The Caltrans Saratoga Creek Bridge Replacement Project is an example innovative off-site biological mitigation within a densely vegetated riparian corridor. Due to limited right-of-way, onsite planting was not feasible to meet mitigation needs. Outreach to multiple local entities yielded no suitable off-site options until Sanborn County Parks identified a need for forest health enhancement instead of traditional tree planting. This led to a watershed enhancement plan that included hardscape removal and culvert remediation to meet water quality standards, alongside a tree thinning and fuels reduction project covering approximately 32 acres. Working closely with regulatory agencies, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the project creatively bundled mitigation strategies and developed a novel "1 acre per tree" mitigation approach. The project involved successful partnerships with other state and local agencies and demonstrates the potential of innovative mitigation approaches to balance regulatory compliance with significant ecological benefits.

Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) are a charismatic yet invasive species, initially introduced to urban areas on the East Coast for their aesthetic appeal. These territorial and aggressive birds threaten other waterfowl, native wildlife, and human recreationists. Native vegetation and water quality is also impacted by their overgrazing and uprooting of aquatic plants. As Mute Swans expand westward and populations become naturalized, they consistently prove to be pests requiring management or eradication. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has classified the Mute Swan as an invasive species, yet little is known about the species distribution and ecology in California, and their spread remains unchecked in the state. In this study, we document the geographical expansion, locate known breeding populations, and characterize habitats preferred by Mute Swans in California using data from our research, coupled with iNaturalist and eBird citizen science data. Mute Swans were first documented using those platforms in California in Los Angeles in 1951. Today, this invasive species has spread to 47 of the state’s 58 counties (81%), with potential breeding activity documented in 22 counties (38%). These data will help inform future management practices by wildlife management agencies.

Climate change, fire suppression, and human-caused ignition have led to an increasing trend in large wildfire frequency and area burned in the western United States. With these changes in wildfire trends there is a need to study the long term effects of wildfire, especially their impact on freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Wildfire is known to release metals from the environment which poses negative ecological and toxicological implications for aquatic organisms when they are washed into streams. Metals from this runoff may accumulate in the tissues of aquatic organisms where they may persist in the food web. This study will use historical samples collected from three streams before and after the 2021 Dixie fire in Northern California to investigate the long-term effects of wildfire on aquatic invertebrates. Contamination of freshwater systems poses serious ecotoxicological health hazards to aquatic biota and stream integrity as metals become bioavailable and bioaccumulate. This study will provide insight into potential metal accumulation and persistence in aquatic invertebrates following wildfire, and how these organisms could serve as bioindicators for restoration and mitigation efforts in fire-disrupted freshwater ecosystems. Metal analysis has been conducted using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry and I will share some preliminary data.

Expansion of human enterprise has contributed to increased interactions between common ravens (Corvus corax; ravens) and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse), a species of high conservation concern. Sage-grouse population trends are estimated using count survey data of males attending traditional breeding grounds, known as leks. We sought to investigate associations of ravens to sage-grouse lek sites and to document interactions between sage-grouse and ravens as well as those between sage-grouse and other animals observed around leks. First, we used extensive raven point counts and sage-grouse lek observation data collected across the Great Basin, from 2009–2019 to evaluate spatial associations between ravens and sage-grouse leks. Second, we used a subset of the lek dataset from 2006–2019 to describe behavioral changes of male sage-grouse in the presence of ravens and other animals. Our analyses indicated that ravens were attracted to lek sites, especially as leks increased in size, and were associated with flush events and decreased display behaviors exhibited by lekking sage-grouse. These results suggest ravens may adversely influence sage-grouse reproduction during the lekking stage. Additionally, standardized techniques to count sage-grouse leks for population trend analyses could be negatively biased if raven presence during surveys is not accounted for.

Standardized, distributed remote monitoring approaches have become a powerful tool for collecting and sharing large amounts of reliable information about trends in wildlife distribution, abundance, and behavior. Here, we will describe efforts by a team of students and mentors at Cal Poly - SLO to establish a long-term monitoring site at Chorro Creek Ecological Reserve in western SLO County. Our approach integrates with the CDFW Sentinel Site Network and Snapshot USA, allowing students to learn contemporary field and data processing techniques using camera traps and acoustic recorders for both bats and birds, as well as access data from large-scale monitoring efforts. This project also allowed for evaluating wildlife response to a controlled burn using a BACI design, and provides opportunities for evaluating other future management efforts in an adaptive framework.

Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizards (Gambelia sila) are a federal- and endangered species and have fully-protected status in California. Until recently, this prevented issuance of incidental take permits (ITPs) for G. sila and thus translocation from project sites to protected areas. This restriction was recently loosened, and translocation may soon be permitted under some scenarios, In 2020, Fresno Chaffee Zoo received emergency permission to collect 7 lizards from Panoche Plateau to form a captive breeding colony and repatriate offspring back to Panoche Plateau, providing an opportunity to understand the conditions necessary for colonization or translocation. Over 2023 and 2024 we released 137 yearling (~10-month old) lizards back to Panoche Plateau outfitted with radio-transmitters for post-release monitoring. High precipitation in 2022-2023 resulted in high cover of invasive annual grasses, drastically reducing habitat quality. We manually mowed 50m2 plots around our 2023 release locations. Released lizards used less area than three remnant wild lizards at the plateau or lizards in a neighboring wild population despite mowing, likely because thatch still hindered movement. Instead of mowing in 2024, we selected release locations that had features heavily utilized by wild G. sila such as access to open ground , burrows, and shrubs for thermoregulation and predator protection. Although lizards released in 2024 had higher rates of predation, they used more area and behaved more naturally than lizards released in 2023. Our observations suggest that successful translocation of G. sila will require release sites to include the key features that we selected in 2024, and if thatch is present releases are unlikely to be successful.

Laypersons and professional scientists alike are regularly confounded when trying to distinguish between northwestern/southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata / A. pallida) and any of a number of common pond sliders (Trachemys spp.) like the red-eared slider (T. scripta elegans). As pond sliders age, their distinct markings can diminish; male sliders in particular often become melanistic (an increase in dark pigmentation) with age that masks any distinctive markings (like the "red-ear" and striping) and/or enhances secondary markings (speckling) that more closely resemble a western pond turtle. 

