Applications In Wildlife Conservation, Julia Larson
Assessing Convolutional Neural Network Animal Classification Models For Practical Applications In Wildlife Conservation, Julia Larson
Master's Theses
Convolution neural network models (CNNs) can successfully identify animal species in camera-trap images in simplified testing environments. CNN performance in more complex, realistic environments is understudied. Here the Wellington Camera Traps dataset was used to simulate a wildlife conservation project to detect invasive species at low population levels using camera-trap images and CNN models. Ten CNNs were developed and analyzed with seven testing datasets, simulating 13 possible project scenarios. Model performance was measured using standard computer science metrics, top-1, and top-5 accuracy, and two novel performance metrics developed for this research to directly reflect wildlife conservation goals, false alarm rate, …
Wicked Problems: Understanding How Cities And Counties In California Are Tackling Climate Change And Homelessness, Guadalupe Michelle Franco
Wicked Problems: Understanding How Cities And Counties In California Are Tackling Climate Change And Homelessness, Guadalupe Michelle Franco
Master's Theses
California continues to endure the detrimental effects of climate change, such as poor air quality, flooding, and heatwaves. Concurrently, the state has seen an increase in the number of unhoused communities due to various ramifications such as rapid urbanization, failed political leadership, and restricted housing policies. While unhoused communities fight to access basic services, they must also now adapt to the looming impacts of climate change. Unhoused populations are especially vulnerable to climate change as they have limited access to shelter, spend the majority of their time outdoors, and lack the economic ability to adapt. While cities and counties are …
No More Shade: Deforestation And Rural-Urban Migration In Nigeria, Kambre Sims
No More Shade: Deforestation And Rural-Urban Migration In Nigeria, Kambre Sims
Master's Theses
Some of the most well-documented motivating factors of migration in Nigeria include education, employment opportunities, and cultural conflicts. However, as the deforestation crisis has not improved and Nigeria has maintained its spot as the country with the most deforestation on Earth, access to critical forest resources may be in danger. In light of this crisis, this paper attempts to determine if deforestation has become a new motivating factor for migration as those in rural communities seek other avenues of obtaining those vital resources. Subsequently, Nigeria is also experiencing a housing crisis within its rapidly growing urban centers; obtaining and keeping …
How Historic Shipwrecks Influence Dispersal Of Deep-Sea Microbiomes, Rachel Moseley
How Historic Shipwrecks Influence Dispersal Of Deep-Sea Microbiomes, Rachel Moseley
Master's Theses
This thesis investigates how historic shipwrecks potentially shape dispersal of deep-sea microbiomes. Processes impacting dispersal of microbiomes around artificial structures in the ocean and how they connect to other deep-sea habitats is unknown. Dispersal processes are explained for some macroorganisms by theories in ecology, specifically the Theory of Island Biogeography and the Wooden Stepping Stone hypothesis. These have not been investigated for microorganisms, and thus this work will probe if they are applicable to microbial biogeography in this habitat. Experiments were conducted to establish new “island-like” features in near proximity (25-125 m) to wooden-hulled historic shipwrecks in the northern Gulf …
Through The Eyes Of Community Educators: Place-Based Learning, Equitable Access, And Covid-19 Impacts On Outdoor Environmental Education In The San Francisco Bay Area, Alycia Ellington
Master's Theses
Not all children receive adequate education, nor do they have the opportunity to go beyond the four walls of a classroom for learning opportunities. Outdoor environmental education with place-based learning frameworks aims to fully immerse students in nature, while strengthening the connection between schools and communities. This study examines the outdoor environmental education programs of nine agriculture-centered community organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through twenty-one key informant interviews, I assess three essential areas: 1) promotion of environmental literacy and place-based learning, 2) facilitation of equitable access to educational programs, and 3) adaptation of those programs for distance learning …
Greywater Systems, Greywater Quality Parameters, And Impacts On Soil Characteristics In Santa Clara County, California, Sara Khosrowshahi Asl
Greywater Systems, Greywater Quality Parameters, And Impacts On Soil Characteristics In Santa Clara County, California, Sara Khosrowshahi Asl
Master's Theses
