Community forestry is a decentralized form of forest governance that is widely promoted around the world. In the United States, community forestry is growing as a form of forest management, and exists across a range of ownership and governance models, all with different levels of community participation and access to...
One of the most economically important genes in squash (Cucurbita spp.) is the B gene which conditions precocious depletion of chlorophyll in preanthesis fruit. The B genes are found naturally occurring in at least three of the five domesticated species of Cucurbita, including C. pepo, C. maxima and, most recently...
I conducted a field study using gray wolf and mountain lion urine to investigate white-tailed deer and mesopredator behavioral responses to novel predator cues in a natural setting and to see if any changes in wildlife activity correspond to changes in the local biodiversity of a wetland environment. I created...
Pregnant people have been criminalized for their pregnancy outcomes even after Roe v Wade established some rights to reproductive autonomy. Fetal personhood theory, changing societal conceptions of motherhood, and existing racial and class-based biases have fueled an increasing and complex patchwork of punitive policies and interpretations. This study analyzed 35...
Streams across the western United States are impaired from human alterations that have reduced freshwater habitat by simplifying channel complexity and disconnecting floodplains (Knox et al., 2022; Waples et al., 2008; Wohl, 2014). Climate change is likely to continue exacerbating these risks by warming summer surface stream temperatures (Crozier et...
The Andrews Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site has a long-term partnership with the University of Oregon Environmental Leadership Program (ELP), providing service-learning opportunities for undergraduate students to facilitate field trips for middle school students to the Andrews LTER site. Undergraduate students develop field trip lessons based on Andrews Forest...
The ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) is a small, nocturnal, meso-carnivore that occupies mid-elevation forests in the southwest portion of Oregon. Ringtail are fully protected within Oregon, but a species of conservation concern as they may be vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation. Limited data exists regarding ringtail ecology in forested ecosystems,...
Long-term, large-scale studies of meta-ecosystems provide critical information about how global change influences communities. In my dissertation, I analyzed data from studies encompassing 18 years (2006 – 2023) and over 1,000 km of coastline to investigate drivers of rocky intertidal community structure and dynamics. Specifically, I explored the roles of...
This paper identifies 51 best practices of interpretive programming in relation to the topic of climate change and applies those practices to interpretive programs delivered by Natural Lands, a Pennsylvania environmental non-profit organization, and specifically at the Glades Wildlife Refuge, one of Natural Lands’ nature preserves. The best practices are...
Among the candidates for the next generation of nuclear power plant is the high temperature gas reactor (HTGR). Since the HTGR does not have the same operational history as water cooled reactors do in the United States, investigation into the response of different accident phenomena is still an active area...
Modulation assistance is widely employed to improve chip management in turning. This process is also known as modulated turning. Modulated turning transforms continuous cutting into intermittent cutting by periodically disengaging the tool tip from the workpiece, resulting in the generation of short, easily managed chips. This novel method improves the...
Nanoscale Instrumented Indentation Testing (IIT) is a material characterization technique that is used to determine mechanical properties. The size effects present at this scale make it difficult to expand findings to a bulk scale. Modeling can be used to bridge this gap and better understand nanoscale IIT and the size...
Keywords: Marine protected areas (MPAs) are used in ecosystem-based management (EBM) to increase the abundance and biomass of targeted species and protect their ecosystems by restricting certain human activities. Marine reserves (i.e. no-take MPAs) aim to achieve this by prohibiting harvest in the area. While MPAs are currently evaluated through...
Keywords: cabezon; Scorpaenichthys marmoratus; recruitment; recruitment rate; otolith asymmetry; larval fish mortality; developmental success; survivorship; time-series; SMURF; Standard Monitoring Units for the Recruitment of Fishes; sea surface temperature; SST
Keywords: Rockfishes (Sebastes) are important species for commercial and recreational fishing, as well as evolutionary and ecological research. It can be impractical to identify the sex of rockfishes using visual identification or lethal dissection, and the sex-determination systems of these species have not been studied extensively. The aim of this...
Salt-encrusted flats, or Sabkha, are common in arid and semi-arid regions worldwide, including coastal and inland areas. Due to their low shear strength and high compressibility, these soils are often unsuitable for supporting infrastructure or structures. The unique salt content of sabkha formations sets them apart from other soil types....
Keywords: Dungeness crab (Cancermagister) is an important commercial species along the west coast of North America, and its population dynamics are highly influenced by interactions between environmental variability and early life history distribution. However, the distribution of the early larvae stages of Dungeness crab offshore is poorly known. To fill...
Keywords: common murre; Uria aalge; nestling; colony; Northern California Current System; nCCS; diet; prey; northern anchovy; Engraulis mordax; rockfish; Sebastes; Pacific sand lance; Ammodytes hexapterus; smelt; Osmeridae; opportunistic foraging; Triangle Island, British Columbia; Tatoosh Island, Washington; Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Oregon; Devil's Slide Rock, California; Castle Rock National Wildlife...
Keywords: humpback whales; feeding grounds; genetics; breeding group; Distinct Population Segments; DPS; DNA profiles; Monterey, California; Central America DPS; Megaptera novaeangliae; genotyping; microsatellite; population
Keywords: Steelhead; Oncorhyncus mykiss; Willapa Bay, Washington; Columbia River, Oregon; Cape Meares, Oregon; otoliths; offshore; otolith analysis; ocean residence; adipose clip; freshwater residence; life history
Keywords: Chinook Salmon; Oncorhynchus tshawytsha; genetics; Sacramento River, California; San Joaquin River, California; CRY; BMAL; stock assessment; Fall run; Central Valley, California; Winter run; microsatellite
Keywords: light; temperature gradient; larval fish behavior; Arctic cod; walleye pollock; Boreogadus saida; Gadus chalcogramma; vertical migration; thermocline; early life stages
Aquaculture is a continuously growing industry, but rising problems are disease and antibiotic resistance. A common disease-causing pathogen in oyster aquaculture is Vibrio coralliilyticus(Vcor).Vcorinfection of oyster larvae causes near 100% mortality within 48 hours, which is devastating to oyster hatcheries. One potential method of controlling Vcoroutbreaks in hatcheries is with...
Keywords: Oregon Marine Reserves; species richness; community composition; abundance; baited video landers; video landers; nearshore; monitoring; Otter Rock Marine Reserve, Oregon; Cape Foulweather Comparison Area, Oregon; Seal Rock, Oregon