To help iNat users and the public distinguish between these two species, we created an illustrated guide to help sort out those tricky turtles. Because no single diagnostic trait alone is necessarily the silver bullet, we identified 11 key traits that, between them, should help if you can get a clear look at a turtle from any one angle. The correct identification, and correctly distinguishing between, California's native and non-native turtles is important. With certain populations of the west's native western pond turtle experiencing threats from climate change, habitat loss, disease, etc., it is important for Agency personnel and land managers to have the most accurate representation of where western pond turtles are, and are not; just as important is to know where invasive turtles like Trachemys spp. are encroaching on western pond turtle habitat. Western pond turtles are a California Species of Special Concern, and are now a candidate for listing under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Establishing the species' range is critical to future management decisions.

The Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus) is a federally threatened subspecies of the California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis) with a current distribution of five populations in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Direct threats to the species include habitat loss and fragmentation, primarily due to urban development. Our goal is to monitor the population of Alameda whipsnakes on Mt. Wanda at John Muir National Historic Site while providing training to interns on the natural history of species captured in the process. Park staff began monitoring in April 2018 in collaboration with The Wildlife Project and have monitored each year since. Survey methods include drift fence arrays with funnel and Sherman traps adjacent to the Alameda whipsnake’s preferred coastal scrub habitat on Mt. Wanda. Over the course of the monitoring project, 55 individual Alameda whipsnakes have been captured. Besides Alameda whipsnakes, we also capture other reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals. In 2024, we observed an increase in whipsnake captures compared to recent years, along with a 1710% increase in the number of California voles (Microtus californicus) captured. The data we collect provides a better understanding of the habitat requirements and characteristics needed to support the Alameda whipsnake population on Mt. Wanda.

Drones are increasingly used to monitor, film, and survey birds. Many studies also report that drones can reduce bird disturbance compared to traditional methods, such as ground counts or helicopter surveys. However, best practices on how drones should be flown to reduce adverse behavior are usually species-specific and context-dependent, and are therefore often difficult to apply to new management scenarios. Here, we review 149 peer-reviewed scientific studies involving drone use and bird surveys, and present a phylogenetically informed meta-analysis to better understand which factors may help reduce flushing response in birds. We find that the distance between the drone and the bird, drone speed, bird breeding status, and species size all strongly influence the chances of a flushing response. Finally, we provide drone operational guidelines that are specific to and applicable across both drone type and taxa of interest.

Populations of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica; SJKF) living in Bakersfield and Taft, California, have declined due to an ongoing sarcoptic mange epizootic. Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by Sarcoptes scabiei mites. Signs of sarcoptic mange are visually apparent, causing generalized hair loss that initially begins on the ischial tuberosities, tail, and legs. Population monitoring for signs of sarcoptic mange typically involves camera surveillance. However, cameras can lead to false-positive or false-negative identification of infested individuals. Because S. scabiei mites induce pruritus (itching), they may elicit grooming and ingestion by foxes, enabling the development of a non-invasive fecal-DNA detection method targeting scats. To evaluate the utility of a fecal-DNA detection method, we utilized quantitative PCR and metabarcoding methods aimed at detecting mange mite DNA in fecal samples collected from infested and non-infested SJKF individuals. We will present preliminary estimates of sensitivity and specificity at the individual and population levels. A successful non-invasive fecal-DNA PCR assay for S. scabiei would enable mange surveillance to be combined with fecal DNA-based monitoring of population abundance and diet across the range of the SJKFs.

Anthropogenic noise has been shown to affect seabird and shorebird reproductive success. Research has shown that anthropogenic noise in nesting areas has been increasing over time. Rocket launches are an extreme form of anthropogenic noise, but there is a gap in our understanding of rocket launch noise and its effects on seabirds and shorebirds. Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) is a launch site for space vehicles located on California’s Central Coast and is also home to breeding colonies of threatened western snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) and federally endangered California least terns (Sternula antillarum browni). Rockets have been launched from VSFB since 1959 when launch cadence was high. Since 2000 however, launch cadence has been historically low, but cadence has been increasing in recent years. Our objective was to determine if low launch cadence influenced the nest success of VSFB plover and tern populations compared to plover and tern populations at reference locations along California’s Pacific Coast that are not affected by rocket launches. To do this, we calculated annual nest success of plovers and terns for the last 23 years at VSFB and reference sites. We will provide additional details about these nest success comparisons in this presentation.

In 2017 a Wildlife Services trapper discovered a pregnant female nutria near Gustine, California. Nutria are large semi-aquatic rodents native to South America. Originally brought into California for fur farming, they were eradicated by the 1970s. After the rediscovery in 2017, an interagency team and incident command system was created to begin delineating the extent of the nutria population and create a removal program. Nutria can quickly clear wetland vegetation and destabilize water conveyance infrastructure such as levees. They are highly fecund and reproduce year-round, producing up to 3 litters per year, with 1-13 young per litter. The CDFW Nutria Eradication Program uses baited camera stations to locate and remove nutria populations. Field staff from different agencies collect data in the FieldMaps Application, use different monitoring and trapping methods, and assess habitat regularly. Partnerships with private landowners and land management agencies are crucial for statewide eradication. As of September 2024, over 5,100 nutria have been removed from nine counties in California.

Long-term monitoring is vital to properly characterize changes in population distribution and abundance over time and can be used to guide management decisions by informing and evaluating the efficacy of management actions. A long-term monitoring initiative for the federally threatened Stephens' Kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi, SKR) was established within Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (MCBCP), San Diego, California, USA. From 2005 to 2018, we tracked trends for SKR in: area occupied; relative densities within occupied habitat; and modeled probabilities of occupancy, colonization, and extinction. Both area occupied by SKR and density increased from 2005 to 2018 on MCBCP. Increased area occupied was correlated with increases in estimated density among years, indicating SKR population growth occurs by expansion into suitable habitat patches, as well as increases in numbers within occupied habitat. SKR occupancy was positively associated with gentle slopes (<10%) and moderate open ground (40–80%) and forb cover (>40%). Additionally, probabilities of SKR occupancy and colonization were higher in areas with moderate levels of disturbance. We conclude that long-term occupancy and density monitoring is effective in informing status and trends of spatially dynamic species and that moderate habitat-based disturbance is compatible with the management of SKR.

