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Animal Science
This project will characterize the expression pattern of genes regulating food intake between congenic mouse strains prone to leanness and obesity.
Entomology
Using forensic DNA fingerprinting techniques, I will investigate the minimum threshold size of mosquito bloodmeals that allows for detection of complete profiles in seven loci of human DNA. DNA profiles will be compared to bloodmeal weight to determine if there is a positive correlation between the amount of blood imbibed and the success of amplification.
I will investigate the relationship between two closely related species of seed-harvesting ants in the genus Pheidole. Based on field collections at selected sites in California, Nevada and Oregon, I will assess the differences in ecology, behavior and morphology. This will be complemented by genetic analysis of the same collections, with the ultimate goal of revealing species and population level patterns.
Production of a set of ceramic art tiles, illustrating various scientific concepts about insects, an art and science collaborative approach to research and product.
Food Science & Technology
The purpose of this project is to study moisture redistribution in a food system by MRI. MRI has been used for monitoring moisture migration between foods and environment, but not for moisture redistribution within a food system. Using MRI, moisture distribution in food, SnackWell's devil's food cake in particular, stored in various lengths of time will be monitored. This will provide us new information about the mechanism of moisture transportation within food systems. Moisture redistribution is a major contributor to product quality loss.
This project will identify and quantify various carotenoids in yeast species from the Phaff Yeast Collection.
Human & Community Development
Replicate one study, plus examine two aspects of delayed versus "normal" preschoolers' fantasy play: (1) quality, (2) amount, origination, and type according to playmates' developmental statuses.
An ethnography of a Zambian wheelchair shop and its reliance on a San Francisco design firm. Asking, "Why doesn't the shop try the innovations that its own workers suggest?"
Land, Air & Water Resources
I will study whether in the illumination of nitrate will lead to the oxidation of bromide in seawater to produce reactive gaseous bromine. In order to gain some insight into mechanism for this reaction and how it is affected by varying environmental conditions, I will study the dependence of temperature, initial bromide and chloride concentrations and time on the reaction rate.
I will examine the spatial and temporal variation of temperature, carbon dioxide evolution, C:N ratio, pH, and redox potential (Eh) for three composting methods. I am proposing that a tarped passively aerated composting method will be an efficient low in-put alternative to the traditional turned method of composting.
Landscape Architecture
A garden design for an Elementary School will be developed. The ultimate goal is to complete a Master Plan that may be implemented over a period of time, as funding becomes available. The Master Plan will be designed using community participation methods, which involves obtaining input from the faculty, children and the community. The student population and community are ethnically diverse, with many language differences.
For my senior project in the landscape Architecture Department, I will design a wildlife park for bears and other native wildlife in Juneau, Alaska. I will incorporate tourism, educational programs, and wildlife habitat requirements into the final park design.
Most people in the profession of landscape design create and apply new theories of sustainability but rarely have time to do case studies or post occupancy evaluations of how successful their projects have actually been. In this research project I will interview successful sustainable landscape architects and designers in the SF Bay Area to identify the most successfully examples of sustainable landscape design in the SF Bay Area. I will create a typology of these projects, and the five sites that are named most frequently will be the subjects for case studies. I will interview the residents and designers to find out how successful they think the project has been over time according to a set of seven variables. From the findings of these case studies I will propose the best ways to implement these design ideas for best success on future projects in the Bay Area. To inform the profession about how they can make their projects more sustainable, I will make fact sheets, a map of how to get to these sites, and a checklist of the major principles of ecological design to include in projects.
Kids and Carrots shall create and evaluate a school garden for an underprivileged elementary school. Goals include introducing students to ecological concepts and nutritional awareness.
Nematology
To compare nematode assembages of organic and conventional coffee plantations of Monteverde region, Costa Rica between Fall 2003 and Fall 2004.
