Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Habitat Characteristics Or Protected Area Size: What Is More Important For The Composition And Diversity Of Mammals In Nonprotected Areas?, Wenbo Li, Jinhua Li, Peipei Yang, Bowen Li, Chao Liu, Lixing Sun

Biology Faculty Scholarship

The margins of protected areas are usually considered to have greater forest degradation, and given that most mammals live outside protected areas, researchers and conservation practitioners are increasingly recognizing that nonprotected areas must be incorporated into conservation strategy. However, the strategy used to manage these areas still involves increasing the size of protected areas, while not considering the habitat characteristics and requirements of the species. In this study, during a 3-year period, camera trap and habitat characteristic surveys were used to estimate composition, diversity, and habitat characteristics of mammals to determine habitat characteristics or increase the size of protected areas …

Sampling The Local Fare: Fishes At The Sam Israel House Pit (45gr76), Soap Lake, Washington, Adam Fruge

All Master's Theses

The Sam Israel site is a precontact archaeological complex with numerous fish bones at the north end of Soap Lake, Washington. Excavated in 1976, the fish remains recovered from there were never fully analyzed prior to this research. Since this inland Columbia Plateau site had thousands of fish bones, it contained untapped potential for our understanding of ancient local fish procurement. As such, I conducted a detailed analysis of 2,862 fish bone specimens from the Sam Israel House Pit locus to: study a larger sample of fish bones in greater detail than was done before; compare the distribution of fishes …

Ground-Truthing Social Vulnerability Indices Of Alaska Fishing Communities, Anna Lavoie, Kim Sparks, Stephen Kasperski, Amber Himes-Cornell, Kristin Hoelting, Conor Maguire

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Community vulnerability is increasingly evaluated through quantitative social indices, typically developed using secondary data sources rather than primary data collection. It is necessary to understand the validity of these indices if they will be used to inform policy and decision making. This paper presents a ground-truthing effort to validate quantitative indices that characterize the well-being of Alaska fishing communities. We utilized ethnographic data collected from 13 representative communities and a capital assets framework to ground-truth the indices, in which qualitative ranks of vulnerability were compared against quantitative indices. The majority (73.8%) of ranks were in complete or moderate agreement and …

Intertidal Habitat Utilization By Endangered Green Sturgeon (Acipenser Medirostris), Willapa Bay, Washington, Luke Stilwater

All Master's Theses

This study looks at a portion of the designated critical habitat for the threatened southern distinct population segment of green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) in Willapa Bay, Washington. Willapa Bay is an intermediate size (258.7mi2) estuary on the southwest coast of Washington State, approximately 30 miles north from the mouth of the Columbia River. Recent studies completed by the National Marine Fisheries Service have shown that significant aggregations of green sturgeon in Willapa Bay occur during the late summer months, and foraging activity for burrowing ghost shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis) is evidenced by small round feeding pits (30-60 cm diameter) in the …

Complex Interactive Effects Of Water Mold, Herbicide, And The Fungus Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis On Pacific Treefrog Hyliola Regilla Hosts, John M. Romansic, James E. Johnson, R. Steven Wagner, Rebecca H. Hill, Christopher A. Gaulke, Vance T. Vredenburg, Andrew R. Blaustein

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Infectious diseases pose a serious threat to global biodiversity. However, their ecological impacts are not independent of environmental conditions. For example, the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which has contributed to population declines and extinctions in many amphibian species, interacts with several environmental factors to influence its hosts, but potential interactions with other pathogens and environmental contaminants are understudied. We examined the combined effects of Bd, a water mold (Achlya sp.), and the herbicide Roundup® Regular (hereafter, Roundup®) on larval Pacific treefrog Hyliola regilla hosts. We employed a 2 wk, fully factorial laboratory experiment with 3 …

Modeling Sex-Specific Seasonal Habitat Selection For Elk (Cervus Elaphus) In Central Washington, Lewis Meyers

All Master's Theses

Elk (Cervus elaphus) are generalist herbivores, exploiting a variety of environments. I studied habitat selection and sexual segregation of the Colockum elk herd in central Washington. I used a resource selection probability function (RSPF) to evaluate habitat use by males and females during summer and winter seasons. I assisted Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in capturing and placing GPS collars on males, and used an existing GPS dataset from females to investigate the extent to which sexual segregation was occurring in the Colockum herd. During summer, males selected steep slopes on north, west and south …

Quantifying Channel Responses To The Removal Of The Glines Canyon Dam In The Middle Reach Of The Elwha River, Washington, Bryon J. Free

All Master's Theses

Four different study sites throughout the middle reach of the Elwha River were monitored before, during, and after the dam removal process over a period of two years from 2012-2014. The complexity of the river geometry was a major factor in the ability of the river to trap and accumulate the new influx of woody debris and sediment from the dam removal, which influenced the response of the river channel. The change that occurred was quantified by using repeat Terrestrial LiDAR (TLS), sediment distribution surveys, and large woody debris mapping techniques. The morphologic changes that occurred during this time were …

