Life Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Range-Wide Occupancy And Survey Methods For The Giant Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys Ingens), Alyssa E. Semerdjian

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Though habitat suitability and occupancy are often correlated, they cannot always be inferred from each other. Therefore, a solid understanding of both is essential to effectively manage species. Recent studies have assessed range-wide habitat suitability for the giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens; GKR), but data regarding occupancy is lacking in parts of its distribution. Satellite and aerial imagery were used to identify GKR burrows across their known range, producing a range-wide occupancy map and non-invasive survey methods including track plates, manned flight, unmanned aerial vehicle, and sign surveys were conducted to determine effective methods for monitoring GKR occupancy. …

Analysis Of Aboral Spine Variation In The Forcipulate Sea Star, Pisaster Ochraceus (Brandt 1835), Angela Jordane Jones

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Rocky intertidal zones are highly dynamic environments that exhibit substantial spatial and temporal variation in abiotic conditions, which can drive body form variation and energy allocation within calcifying species. Wave exposure, specifically, has been shown to be a significant driver of skeletal and structural morphology in organisms including gastropods, bivalves, and sponges. Many of such organisms, from sponges to echinoderms, rely on calcium carbonate for structural support and protection.

In the phylum Echinodermata (named for possessing a ‘spiny skin’), research on the form and function of calcium carbonate spines is largely relegated to Class Echinodea (e.g., urchins and sand dollars) …

Long-Term Effectiveness Of Fuel Treatments In Oak And Chaparral Stands Of Northern California, Caroline Ann Martorano

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Fuel reduction treatments are broadly implemented to reduce the risk of extreme wildfire. Yet, research on the long-term effectiveness and ecological consequences among these treatments is lacking. In this study, I examined short- and long-term changes in fuels and understory vegetation after treatment in chaparral and oak-dominated stands of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Treatments included mastication and spring burning, spring burning only, mastication only, and hand-thinning. Treatments were applied randomly to 1 to 2 units within each of 10 blocks. Two plots were established in each treatment unit and fuel and vegetation data was collected and analyzed at the block …

The Effect Of Yoga On The Total Number Of Off-Task Behaviors For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ashley N. Jovick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability. Signs will usually appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a ‘spectrum condition’ that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. Two major behaviors associated with ASD are poor motor skills and sensory activities.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation is to examine the effectiveness of yoga on reducing off-task behaviors in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

METHODS: Off-task behavior data will be taken in Baseline and Intervention Phases. Video analysis …

Childhood And Trauma: The Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On The Brain, Behavior, And Learning In The Elementary School Classroom, Aeryn Aguilar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A variety of studies have been conducted on how trauma, caused by emotional, physical, or verbal abuse, impact children’s lives. Many of the studies which involved observations and assessments were done with the preexisting knowledge that these children had been through a traumatic experience. Instead of looking at behavior of known cases, this study’s goal is to find out whether or not children’s observable behaviors can predict cases of trauma. For example, is acting out or defiance a key sign of trauma or is it part of the typical development for the elementary school-age group? This thesis takes into account …

The Effect Of Manipulating Vertical Motion On Running Economy, Claire Copriviza

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

While several biomechanical factors have been identified as key determinants of running economy (i.e. metabolic cost), the influence of individual mechanical factors such as center of mass vertical motion (ΔCoM_z) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine how manipulating ΔCoM_z effects running economy. Twelve runners used a visual biofeedback system to control their ΔCoM_z during running as we measured the metabolic, kinematic, and muscle activation responses to the different levels of ΔCoM_z. Running economy was strongly correlated to ΔCoM_z and was optimized at an intermediate center of mass vertical motion …

The Effect Of Interval Intensity On Time To Exhaustion During High Intensity Interval Training (Hiit) Running In Recreational Male Runners, Andrew M. Hahn