Many communities worldwide are facing water shortages and droughts, stressing the critical need for water conservation. Following the longest recent drought cycle in California (2011–2017), local water companies are prioritizing the development of unconventional water sources, such as laundry-to-landscape greywater, which is a low-tech method to reuse water. This study describes the characteristics and performance of installed greywater systems in San José, California, including the systems’ conformance with California plumbing codes and landscape plants irrigated by the systems. Over three-quarters of the greywater systems conformed to the California Plumbing Code, and nearly 60% of the landscapes were drought-tolerant. Samples of …
Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Lithium-Ion Batteries Operating In California's Electrical Grid In 2019, Peter J. Hilkene
Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Lithium-Ion Batteries Operating In California's Electrical Grid In 2019, Peter J. Hilkene
Master's Theses
This work examines the impact on greenhouse gas emissions of energy storage devices operating on the California electrical grid during the year 2019. As solar power gains a greater share in California’s energy production, tools for storing the intermittent energy produced from solar and other variable generation sources become important in continuing their growth. In this study, the impact of the deployment of energy storage capacity in California was determined using three charging and discharging strategies. The first, meeting peak net-demand with solar, looked at battery charging when solar production was highest and discharging when net-demand is highest. The second …
Effects Of Urbanization And Habitat On The Diet And Reproduction Of Red-Shouldered Hawks In Central California, Catherine Y. Fisher
Effects Of Urbanization And Habitat On The Diet And Reproduction Of Red-Shouldered Hawks In Central California, Catherine Y. Fisher
Master's Theses
Urbanization alters biological community interactions and trophic structures compared to natural habitats; these changes may be reflected in the diets of apex predators such as raptors. The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a dietary generalist that is expanding from natural and rural habitats into urbanized areas. In this study, direct observation was used to quantify the diet and reproductive success of red-shouldered hawks in Santa Clara County, California during the 2019 breeding season. GIS methods were used to quantify the nesting habitat and level of urbanization at each nest. Hawk diet consisted of mammals (50.4% by frequency and 77.7% by …
Determinants Of The Carbon Footprint Of German Swimmers 2020., Ann-Marie Muehlbauer
Determinants Of The Carbon Footprint Of German Swimmers 2020., Ann-Marie Muehlbauer
Master's Theses
The current climate situation is placing our planet and future generations at risk, which demonstrates the urgency to combat climate change and conduct research to support this effort. Calculating the carbon footprint of active sport participation represents an important opportunity to conduct additional research. This study examined the environmental attitudes and practices of swim club members in Germany. The study had three goals: First, to calculate the total and partial carbon footprint of German swimmers; second, to understand how sport organizations induce participants to engage in pro-environmental behavior; and third, to analyze various factors associated with carbon footprint, such as …
Assessing Undergraduate Sustainability Knowledge At California Polytechnic State University, Elysa C. M. Briens
Assessing Undergraduate Sustainability Knowledge At California Polytechnic State University, Elysa C. M. Briens
Master's Theses
Sustainability education has become an important focus of many higher education institutions (HEIs), with the inclusion of many sustainability-related learning objectives for undergraduate students. As sustainability is a new, rising discipline, an increasing number of HEIs have made efforts to assess their teaching and learning effectiveness. However, most assessments fall short in determining the relationship between sustainability curriculum and the impacts on leaning outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to assess the impact of academic setting, specifically of a structured sustainability curriculum, on undergraduate sustainability knowledge, as well as analyze the implications of perceived barriers and opportunities to implementing sustainability into …
Coast Redwood Stand Composition, Structure, And Fuel Load Following Prescribed Fire In Big Basin Redwoods State Park, David Cowman
Coast Redwood Stand Composition, Structure, And Fuel Load Following Prescribed Fire In Big Basin Redwoods State Park, David Cowman
Master's Theses