Provisioning And Its Effects On The Social Interactions Of Tibetan Macaques (Macaca Thibetana) At Mt. Huangshan, China, Brianna I. Schnepel

All Master's Theses

The dispersal patterns of food resources has a significant effect on the composition of primate groups and social interactions within those groups. Humans often alter the dispersal of food. Non-humans often use affiliative behaviors to elicit tolerance or support from other group members. I investigated whether provisioned food resources alter the social interactions and group dynamics of Macaca thibetana. All-occurrence sampling and scan sampling were used for data recorded by camera traps. Trail-cameras were placed at six locations that contain natural and human food resources and recorded 60-second videos. Social behavior and proximity of the monkeys were recorded. I …

The Elwha River Restoration: Landscape Change, Salmon, And Sense Of Place, Kelseyanne Johnson

All Master's Theses

Removal of the Elwha River dams to restore the ecosystem and salmon fisheries is the largest project of its kind in the history of the United States. Spanning decades and affecting generations, this project has changed and will continue to change the landscape. This research examined the influence of the anticipated return of salmon on 18 key stakeholders' sense of place of the Elwha River. For almost all stakeholders, changes to the Elwha landscape are welcomed as they expect that salmon will restore the ecosystem to its natural state. Narrative data revealed dominant themes in participants' sense of place expressed …

Evaluating The Utility Of Beaver Reintroduction Programs For Enhancing Habitat For Rainbow Trout And Steelhead, Jonathan Rodger Hegna

All Master's Theses

Beaver reintroduction programs are increasingly being viewed as a way to enhance salmonid habitat and production. However, the actual effectiveness of using beavers as a habitat enhancement tool for ESA listed steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss populations is unknown. We examined the type of habitat, at both the microhabitat and mesohabitat levels, preferred by steelhead in three small streams in the upper Yakima Basin, WA through standard snorkel surveys and habitat measurements. Our results suggest that steelhead in small streams strongly prefer (relative to availability) microhabitats that have deeper water(> 30 cm), slow stream velocities(< 0 .05 mis), and complex cover types. Habitat partitioning among the size-classes (small< 50 mm, medium 50-90 mm, large> 90 mm total length, TL) principally operated …

A Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Riparian Vegetation Along Satus Creek On The Yakama Indian Reservation, Kathryn Gellenbeck

All Master's Theses

Satus Creek provides critical habitat for the Yakima River Basin steelhead. A diverse community of riparian vegetation is important for healthy fish habitat; vegetation changes can affect shade, cover, channel structure, water quality, and food availability. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and illustrate riparian vegetation change, both temporally and spatially, along three separate reaches of Satus Creek. A Geographic Information Systems approach was applied to assess the vegetation change by comparing plant species composition and density on 1949 and 1995 aerial photographs. The GIS approach allowed patterns and trends in the vegetation to be identified. In less …

Impacts Of Irrigation Development On Anadromous Fish In The Yakima River Basin, Washington, Robert L. Tuck

All Master's Theses

Prior to Euroamerican development, the Yakima River Basin was a major producer of salmon. Total runs of approximately 800,000 have declined to 3,000-5,000, or less than 1% of original run size. Three species are extinct in the basin, including summer chinook, coho, and sockeye.

Irrigation development, including the construction of unscreened diversions, the blockage of spawning and rearing habitat by reservoir dams, and the dewatering of spawning and rearing habitat, began in the mid-1800's and today totals approximately 500,000 acres. Historical records provide a wealth of information documenting irrigation development and its consequences on anadromous fish populations.

A Study Of The Summer Steelhead, Oncorhynchus Mykiss In Several Intermittent Tributaries Of The Satus Creek Basin, Washington, Joel Denney Hubble

All Master's Theses

The summer steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss population was studied in three intermittent tributaries in the Satus Creek Basin. There was a strong tendency for post emergent fry, resulting from redds located in intermittent reaches to move downstream. However, survival to perennial flow conditions was very low. Steelhead production in Dry Creek appears to be lower than in Logy Creek, because of elevated water temperatures and minimal spring and summer stream flow.

Shellfish Resources Of Washington, Robert Grant Levens

Graduate Student Research Papers

This paper will explore the salt water shellfish resources of Washington State. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the Pacific and Olympia Oysters, the Dungeness Crab, the research being done at Quilcene, and the lesser varieties of shellfish, including shrimp and the hardshell species of clams. The latter includes the littleneck, butter, Manila, and geoduc clams. A major emphasis will be the commercial importance of the shellfish, but the sportsman and the expanding role of Washington as a summer recreation area will not be overlooked.

Range Sheep Industry In Kittitas County, Washington, Reginald M. Shaw

Geography Faculty Scholarship

This article summarizes the sheep industry in Kittitas County, Washington State as a microcosm of the entire Pacific Northwest sheep industry.