Soil food webs process the majority of terrestrial carbon, and influence overall ecosystem function. A primary distinction among soil food webs is based on fungal versus bacterial pathways of decomposition; these lead to fundamentally different soil function, and are expected to differ in dominance between meadows and forests. This assumption...
Humans are increasing the scale and frequency of many natural disturbances, as well as adding novel disturbances to ecosystems. This thesis uses the arthropod community as a metric to examine the multi-trophic responses to disturbances in California grasslands. Chapter 2 explores how the long-term exclusion of native vertebrate herbivores has...
The present study characterized physiological responsivity during moral elevation, or elevation, a prosocial emotional state triggered by witnessing displays of altruism and moral beauty. Participants watched video stimuli that induced elevation, or amusement as a control condition, while heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), skin conductance responses (SCR), and...
Long-standing research has highlighted the critical role of physical and outdoor activities for children’s health and wellbeing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children and youth around the world experienced heightened stress and poor mental health, which coincided with a decrease in active play and increase in screen-based activities. This work aims...