With the prevalence of catastrophic wildfires increasing as a response to a century of widespread fire suppression, shifts in weather patterns, and other external factors, land managers throughout the United States have sought methods to increase the resiliency of landscapes to fire. With a host of adaptations to periodic disturbance, S. sempervirens has a competitive advantage over other species when fire is present. Utilizing sixty 10-meter diameter plots from sites previously burned in 1999, 2007, and 2011, and 60 unburned control sites, data was collected on forest stand composition and structure as well as understory species composition and dominance. Line …
An Examination Of Garden-Based Education Impacts On Title 1 Elementary School Students’ Environmental Literacy In San José, California, Alexandra Dahl
An Examination Of Garden-Based Education Impacts On Title 1 Elementary School Students’ Environmental Literacy In San José, California, Alexandra Dahl
Master's Theses
The objective of this research was to assess garden-based pedagogy as an effective strategy to increase environmental literacy in elementary-aged students. With severe environmental issues facing children today and into the future, environmental literacy is a desired outcome of environmental education programs. Such interventions create environmentally responsible citizens who understand how humans impact the natural environment and thereby act sustainably. Currently, little research exists on garden education’s influence on students’ environmental literacy, especially in underrepresented communities. Using a nonequivalent control group study design, this project investigated the impact of a garden education program in Central San José, CA in an …
Noise Pollution, Environmental Justice, And Urban Green Space Accessibility: A Case Study In San José, California, Lauryn Duoto
Noise Pollution, Environmental Justice, And Urban Green Space Accessibility: A Case Study In San José, California, Lauryn Duoto
Master's Theses
Noise pollution is an environmental stressor associated with a number of poor health outcomes. Promisingly, recent studies have identified urban green spaces such as public parks and community gardens as-built environments that can minimize noise pollution in the urban context. The objective of this project was to identify low-income communities of color that lack urban green space accessibility within the city of San José, California, to determine if sound level could be an indicator of urban green space usage and to evaluate whether urban green space can mitigate noise. Neighborhood demographics based on census tract data, including ethnicity and socioeconomic …
Understory Response To Restorative Thinning In Coast Redwood Forests, Alyssa Hanover
Understory Response To Restorative Thinning In Coast Redwood Forests, Alyssa Hanover
Master's Theses
Restoration of late seral features in second-growth Sequoia sempervirens forests is an important management concern, as so little of the original old-growth remains. The abundance of herbaceous species provides a metric for assessing recovery in these forests where associated understory plants are adapted to closed canopy conditions. Data were collected using a stratified random sampling design across three treatments: mechanically thinned second-growth, un-thinned second-growth, and old-growth reference stands. Pairwise PerMANOVA indicated greater abundance and diversity of native herbs in old-growth and un-thinned second-growth compared to thinned stands, as well as higher measures of canopy cover, basal area, and dominance of …
The Slow Creep Of Settler Colonialism: Exploring Water Control In Palestine, Lina Abu Akleh
The Slow Creep Of Settler Colonialism: Exploring Water Control In Palestine, Lina Abu Akleh
Master's Theses
This thesis analyzes the Israeli-Palestinian water issue using a settler colonial framework. It highlights the contributions made to this field under the often used framework of hydro-hegemony to understand water issues in Israel-Palestine. Using a settler colonial framework helps to better describe the issue and highlight the slow creep of settler colonialism over the years. It also helps to see beyond the power dynamics and its relationship to domination and consent to understand the realities that Palestinians face on the ground. In addition, this thesis will help build towards exploring resistance to water control under settler colonialism. Therefore, this thesis …
The Socio-Environmental Politics Surrounding The Commodification Of Guayusa In The Ecuadorian Amazon, Molly Silk
The Socio-Environmental Politics Surrounding The Commodification Of Guayusa In The Ecuadorian Amazon, Molly Silk
Master's Theses
Guayusa, a tree used for its leaves, that when dried, boiled, and consumed in tea form, acts as a natural stimulant due to its high levels of caffeine. Initially used among Kichwa people, the plant is thought to be a panacea with abilities to heal health complications such as infertility, headaches, and nausea. In addition, the Kichwa community holds an incredibly strong ritualistic and cultural connection to the tea. Guayusa is said to connect the person and community to the dream world through the process of gathering in the early hours of the morning to drink the tea, and decipher …