During an unprecedented pause in programs at the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO) from September 5 to October 13, 2024, hawkwatch teams unofficially continued collecting raptor migration data from Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands of the San Francisco Bay Area. The pause in programming occurred during peak fall migration of raptors through the Pacific Flyway (mid-September through the beginning to mid-October). Hawkwatch volunteers (and banders), some with decades of training and experience at GGRO, met daily on their regularly scheduled team’s volunteer day, between September 6 and October 13, 2024, to collect hawkwatch data (sightings of raptors (species/age/sex) and environmental data such as wind speed and direction). Hawkwatch protocols practiced by the program were followed with minor alterations, apart from recording data using paper data sheets, which was previously used by GGRO before switching more recently to data-collection application software. More than 4,000 raptors counted, up to 19 species of raptors, raptors per hour rate, as well as photos of raptors taken during the paused period will be presented here. These observations and data collected vastly expand our knowledge and understanding of trends during peak raptor migration and contribute to 40 years of the program’s effort in raptor research.

San Joaquin kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica, SJKF), endemic to California's San Joaquin Valley, face habitat loss and fragmentation threats. In 2013, sarcoptic mange emerged as a significant threat to the urban Bakersfield SJKF population, causing severe health issues in SJKF and a 100% mortality rate if left untreated. Given the urgency for intervention, the Endangered Species Recovery Program (ESRP) has been trapping SJKF and applying topical acaricides, but this approach is insufficient for broader population treatment. Carnivores, including SJKF, will often rub or roll to scent mark, and it may be possible to induce rubbing behavior on objects that contain medication, allowing for self-treatment. In July 2024, ESRP initiated a pilot project deploying 12 rub stations containing lure, dish soap, and dye on Bakersfield school campuses to determine their feasibility as a self-medication method for SJKF. There were 255 SJKF visitations to 9 of the 12 rub stations, but the interaction was limited, with only 19% of visiting kit foxes rubbing (49/255) and 10.5% rolling (27/255). These findings suggest that SJKF are unlikely to engage effectively with the rub stations, highlighting the need for alternative methods to address the critical threat of sarcoptic mange in the population.

Food item selection by coyotes (Canis latrans), a generalist forager, is largely determined by local item availability, which can be significantly altered by human activities such as urbanization. We compared coyote food item use among areas within three urbanization zones: urban, peri-urban, and non-urban. Rodents were primary food items (>10% frequency of occurrence in scats) in all zones but consisted of California ground squirrels and gophers in the urban and peri-urban zones and of gophers, kangaroo rats, and deer mice in the non-urban zone. Leporids also were a primary item in all zones but likely consisted of mostly black-tailed jackrabbits in the non-urban zone, jackrabbits and desert cottontails in the peri-urban zone, and mostly desert cottontails in the urban zone. Invertebrates consisting primarily of darkling beetles were a primary item in the urban and peri-urban zones. Unidentified birds were a primary item in the urban and non-urban zones and honey mesquite was a primary item in the non-urban zone. Anthropogenic items occurred relatively frequently in the peri-urban (grapes) and urban (trash) zones. Our results document transitional foraging patterns by coyotes in response to food availability mediated by urbanization and elucidate adaptive responses that facilitate coyote persistence in anthropogenically altered landscapes.

Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) cause substantial ecological and economic damage worldwide. Trapping is a critical tool used to manage wild pigs in native and introduced regions, but traditional strategies often involve traps that require substantial investment to acquire, set up, and manage. Given the devastating worldwide impact of wild suids, a new trapping strategy that is adaptable, efficient, effective, and humane was needed. We aimed to design and evaluate a trap that: 1) improved capacity by increasing the number of traps on the landscape; 2) decreased the costs, labor, equipment, and technology required; 3) offered the ability to catch multiple groups, and 4) reduced the impacts on trapped animals. The trap design featured a double-walled net that was evaluated by experts in wild hog management. Results regarding effectiveness and ethical considerations indicate that the trap successfully captured wild pigs while reducing injury levels from 12 – 32%, as reported with conventional coral traps, to 2%. The trap's low-cost construction and adaptable design represent a significant advancement in invasive species management and ensures its accessibility to researchers, wildlife agencies, landowners, and conservation organizations seeking an effective and humane tool to address disease, research, and damage management objectives for wild pig populations.

The Galapagos dove (Zenaida galapagoensis) is an endemic bird species found on every major island of the Galapagos. However, Z. galapagoensis populations have declined 20-29% in the last decades due to introduced predators (e.g., cats) and human disturbance. Despite this recent decline, Z. galapagoensis' population dynamics remain largely understudied. Previous research using five microsatellite markers found high gene flow between populations across five islands, but little information about other important genetic metrics was provided. The proposed study will expand on this previous work by investigating the population dynamics at the genomic level, across both subspecies, and on a broader range of islands. To accomplish this, we aim to 1) sequence and assemble the first genome for Z. galapagoensis, 2) re-sequence a series of individuals from a wider range of islands (both subspecies), and 3) explore phylogenetic relationships among lineages and provide population genetic metrics. This study will increase our understanding of the population dynamics of Z. galapagoensis and inform its population status, potentially highlighting islands with dire need for conservation measures.

The breeding population of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) has been extirpated from Orange County (OC), California with the last individual observed 20 April 2018. However, OC still harbors a handful of overwintering burrowing owls (BUOW), whose breeding location is not known. Color banding efforts over the last decade have yielded results of one individual returning to Fairview Park in OC two successive winters, but has not yielded information on where the OC BUOW breed. In February 2024, we attached GSM solar rechargeable transmitters to two burrowing owls overwintering in Orange County to determine their summer breeding sites. We were able to determine the breeding location for one BUOW, which showed up near Brogan, Oregon. We found success using the leg-loop harness method for transmitter attachment, and our transmitters remained on the BUOW and were not bitten or chewed off. Our challenges include selecting an appropriate duty cycle for location check-ins to retain charge, and predation potentially due to the device’s presence. Using this technology, we hope to better understand the migration patterns of the burrowing owls that overwinter in Orange County in order to learn how to best support the local population.