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become extremely popular in recent years, however, current HIIT prescriptions lack guidelines regarding interval intensities and associated margins. The purpose of this study is to investigate Run Time to Exhaustion (Te) and provide insight regarding HIIT intensities for future aerobic exercise programming. Ten healthy adult male recreational runners (Age=22.9 ± 2.5 yr., Ht=1.72 ± 0.1m, BM=74.1 ± 7.4 kg) measured maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) (52.4 ± 6.1ml/kg/min) with a graded exercise test (GXT). Running speed was determined using ACSM running equation for exercise metabolism. Protocols 1-3 were HIIT running sessions, and Protocol 4 was …

The Effects Of Circuit Training On Decreasing Off-Task Behaviors For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Juan C. Hernandez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the fastest growing developmental disability according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevalence shows that 1 in 59 children are born with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and having this population engage in physical activity will reduce off-task behavior. The purpose of this study is to determine the benefits of circuit training on decreasing off-task behavior while improving health for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and encourage parents, teachers, and specialist to incorporate similar drills, activities, and exercises with the ASD population. In this study, a special education high school teacher and APE instructor will …

Distribution Of Sea Star Wasting Disease Symptoms In Pisaster Ochraceus In The Rocky Intertidal Zone, Jana N. Litt

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Beginning in 2013, many species of sea stars (phylum Echinodermata) along the Pacific coast experienced severe mortality due to sea star wasting disease (SSWD). The ochre sea star, Pisaster ochraceus, experienced one of the highest mortality rates during this outbreak. To test the hypothesis that the intertidal distribution of ochre sea stars influences the incidence and progression of SSWD symptoms, I documented the occurrence of symptoms and survivorship in adult and juvenile stars in the upper and lower portions of the mid-intertidal zone. I also chronicled the progression of SSWD symptoms among individually tagged adult stars to assess changes in …

Effects Of A Race Timer On The Three Minute All-Out Test For Critical Power, Paul K. Mandell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Maximal exercise testing is commonly employed by exercise scientists in order to assess an athlete's’ capabilities and inform future training goals and tactics. The Critical Power (CP) concept provides a novel perspective on the physiological capacity of an individual to perform work. The 3 Minute All-Out Test (3MT) for critical power was developed by Vanhatalo, Doust, & Burnley in 2006. Concerns about pacing during the test lead to the development of protocol which blinds participants to time during the test. Twelve healthy active males were recruited to participate in the current study on the effects of a race timer on …

Targeting Social Cohesion In Female Roosevelt Elk (Cervus Canadensis Roosevelti) Groups Minimizes Survey Efforts For Fecal Dna Capture-Recapture Estimates Of Abundance, Rudolph Gabriel Mena

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Group size abundance estimates of Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, California have largely been inferred through visual counts. However immigration and emigration, the inability to sight elk behind viewing obstructions, and a lack of individual identifiers makes precise and accurate estimates difficult to obtain. Using DNA collected through fecal samples left by elk groups can aid in addressing these difficulties. I tested the hypothesis that GPS (Global Positioning System) collar data from adult female elk could indicate discrete site use locations of their social groups, which in turn yield sufficient sample sizes …

Converting Coast Redwood/Douglas-Fir Forests To Multiaged Management: Residual Stand Damage, Tree Growth, And Regeneration, Robert Thomas Muma

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

There is increased interest in multiaged management as a silvicultural and restoration tool in redwood forests of California. The effect of varying residual densities and spatial arrangements on residual stand damage, tree growth and regeneration was studied in a multicohort silviculture experiment on Jackson Demonstration State Forest. Four treatments varying in residual stand density or spatial arrangement were replicated at four sites. The experiment provided 4-year periodic growth measurements of residual trees and annual measurements of redwood and tanoak sprout height increments. Residual trees were more likely to sustain bole scarring when retained at higher densities. Crown damage was more …

Host-Plant Specialization And Nesting Biology Of Anthidium Placitum (Megachilidae) In Northwest California, Christopher Pow

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Premise of the study: Although the study of bees and their pollination services has grown immensely in recent years, the natural history of most solitary bee species is still largely unknown. The goal of this study was to contribute to the natural history dossier of a late-season wool carder bee, Anthidium placitum Cresson (Megachilidae), by establishing which plants it uses as sources of nectar and pollen as well as documenting details of its flower-handling behavior, mating behavior, and nesting biology in northwestern California.