Nutrition
The specific goal of this research project is to elucidate the role of ghrelin, a peptide hormone, in the orexigenic pathway. The information obtained from this experiment will potentially lead to the design of therapeutic drugs for not only obesity but also for anorexia and cachexia.
Plant Pathology
Molecular student of A. rhizogenes K84 and its effectiveness as a biocontrol against California A. tumefaciens strains.
Plant Sciences
Genes that potentially have a role in abscission zone signaling in Mirabilis jalapa have been identified in Professor Michael Reid's lab. However, the lab only has partial fragments of these gene transcripts, due to the procedure used to isolate them. My job will be to use a PCR-based procedure called RACE (Rapidly Amplified cDNA Ends) to generate the complete sequence of these transcripts. Then, if time permits, I will use a Genomic Walker kit to amplify the promoter regions of the genes that, by Northern analysis, have been shown to be specific to the abscission zone region.
This project involves the design, planting, and care of native hedgerow in the Student Farm Market garden.
To understand the role of the community garden in urban & suburban neighborhoods across the USA through a comparative field study spanning 1 1/2 to 2 months.
The goal of the project is to identify the specific role of a class of glycoproteins called arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), found to be abundant in the early stages of root nodule formation. The objectives include 1) testing the effects of a gradient of exogenous AGP concentration on nodulation development, and 2) to isolate and purify the AGPs found in soybean root nodules and to test the effects on nodulation when applied exogenously.
A study on the effects of nitrogen pollution from I-80 on three different root nodule symbioses at three sites along a nitrogen concentration gradient.
Map gene homologs from Arabidopsis thaliana determined to be part of the photoperiod pathway and light reception to common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) linkage map.
Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology
I will examine the adaptive function of coloration in Artiodactyla, for example the reasons that some species have evolved white rump patches or striped coats. I will score the presence or absence of color patterns on different parts of the body and across species and relate these to environmental variables, such as living in deserts or living in groups. To control for shared ancestry, I will apply new phylogenetic comparative methods to the data set in order to see whether the associations are an artifact of phylogeny or not. My results will use systematic and quantitative methods to show why hoofed animals have different coat colors and patterns, and whether there are single or multiple functions for these coat variations.
I have undertaken a study in the hopes of gathering information about the life history and adaptations of the western gray squirrel in California, particularly at Quail Ridge.
I intend to examine incubation behavior of Wood Ducks in relation to microclimate. I predict that the warmer the microclimate is within a nest boxes the less total time a female Wood Duck will spend on the next during incubation. I also predict that the energy cost of incubation will be lower in a warmer microclimate thereby allowing the female to lay more eggs and have a higher success rate. I will test these hypotheses by placing data loggers in nest boxes with incubating females. The data loggers will record the ambient temperature in the box and the temperature of the incubating eggs. the rise and fall of the temperature of the incubating eggs will be used to determine when a female has come onto a nest and when she has left a nest.
I will use stable isotope analysis to temporally analyze the tissues of organisms in the aquatic and terrestrial food webs on the Cosumnes River revealing a terrestrial insect input consumed by trout in the aquatic food web.
This project involves assessing the diversity and abundance of birds at the Howard Ranch. Once the bird community is sufficiently understood, surrogate species will be identified and monitored to determine the role of venal pools in the abundance of facultative and obligate grassland bird species. Method of monitoring include a combination of line transects and point counts.
My project will examine the genetic effects of natural fluctuation and human manipulation of wood duck populations in California. Specifically, the study will look at the degree of genetic variability in wood ducks as a function of population dynamics and nest box densities.
DNA microsatellite technology will be used to assess the degree of relatedness among male groups of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) within a population at Citrona Farms. Observational studies will elucidate dominance hierarchies established during the winter and early spring. Data will be applied to the questions of whether male bands are composed of siblings that display together, and whether kin selection may be integral in the reproductive behavior of this gallinaceous species.
In Costa Rica, Central America, I plan to determine what senses (smell, vision and echolocation) bats use to locate livestock.