The movement of nutrients is central to ecological processes. Ecological management has historically been constrained to the boundaries of the ecosystem in question. However, allochthonous inputs across ecosystem boundaries (ie. marine nutrients entering terrestrial food webs) can have profound effects on the recipient ecosystem. Understanding the trophic pathways by which marine subsidies move into the terrestrial environment is important for proper management of coastal habitats. This study examined the use of marine nutrients by small mammals on the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve, California. We quantified the use of marine subsidies using stable isotope analysis of fur and whisker samples from small mammals captured at beach and inland sites. We found that coastal small mammals were being subsidized by marine nutrients and had wider dietary niche widths than their inland counterparts. These marine subsidies can bolster small mammal populations in drought years and could in turn subsidize terrestrial consumers higher up on the food web. Coastal ecosystems are being disproportionately impacted by climate change, so understanding nuances of coastal processes is paramount to maintaining ecosystem functionality in the future.

Bats are a diverse order of animals; consequently species from this order fill various niches, and have different habitat needs based on morphology, microclimate preferences, roosting preferences and foraging needs. As the global climate continues to change, some bats may need to shift spatial use to adequately address their energetic needs. While some research suggests that bat species richness declines over an elevational gradient, exceptionally hot areas like the Sierra Nevada foothills in California may drive some bats to higher elevations for roosting or foraging to manage evaporative water loss or promote daily torpor. The aim of our study is to assess seasonal bat species composition and activity over an elevational gradient at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California. Acoustic data were collected from seven sites spanning four elevation categories (foothills, montane, subalpine, and alpine) from April 2023 – August 2024. Data will be analyzed to determine if and how different bat species utilize the elevational gradient. Understanding species composition within this area can also provide insight into how white nose syndrome may affect bat populations in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and inform future conservation efforts for species of concern.

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasingly becoming recognized as an influential pollutant, impacting the fitness of numerous species. However, the effects on the behavior of many mammalian carnivores from ALAN remain unclear. The San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica; SJFK) is a small carnivorous mammal that inhabits the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. Unfortunately, this subspecies of kit fox is currently listed as endangered. Despite urbanization being one of the causes of habitat loss, the urban populations of this endangered species have acclimated well to their surroundings. A fundamental characteristic of the urban environment is the presence of ALAN, which may influence SJKF behavior. This study aims to determine how the SJKF behaviorally responds to the presence of ALAN in urban environments. To achieve this goal, we will determine if SJKF visits to scent stations differ in the presence and absence of ALAN in a Before-After-Control-Impact study design in both urban and non-urban environments. This study can contribute to understanding how small carnivores respond to light pollution and will aid SJKF conservation efforts, including detecting movement patterns and habitat preferences concerning light pollution and the potential for "wildlife-friendly" lighting practices.

There is a surprising relationship between chimpanzee/forest conservation and epidemiological interventions on waterborne illnesses that I have discovered in the past 15 years of my research. I first uncovered a strong correlation between human quality of life and the population density of chimpanzees in Uganda in 2008. This led me to focus on improving human health by focusing on creating water hygiene programs that could be used cross-culturally through enacting behavior change and improving self-reliance. This approach was successfully used in Nicaragua and Ghana from 2015-2020. Since 2021, I have worked with Friends of Chimps in the same areas I first conducted my research in 2008, where we have demonstrated that wildlife and forest conservation and restoration programs can only be successful if they also address the wellbeing of the human community. These programs are vital to environmental and wildlife sustainability, especially with increasing pressures of climate change and human population growth.

The primary objective of this study is to assess if urine from domestic dogs increases perception of risk and inhibits foraging activities of wildlife, including ground foraging birds, small mammals, and mesocarnivores, in coastal California. We will test the effects of dog urine presence on wildlife foraging by placing a sample of either domestic dog urine or water near artificial foraging patches where foraging activities are quantified as Giving-Up Densities (GUD). We will establish a wildlife camera near each foraging patch to identify all species foraging in the patch. We hypothesize that if animals perceive domestic dog urine as a direct cue for risk, GUD should be greater at foraging patches with urine present than at control patches where urine is not present. We predict higher GUD in foraging patches near domestic dog urine than patches near water for small mammals and mesocarnivores, but because ground foraging birds rely less on olfaction that mammalian species, we predict no differences in GUD for birds. Information on how domestic dog urine affects the perception of risk for wildlife will increase our understanding of the effects of domestic dogs on wildlife behavior and will be useful for managing their presence in natural areas.

Invasive species can be detrimental to ecosystems. While the effects of invasive species on native ecosystems are many, invasive species are often capable of outcompeting species for resources, yet our understanding of these effects in urban environments is still developing. The domestic cat (Felis catus) is an invasive species that is commonly observed in urban areas alongside other urban mesocarnivores, however, the potential impacts and interactions domestic cats have on other urban mesocarnivores is not well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we evaluated temporal and spatial partitioning between domestic cats and other mesocarnivores in an urban environment. We predicted that if domestic cats are negatively affecting other urban carnivores, urban carnivores may spatially or temporally minimize interactions with domestic cats. We used camera traps with scent lures at high school and college campuses across the southern San Joaquin Valley to monitor the visitation patterns of urban mesocarnivores from 2020 to 2022. Generalized linear mixed models and AIC model selection will be used to evaluate spatial relationships and interactions between domestic cats and other urban mesocarnivores, and temporal overlap coefficients and peak activity analysis will be used to evaluate temporal overlap and the results of these analyses will be discussed.