• Methods: Field observations were made at five sites in Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties. …

Application Of The Predicted Repetitions-To-Failure Perceived Exertion Scale For The Nfl-225lb Bench Press Test, Anthony G. Ratto

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

PURPOSE: To assess how accurately Division II NCAA football players can predict repetitions-to-failure (RTF) during the bench press exercise using an absolute load of 225-lbs by comparing predicted repetitions-to-failure with actual repetitions-to-failure. METHODS: Twenty football players (age 20 ± 2 years; height 1.85 ± .06 m; weight 110.1 ± 19.3 kg) without muscular or skeletal injuries were tested for their 1repetition maximum (1-RM) in the bench press, and then performed 1 set to concentric failure with 225-lbs. Subjects predicted how many repetitions they could perform after the warm-up and again after the fourth, eighth, twelfth repetitions. A general regression analysis …

Evaluation Of Restoration Techniques And Management Practices Of Tule Pertaining To Eco-Cultural Use, Irene A. Vasquez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Tule (Schoenoplectus sp.) is a native plant commonly used by California tribes and Indigenous people throughout the world (Macía & Balslev 2000). Ecological, social and regulatory threats to its use in contemporary Indigenous culture highlight major issues concerning natural resource management. My ancestral homeland, what is now Yosemite National Park, stands as a figurehead in the intersection of land management and Indigenous peoples. An important element of Traditional Ecological Management (TEM) for quality basketry materials is prescribed fire, an element western science is increasingly acknowledging for creating a more biodiverse and heterogeneous landscape. This research was conducted in Mariposa and …

Exercise And The Effects Of Off-Task Time Behavior During Academic Time Among Children With Disabilities, Morgan L. Wood

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

BACKGROUND: Physical activity participation has decreased, especially for the special education community. With no time for exercise, or the proper exercise, on task time for children with intellectual disabilities can be a very challenging time.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a physical activity program (i.e., yoga) on the total number of off-task behaviors and total time on-task for children with I.D. during their academic period.

METHODS: On task time data will be collected during control and experimental sessions. Statistical analysis will be conducted to determine if exercise before instructional time effects on task …

A Time- And State-Based Approach To Estimate Winter Movement And Survival Of Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Freshwater Creek, California, Nicholas Paul Van Vleet

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Accounting for life history diversity and overwinter survival of juvenile Coho Salmon is important to inform restoration and recovery efforts for this threatened species. Multiple seaward migration patterns of Coho Salmon have been identified, including spring fry migrants, fall and winter parr migrants, and spring smolt migrants. Previous studies have indicated that spring smolt migrants have low overwinter survival rates while they are rearing in upstream habitats, suggesting that freshwater overwinter survival may be one factor that limits smolt production. However, previous research did not account for the early emigration of fall and winter parr migrants from the study area, …

Freshwater And Marine Survival Of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) As A Function Of Juvenile Life History, Grace Katherine Ghrist

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in coastal California streams exhibit various life history strategies during their freshwater development. One strategy of interest to managers and conservationists is the early migrant. Juvenile early migrants emigrate from natal habitat into lower parts of the watershed or estuary during their first fall or winter, where they rear before migration to the ocean. By contrast, the more prevalent spring migrant resides in natal reaches over the winter and migrates directly to the ocean the following spring. Salmon monitoring programs generally estimate juvenile production and demographic rates using only spring migrants, and these …

Effects Of Longline Oyster Aquaculture On Benthic Invertebrate Communities In Humboldt Bay, California, Hannah C. Coe