Summer Habitat Used By American Kestrels In Santa Clara County, California, Nicole Tomes
Summer Habitat Used By American Kestrels In Santa Clara County, California, Nicole Tomes
Master's Theses
Urbanization can be a primary source of the loss of native species populations by causing habitat loss, fragmentation and land conversion (Tilman et al., 2001; Krauss et al., 2010; Marzluff, 2001). Birds of prey, which are mid or top carnivores, are especially at risk from the loss of habitat that can occur on both the breeding and wintering grounds. Raptors can be considered environmental indicators of habitat degradation because of their small populations, low population densities, and high position in local food webs. This research investigated the habitat preference of the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) (kestrel), a widely distributed raptor, …
Comparing Levels Of Environmental Literacy Between Stars- And Non-Stars-Rated Universities, Analisa Kathleen Campos
Comparing Levels Of Environmental Literacy Between Stars- And Non-Stars-Rated Universities, Analisa Kathleen Campos
Master's Theses
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) is a program that measures university sustainability levels. STARS ranks university campuses based on the number of points received from individual specifications such as green buildings, access to mass transit, number of environmental courses, and more. Therefore, the rank a school receives translates directly to its level of sustainability as an institution. Currently, it is unknown if there is a relationship between a campus’s STARS-rating and individual students’ environmental literacy (EL). The purpose of this project was to analyze the impacts of university’s sustainable features on student EL. Surveys were administered to …
Climate-Driven Insect Herbivory In Mixed Coast Live Oak Woodlands Within The Mt. Hamilton Range, Santa Clara County, Michelle Domocol
Climate-Driven Insect Herbivory In Mixed Coast Live Oak Woodlands Within The Mt. Hamilton Range, Santa Clara County, Michelle Domocol
Master's Theses
Climate change is expected to dramatically alter and destabilize critical functions of oak woodlands (Quercus spp.) in California. Oak woodlands support hundreds of vertebrate species and thousands of native insect species. Climate-driven changes in annual temperature, annual rainfall, and spatial climatic variability may increase insect herbivore pressures on mixed coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) woodlands. The Mt. Hamilton Range of Santa Clara County, California offers a unique matrix to study oak-insect herbivore relationship using elevation as a proxy for climate change. This thesis research assessed the relationship between lepidopteran herbivory and coast live oak with insect surveys and the laboratory …
Relationship Between Habitat Variables And Leopard Shark (Triakis Semifasciata) Population Trends In The South San Francisco Estuary, Patrice Frazier
Relationship Between Habitat Variables And Leopard Shark (Triakis Semifasciata) Population Trends In The South San Francisco Estuary, Patrice Frazier
Master's Theses
The San Francisco Estuary (the Estuary) supports a diversity of native marine species, including the leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata). As the human population has increased in the Bay Area, elasmobranchs have simultaneously been subjected to habitat loss and changes in hydrology. On a large scale, global climate change is also affecting the Estuary's water quality. There is little research on the long-term population size of leopard sharks in the Estuary. Leopard shark catch data collected by the Marine Science Institute (MSI) and water quality data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) from 1998 to 2017 were analyzed to assess …
Extended Producer Responsibility And The Environmental Policy Implementation Process In California: A Case Study Of Paintcare, Justin Ian Weiss
Extended Producer Responsibility And The Environmental Policy Implementation Process In California: A Case Study Of Paintcare, Justin Ian Weiss
Master's Theses
Due to increasing volumes of certain types of waste and the cost of municipal waste management, California and local jurisdictions are pursuing legislation to engage manufacturers in the collection and disposal of the products they manufacture. These legislative frameworks take many forms, but many employ the “producer pays” principle commonly referred to as “extended producer responsibility” (EPR). These policies, which are more common in the European Union, are often contentious and difficult for U.S. governments to pursue, as targeted and influential industries resist policy implementation. The objective of this thesis was to better understand the reasons for the successful implementation …