Climate models predict that rising temperatures will shift disease vectors northward, potentially introducing novel pathogens like avian malaria to native species. Avian malaria's impact on birds during the breeding season is well studied, but little is known about its effects in overwintering habitats. The white-crowned sparrow (WCSP, Zonotrichia leucophrys), which winters in California's Central Valley, is vulnerable to avian malaria. Blood samples from WCSPs collected since 2021 revealed that ~40% were positive for malaria DNA, suggesting active or latent infections. To understand the relationship between malaria infectivity and host genetics, we focus on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I gene, which plays a crucial role in immune responses. DNA from ~100 WCSP samples was extracted, and MHC class I exon 3, a region with high molecular variation, was amplified using PCR. The samples were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform, and bioinformatic analyses will identify MHC alleles and their correlation with malaria prevalence. We will also analyze molecular evolution rates using the Datamonkey molecular evolution server and PAML (phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood). This study aims to reveal how MHC variation influences malaria infectivity and shapes evolutionary dynamics in songbirds during overwintering.

Understanding the diet of an organism provides crucial information regarding species interactions and trophic niches. However, invasive methods are commonly used to collect diet data, which is not feasible for threatened and endangered species. One such method is the use of DNA metabarcoding on intestinal contents, a method that requires lethal sampling. A new, noninvasive method has recently been tested—DNA metabarcoding of beak and talon swabs—on two specialist avian species. Here, we assess the efficacy of beak and talon swabs on a generalist predator, the barred owl (Strix varia). Barred owls are native to eastern North America but have invaded westward and they are now found in the Pacific Northwest and California where they are destabilizing western forest ecosystems. Our study capitalizes on barred owl lethal removals being conducted in coastal California to test the efficacy of swabbing by comparing the diet results of non-lethal swabbing to lethally collected intestinal contents.  We characterized the diet composition of 78 barred owls collected between 2021 and 2022 and compared diet overlap between swabs and intestines. Our future work includes extracting and metabarcoding DNA from California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) swabs collected during bandings to obtain preliminary diet information.

Endangered waterbirds utilize both natural wetlands and social-ecological systems like lo‘i kalo (Hawaiian wetland agro-ecosystems), yet the relationship between birds and the managers of these systems remains understudied. Many wetland birds are conservation-reliant, necessitating control of invasive predators and plants within their shrinking habitat ranges. Social-ecological systems like lo‘i kalo provide similar management benefits as natural wetlands while offering additional ecosystem services. This study assessed the behavior of Aeʻo (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni), ʻAlae ʻula (Gallinula galeata sandvicensis), and ʻAlae keʻokeʻo (Fulica alai) in response to wetland managers. Alert response and flight-initiation distances were measured to compare how waterbirds reacted to managers versus non-managers. Semi-structured interviews recorded management practices and manager knowledge of their waterbird populations. We found that managers were able to more closely approach ʻAlae keʻokeʻo and Aeʻo before alerting compared to non-managers, but the opposite was true for ʻAlae ʻula. Given the endangered status of many Hawaiian waterbirds, these findings underscore the potential of social-ecological systems like lo‘i kalo to serve as critical habitat, mitigate habitat loss, and support human-wildlife coexistence. This study highlights the conservation value of Indigenous wetland agro-ecosystems, examines the impact of management practices, and offers insight for future habitat conservation strategies.

The BLM has been evaluating proposals for locating solar facilities on public lands across the Great Basin, including Oregon. The implications for large scale solar development on native ungulate species in Oregon has not be thoroughly investigated. Our objective was to identify priority habitats, and movement corridors used by mule deer in the south central Oregon for conservation of habitats and populations of mule deer prior to siting of solar facilities. We used locations of 158 mule deer obtained between 2015 and 2024 to identify priority habitats on seasonal ranges, migration corridors, and stopover locations of mule deer. Those data provide a crucial opportunity to predict impacts, via modeling, on mule deer prior to siting of those facilities. We are using resource selection functions and Brownian bridge movement models to identify habitats of high priority conservation, movement corridors, and stopover locations. The predicted direct and indirect impacts of solar development will be evaluated and used to inform mitigation as necessary to minimize habitat lost to solar development or for barriers created as a result of those facilities

Foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii) is a species whose breeding habitat is typically associated with shallower, lower velocity habitat types with high solar exposure across most of its range. Long-term monitoring of foothill yellow-legged frog populations in the Middle Fork American River watershed reflect this life history strategy but also depict novel oviposition sites potentially more common in larger perennial and/or managed riverine systems. We observed these novel oviposition sites in higher velocity mid-channel locations in deep substrate crevices and attached to the underside of large boulders with little to no solar exposure. Additionally, we build on other recent publications describing novel use of upland habitats by this species in the watershed.

Spring-run Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, of the Feather River in California is a threatened species of economic, cultural, environmental, and recreational importance whose wild population is rapidly declining. A major source of juvenile mortality is caused by Ceratonova shasta, a myxosporean parasite with a complex life cycle and two mandatory hosts: salmonids, and the definitive freshwater annelid worm Manayunkia occidentalis. Salmonids and C. shasta have been extensively studied in this river, yet the locations of the annelids are unknown. Locating them is crucial for informing hatchery Chinook release strategies and water management to support outmigrating juvenile Chinook. Therefore, this study focusses on studying the annelid host. An infectious zone has been identified downstream of the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. We hypothesize that the highest population density of M. occidentalis can be found in the previously identified infectious zone due to nutritional content originating from the Outlet. To investigate this claim, we will conduct a field study, water nutrient analysis using spectrophotometry, and determine prevalence of C. shasta infection in annelids through qPCR. Data will be analyzed using PCA to identify which environmental factors are most likely to explain the density of the annelid populations and prevalence of infections with C. shasta.

Nest monitoring is critical to understanding the drivers of population dynamics in avian species. For some bird species, nests can be difficult to find or monitor due to multiple factors such as secretiveness, sensitivity to visitors around the nest, and nest height and concealment. Yellow-billed Cuckoos (Coccyzus americanus,YBCU) frequently fall into several of these categories because their nests are well concealed and often located greater than 8 m high, while adults show secretive breeding behavior and can be sensitive to people near their nests. These factors often result in prohibitive personnel costs to find their nests and monitor their nesting behavior. In 2024, we tagged a YBCU with a Motus CTT HybridTag and used behavioral observation and hand tracking to locate the tagged cuckoo’s nest. Next, we placed a CTT radiotelemetry node 17 meters from the nest to monitor nesting behavior that was corroborated by field observations. This resulted in high temporal resolution data of cuckoo nesting behaviors, such as incubation timing, foraging and nestling feeding frequency, and nesting success. This approach provided invaluable nesting behavioral information and revealed nodes as a valuable tool for studying breeding birds while minimizing costs and observer disturbance around nests.