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Oyster aquaculture has had a commercial presence in Humboldt Bay for nearly 60 years and has experienced changes in scope and methodology as the industry has grown. The traditional method of bottom-culture oyster beds has been phased out, with longline oyster aquaculture becoming the common replacement. However, this transition has preceded much of the research regarding potential impacts to the broader ecosystem. The benthic invertebrate community of Humboldt Bay is a vital food source for many commercially important fishes, as well as for the many shorebirds that utilize Humboldt Bay. The importance of the invertebrate community to the ecosystem highlights …

Shade Trees Preserve Avian Insectivore Biodiversity On Coffee Farms In A Warming Climate, Sarah L. Schooler

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Coffee is an important export in many developing countries, with a global annual trade value of $100 billion. Climate change is projected to drastically reduce the area where coffee is able to be grown. Shade trees may mitigate the effects of climate change through temperature regulation for coffee growth, temperature regulation for pest control, and increase in pest-eating bird diversity. The impact of shade on bird diversity and microclimate on coffee farms has been studied extensively in the Neotropics, but there is a dearth of research in the Paleotropics. I examined the local effects of shade on bird presence and …

Achromatic Plumage Patch Quality: Internal Organ And Skeletal Correlates In Aleutian Cackling Geese (Branta Hutchinsii Leucopareia), Matthew D. Delgado

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Sexual selection theory predicts unique plumage patches signaling quality or status evolve via mate-choice and competition for mates. A growing body of research supports evidence that achromatic plumage patches may act as honest indicators of quality. Irregularities in these patches are attributed to an individual’s phenotypic and genotypic quality as well as environmental wear and tear. Aleutian cackling geese (Branta hutchinsii leucopareia) display achromatic plumage patches on their heads and necks, which may signal information about an individual’s attributes. I tested the honest advertisement and status signaling hypotheses by determining whether size and irregularities in the transition between …

Competition, Climate, And Drought Effects On Tree Growth In An Encroached Oak Woodland In Northern California, Jill J. Beckmann

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana Douglas ex Hook.) is experiencing increasing competition from Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) across its range at the same time as climate models are predicting increasing climate variability, including drought. Management recommendations that consider competition dynamics between these species under a changing climate are therefore needed for oak woodlands, but we do not currently understand the combined effects of competition, climate, and drought in this ecosystem. This research examines radial tree growth and drought response in Oregon white oak and Douglas fir in an encroached oak woodland near Kneeland, California. Stem maps …

Contribution Of Juvenile Estuarine Residency In A Bar-Built Estuary To Recruitment Of Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha), Emily Katherine Chen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Estuaries are commonly touted as nurseries for out-migrating salmonids, providing higher prey availability than streams, a physiological transition zone, and refugee from marine predators. Yet the diversity of estuaries makes it difficult to generalize the effect they have on salmonid recruitment. In bar-built estuaries, sandbars form at the mouth of rivers during periods of low flow, closing access to the ocean and disrupting outmigration. In this thesis, I evaluated how residency in a bar-built estuary affects the growth, survival, and ultimately recruitment of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Redwood Creek, California. I conducted a mark-recapture experiment on out-migrating …

Response Of Headwater Amphibians To Long-Term Logging Impacts And Assessing Potential For Restoration In Redwood National And State Parks, Alyssa Marquez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The timescale of community response to disturbance varies drastically, and slow-recovering ecosystems such as coastal redwood forests may take hundreds of years to return to old-growth conditions post-logging. Few studies have quantified long-term (>50 years) impacts of disturbance on ecosystems, specifically aquatic ecosystems. This study provides evidence of the persistence of historical logging impacts 50 years post-logging through the comparison of headwater amphibian populations (occupancy and abundance) and stream characteristics using a control-treatment study with a logged watershed, Streelow Creek, as the treatment and a pristine old-growth watershed, Godwood Creek, as the control. The immediately adjacent old-growth watershed acts …

Estimating Space Sharing Between Seabird, Pinniped, And Human Use In The Northern California Coast, Claire Marie Nasr