Highways fragment important habitat and can serve as impassable barriers to wildlife. Installing wildlife crossing systems creates opportunities for safe animal movement, improved human safety, and reduced property damage. Research identifying key zones of connectivity can aid in providing recommendations for locations of these systems and other tools to improve highway safety. Although elk-vehicle collisions have been documented across northwestern California, the factors associated with these highway crossing zones have not been studied in this region. To address this gap in research, the objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of elk highway crossings on hourly, daily, and seasonal time scales, and to evaluate how various environmental and anthropogenic factors influence the probability of elk crossing US-101 in northwestern California. Using GPS collar data collected between December 2016 and February 2024 from 45 female Roosevelt and tule elk from 16 established herds adjacent to US-101, a resource selection function was used to predict the probability of elk highway crossing frequency across the study area. Environmental and anthropogenic covariates used in the model include: distance to forest edge, forest cover, land cover type, Terrain Ruggedness Index, slope, distance to urban area, distance to secondary road, number of highway lanes, presence of underpass, traffic volume, season, and time of day. The openness ratio of highway undercrossings within established elk home ranges was calculated and elk use of underpasses was determined through the deployment of trail cameras from June to October 2024. These results will contribute to future management decisions regarding wildlife crossing systems and increasing connectivity to mitigate the negative impacts of highways on elk and other large mammals as well as reduce conflict and safety risks with humans.

With increasing pressure to mediate the effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats, more emphasis has been placed on understanding activity levels in areas where WNS and its causative agent, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), have yet to cause the same population level crashes that species like Myotis septentrionalis has experienced. Bats in the Pacific Southwest, specifically within California, have remained relatively unscathed from the effects of WNS and Pd. However, that does not mean that population dynamics and overall activity levels will not change in response to any future introduction of WNS coupled with other external stressors; with the inevitable, it is important to understand how population dynamics exist currently. Specifically, a portion of this large study investigates how activity levels of bats vary by season across multiple habitat types within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park in California with objectives to provide a management framework for the National Parks System.

Major seasonal life history events, such as reproduction, molt, and migration, can have vastly different energy demands. To meet these changing energy needs, various strategies can be employed to maintain energy balance, with each having inherent fitness costs and benefits. On one hand, birds can modulate energy intake by modifying foraging intensity. On the other, birds can regulate energy expenditure via activity and metabolism. However, our knowledge of how energy balance strategies vary across the annual cycle remains poor. The objective of this project is to characterize patterns of energy balance in Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna) during different seasons. Hummingbirds have among the highest metabolic rates of any vertebrate, yet their precious nectar resources fluctuate seasonally, all while they undergo energetically demanding annual life history events. Four weeks of data were collected during each of three seasons: summer molt, fall migration, and winter. Body mass, condition, molt status, and basal metabolic rate were measured weekly. Torpor frequency was estimated using thermal imaging. Feeding intake and activity were measured daily. As environmental conditions continue to shift drastically in the face of climate change, studying these patterns can help shed light on energy and resource use across the year.

Since 2015, we have conducted annual six-week systematic, citywide camera surveys during the summer in Bakersfield, CA to obtain population estimates and document the spatial spread of sarcoptic mange in endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica; SJKF). In 2019, we set up additional cameras in Taft, CA and have since included them in our yearly survey. We observed a 68% decline in Bakersfield SJKF camera detections between 2015 and 2020. Our lowest detections of SJKF were observed in 2020 with only 41 individuals, compared to 129 individuals in 2015. Similarly in Taft, we detected the lowest number of SJKF in 2020 at seven individuals compared to ten in 2019, although we only had one years’ worth of data prior. Mange detections have considerably decreased in the last 4 years for both Bakersfield and Taft, and the Bakersfield population has shown a steady increase from 2021-2024. However, Taft’s SJKF population fluctuates between 24 and 13 individuals respectively. While mange hadn’t been detected in either urban population since 2022, we recently documented six mange-infested individuals from Bakersfield in 2024. Based on fluctuating annual incidence rates along with previous epidemiological modeling, these finding suggest that sarcoptic mange has become endemic.

Recent advancements in remote sensing technology enable us to obtain large-scale environmental data both spatially and temporally. Such landscape-scale data is essential when conducting animal movement studies. However, the application of remote sensing data in species management is a relatively novel concept and can bring great advantages saving costs in laborious surveys. In this study, to identify activity centers of feral pigs for population management in large open areas within and around the East Bay Stewardship Network (EBSN), we extracted remote sensing data, including temperature, precipitation, and NDVI data, from 2019-2023, to derive climate variables and vegetation cover in the area. Subsequently, we conducted a MaxEnt analysis and mapped the probability of species occurrence during wet and dry seasons. The result shows seasonal variation in feral pig distribution and potential strategies land managers can use to control the non-native species population. Remote sensing data for species management can help managers identify target areas across large landscapes and large time frames with standardized data, and help surpass the hurdle of initial laborious and costly surveys.

Recent work by Rohde et al (2024; "Establishing Ecological Thresholds and Targets for Groundwater Management.” Nature Water 2: 312–23) proposes using the relationship between greenness and groundwater well depth to quantify how dependent a riparian plant community is on groundwater. Regression of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) on depth to groundwater (DTG) is expected to show a strongly negative relationship in groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDE). We use this approach to examine factors that may be affecting wildlife habitat quality. Using DTG data from 28 sites in riparian habitat along the South Fork Kern River, we generated these regressions to compare this relationship between sites with different distance to actively managed irrigation wells. We consider different ways to standardize NDVI and DTG to compare across sites and years. We demonstrate that this method can be very useful for identifying sites that are more groundwater dependent. We also show that this approach can identify water depth thresholds to be used as triggers for limiting groundwater pumping. We discuss how these methods might be used in wildlife conservation using the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo as an example.

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) are an ecological indicator species of the sagebrush steppe ecosystem and have declined substantially across their range, mainly attributed to habitat loss and degradation. Wildfire is a leading cause of habitat loss throughout the western portion of sage-grouse range, resulting in adverse effects on population growth rates (λ). Recent studies attributed declines in λ to decreased adult and nest survival following wildfire. However, the relationship between wildfire and chick survival remains unclear. Here, we estimated chick survival at two post-wildfire sites in Nevada and California. We divided chicks into two groups: inside the burn perimeter (n=21) and on edges of the burn perimeter (within a 200m buffer; n=9). We found that chicks within the burn had a survival estimate of 0.35 (95% CRI = 0.23 – 0.49), while chicks at the burn edge had a survival estimate of 0.49 (95% CRI = 0.26 – 0.73). Thus, interiors of burned areas may lead to reduced chick survival, while edges may constitute important habitat for sage-grouse broods in a post-fire site. Future research exploring microhabitat differences between burned interior and its edges could provide valuable insights. These findings are preliminary, subject to change, and provided for best timely science.

High-quality reference genomes permit deeper investigation into species’ evolution and provide insight into species conservation. Next-generation sequencing allows researchers to generate high-accuracy long-read genetic data in real-time from anywhere in the world, increasing accessibility to sequence data. The lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus), an endemic bird of the Galapagos archipelago, is the world’s rarest gull with an estimated population of less than 400 pairs. Little research has been done on this species due to their small population size. We aim to sequence and assemble the lava gull reference genome for use in estimating genetic effective population size, studying population subdivision, identifying distinct conservation units, and providing other management information. We prepared a library from an adult female lava gull on San Cristobal island using Oxford Nanopore’s Ultra-Long DNA Sequencing Kit and sequenced using a PromethION 2 Solo. We generated 1.78 million reads, consisting of 29.4 gigabases at an estimated 22x coverage. A preliminary Flye assembly generated a total length of 1.34 Gb, with 1,363 contigs and an N50 of 37.1 million. The generation of the lava gull reference genome is an important step in determining this species’ conservation status and how best to focus management efforts.

Using non-invasive survey methods to detect the presence of wildlife are evolving at a rapid pace. For some species, a lack of verified survey methods can limit their conservation and management. A species for which few non-invasive techniques are currently available is the North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). Although distributed across North America, evidence suggests that porcupines have declined in the west. Porcupines occur at low densities and do not respond to many commonly used baits. Porcupines are seasonally deficient in sodium, and this trait may be useful for non-invasive surveys using sodium-soaked wood blocks and identifying porcupines by dentition patterns. The frequency of chewing on wood blocks by non-target species, however, increases our uncertainty in detecting porcupines. Thus, we conducted a pilot project to evaluate our ability to genetically identify porcupine from their saliva on salted wooden blocks. We collected swabs directly from the inner cheek as a control and swabs of wood blocks chewed on by a captive North American porcupine at the Sequoia Park Zoo. We detected porcupine DNA using DNA metabarcoding in all of our control and wood block samples. Future efforts should quantify how the degradation of DNA in the field will influence DNA analyses.

The critically endangered Pacific pocket mouse (PPM; Perognathus longimembris pacificus) is a nocturnal solitary rodent restricted to coastal sage scrub habitat in southern California. Current knowledge of PPM habitat suitability is based on large-scale multi-year occupancy modeling of two extant populations, but little is known about microhabitat selection, especially in released populations. Understanding PPM microhabitat requirements is critical for informing habitat management efforts at reintroduction sites. To investigate this, we conducted focal behavioral observations at night to locate the burrows of captive-born PPM in the first active season following reintroduction. After we located the burrows, we conducted microhabitat surveys at natural burrow entrances, artificial acclimation burrows, and random locations within the reintroduction site. With these data, we are exploring the difference in microhabitat characteristics between the natural burrow and other locations to understand PPM microhabitat selection post-release. In addition to shedding light on PPM microhabitat selection, conducting behavioral observations has allowed us to fill information gaps in foraging and breeding behavior, burrow establishment and use, and interactions with heterospecifics for this cryptic species. We present preliminary data and highlight the value of behavioral observations by showcasing novel observations related to PPM natural history.

Ashley Flanders AND Max Moore will present this paper.

The Galápagos Islands are renowned for their biodiversity and endemic species. However, the introduction of invasive species, such as cats, rats, and dogs, has caused significant declines in native biodiversity. This study aims to reconstruct historical species assemblages on Pinzón, Santa Fe, Santiago, and Rábida Islands, providing a baseline for rewilding and conservation efforts by the Galápagos National Park. By examining paleo material from lava tubes, museum specimens, and field journals, we seek to establish a pre-human baseline vertebrate community assemblage. Lava tubes, which serve as natural repositories for semi-recent faunal remains, act as pitfall traps and barn owl roosts, providing valuable evidence of past species assemblages. Paleo material will be analyzed using a combination of morphological assessments and ancient DNA (aDNA) techniques. By integrating genetic analysis with traditional morphological methods, we aim to create a more complete understanding of the historical biodiversity of these islands, including species that may have gone undetected through morphological study alone. A comparison of historical and present-day species assemblages will deepen our understanding of the impacts invasive species have had on endemic wildlife. This research will guide future translocation and restoration initiatives, contributing to the islands' ecological recovery.

Many species rely on acoustic signals for communication, and disruptions to these signals can negatively impact populations. California least terns (Sternula antillarum browni; herafter ‘terns’), a federally listed endangered migratory seabird, are particularly vulnerable, with statewide populations decreasing year over year. One tern nesting colony resides at Vandenberg Space Force Base, within 1 km of space launch complex 2 (SLC-2) operated by Firefly Aerospace. The effects of rocket noise on the vocalizations of this population are unknown. Our objective is to test competing hypotheses (Lombard effect or acoustic adaptation hypothesis) explaining the vocalization response of terns to a loud acoustic event like a rocket launch. In this analysis, we target the Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket launch on July 3rd, 2024. We deployed 12 Wildlife Acoustics Song Meter SM4TS in March 2024 before terns arrived for nesting. Eight devices were spaced 100 meters apart, and the remaining four were configured in a square with a spacing of twenty-five meters. These devices recorded vocalizations and rocket launch noise from March 2024 to August 2024. Pre- and post-launch vocalization activity, amplitude, and frequencies are compared, and these results will be presented.