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Rocky coastlines incur high impacts from human use, but these places are also essential habitat for marine wildlife including seabirds and pinnipeds (seals and sea lions). Marine wildlife use coastal rocks to breed, rest, and engage in social interaction and exhibit different habitat use during the breeding and non-breeding season. Peak timing of human use occurs in spring summer, coinciding with breeding seasons for colonial seabirds and gregarious pinnipeds. The high potential of spatial and temporal overlap between human and seabird use of rocky coastlines could lead to high risk of disturbance events. I investigated the relative risk of disturbance …

Density And Distribution Of Piscivorous Fishes In The Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta, Christopher M. Loomis

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Predatory fishes, including numerous introduced species, are common to the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta, but abundance data for most species is insufficient to determine the Delta-wide distribution and ecological impacts of these species. Predatory fishes (e.g. Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass have long been suspected of contributing to the decline of native species, including salmonids, but data has been insufficient to investigate this hypothesis. In this study, I present a novel method to assess predator fish populations across the southern Delta using DIDSON acoustic cameras and analyze the environmental associations that form the landscape and fine-scale distribution of predatory fishes. …

Using Environmental Dna And Occupancy Modeling To Estimate Rangewide Metapopulation Dynamics Of The Endangered Tidewater Goby Eucyclogobius Spp., Chad M. Martel

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Conservation of species is most effective when metapopulation dynamics are well understood and incorporated into management plans, allowing managers to target conservation efforts where they will be most effective. The development of environmental DNA (eDNA) methods provides an efficient and highly sensitive approach to generate presence and absence data needed to elucidate metapopulation dynamics. Combining sample detection histories from eDNA surveys with occupancy models that account for non-detection can offer unbiased estimates of rangewide metapopulation dynamics. However, traditional occupancy models do not allow direct evaluation of the drivers of site occupancy, extinction, and colonization. Herein, I utilize a novel dynamic …

Life History Of The Coastal Tailed Frog (Ascaphus Truei) Across An Elevational Gradient, Adrian Daniel Macedo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The life history of a species is described in terms of its growth, longevity, and reproduction. Unsurprisingly, life history traits are known to vary in many taxa across environmental gradients. In the case of amphibians, species at high elevations and latitudes tend to have shorter breeding seasons, shorter activity periods, longer larval periods, reach sexual maturity at older ages, and produce fewer and larger clutches per year.

The Coastal Tailed Frog (Ascaphus truei) is an ideal species for the study of geographic variation in life history because it ranges across most of the Pacific Northwest from northern California …

Overwinter Survival And Movement Of Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Relation To Large Woody Debris And Low-Velocity Habitat In Northern California Streams, John D. Deibner-Hanson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Some studies suggest that Coho Salmon populations are limited by overwinter survival as a result of insufficient winter habitat. While many small-scale projects aim to define reach and basin-level habitat requirements for Coho Salmon, large-scale studies that assess multiple independent populations remain few. For my research, I quantified large woody debris (LWD) by volume and low-velocity rearing habitat (LVH) as percent area in three coastal watersheds of similar size in northern California to untangle the relationships between Coho Salmon overwinter survival, emigration timing and specific winter habitats. I used mark-recapture techniques with PIT tags to formulate Cormack-Jolly-Seber models for each …

Physical Therapist Views And Experiences With Patient Use Of Marijuana, Arturo De La O Basurto Jr.

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Conditions seen within physical therapy settings overlap with reasons that patients seek marijuana. For this reason, information about these professionals’ outlooks on patients’ marijuana use in prime. Purpose: Gain current views and experiences of physical therapists (PTs)/physical therapist assistants (PTAs) on their patients’ use of marijuana in the physical therapy field. Methods: PTs/PTAs were invited to complete an anonymous survey asking relative PT/PTA views, experiences, and understanding of patients’ marijuana use. Results: PTs/PTAs who have had experience (did not have experience) with patients who use marijuana received information about marijuana from news media - 61% (60%), patients …