Many wildlife species are experiencing novel stressors due to changing environments such as habitat loss, increased predation, and human interferences. An individual's physiological response to stressors can negatively impact their immune function and wound healing abilities. However, the transgenerational impact of a mother’s hormonal stress levels on her offspring is currently understudied. While prior research indicates that there is a negative correlation between individual lizards’ stress levels and their wound healing, recent research suggests transgenerational impacts of stress may prepare offspring for a stressful environment, therefore increasing wound healing rates. We hypothesize that western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) neonates born from mothers with elevated glucocorticoids (a key metabolic and stress related hormone) and control mothers will display differing rates of healing from superficial wounds. We collected gravid mothers, applied treatment, raised their hatchlings in the lab, administered a cutaneous wound to the hatchlings, and imaged their rate of wound healing over time. Preliminary results suggest that in the first four days post-wounding, hatchlings from glucocorticoid-treated mothers exhibited faster wound healing. Heightened stress in gravid mothers may prepare their offspring for more physiological challenges – leading to an increased chance of survival in a mutable habitat.

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage -grouse), a galliform bird native to sagebrush steppe ecosystems of western North America, have experienced substantial population declines and range contraction in recent years. In the American West, several non-native galliform species have distributions that overlap sage-grouse, creating potential competition for nest and brood sites. While interspecific nest parasitism has been documented in sage-grouse previously, no observations of parasitic chicks within sage-grouse broods have been reported, to our knowledge. Here, we describe the first documented case of parasitism by chukar (Alectoris chukar), an introduced galliform bird from Eurasia, on a sage-grouse nest and brood in western Nevada in 2023. Because nest parasitism has been shown to have negative effects on nest success in other galliform species, our observation indicates that further investigation of interspecific nest and brood parasitism occurrence and effects on sage-grouse could help inform their conservation and management. This information is preliminary, subject to change, and provided for best timely science.   

The common raven (Corvus corax; raven) is an intelligent generalist avian predator with a high degree of behavioral flexibility, allowing for populations to exploit anthropogenic resources for breeding substrates and forage. In the American West, raven populations have increased substantially in recent decades, especially in sagebrush ecosystems where they are an important nest predator of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse). Predation by over-abundant ravens on sage-grouse nests is thought to be a primary contributor to local sage-grouse population declines, particularly across the southwest portion of sage-grouse range. Our study objective was to capture territorial breeding ravens from their nests and fit them with GPS units to identify foraging patterns and relate to sage-grouse nesting areas within sage-grouse nesting periods. Here, we present 1) methodological descriptions of raven captures after testing multiple techniques, 2) preliminary estimates of home range sizes across different life stages, and 3) preliminary movement patterns of ravens during nesting and fledgling stages in relation to sage-grouse nesting habitat. These initial results could help inform management decisions aimed at minimizing adverse effects of nest predation by ravens on sage-grouse populations. These findings are preliminary, subject to change, and provided for best timely science.

The Northern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) frequently occurs in wildlife- urban interfaces in coastal California. Rattlesnakes are out of brumation from April to October, often basking when humans are likely to be recreating. For some species, such as Eastern gray squirrels and Western fence lizards, increased exposure to humans results in habituation to human presence and decreased antipredator behavior. This study examines if increased exposure to humans results in decreased antipredator behavior (i.e., rattling, flight) for the Northern Pacific rattlesnake, therefore, increased risk for both humans and snakes. We are quantifying antipredator behaviors of the Northern Pacific rattlesnake by measuring Alert Distances (ADs) and Flight Initiation Distances (FIDs) of individuals encountered on a reserve closed to the public. During each measurement, snakes are photographed for identification, allowing us to track the number of encounters with each snake. Preliminary results suggest decreases in AD and FID with increased temperature, and increases in AD and FID with increased snake age/size and human exposure. Continued data collection will allow us to better quantify AD and FID for snakes with increased exposure to humans, and thus assess the need for managing risk in recreational areas with dense populations of the Northern Pacific rattlesnake.

Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) are nocturnal, reclusive procyonids ranging throughout most of southwestern North America. They were given fully protected status in California in 1968 following declines primarily associated with fur hunting. Little is still known about the natural history of this species resulting in poorly informed management strategies. Ringtail are highly susceptible to road mortality. Several road-strike hotspots have been identified in San Diego County where normal movement patterns are impeded by vehicle traffic. To better understand impacts of roads on ringtail health, behavioral ecology and space-use patterns, the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Natural History Museum are collecting movement data from ringtails at two chaparral dominated sites, one next to a major highway and one over five miles from a highway as a control. We are recording GPS and accelerometer data from individuals to determine how roads may be affecting ringtail movement ecology at these two sites. We are also conducting full health screens on each individual during each capture. These new data will allow us to recommend mitigation measures to reduce human impacts and promote recovery of one of the most understudied mammals in southern California.

Volunteers recorded 7+ years of mass roadkill mortality of one of California’s largest known populations of Pacific newts (Taricha spp.) on Alma Bridge Road (ABR) in Santa Clara County. ABR bisects newt habitat and Lexington Reservoir breeding grounds, resulting in one of the highest-reported rates of amphibian roadkill (34,231 dead newts, 2018-2024). The number of road-killed newts per hour of volunteer effort has been significantly declining about 10%/year (P=0.045). Simple linear and multilinear regressions revealed no significant relationship between roadkill and traffic or precipitation, variables which can influence roadkill rates. A decline in roadkill without a change in external factors suggests a population decline, with our analysis suggesting a rapidly approaching population crash. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is collaborating with the County and AECOM to mitigate roadkill, proposing 1.2 miles of elevated roadway segments along the 4.1 miles of ABR, with estimated completion in 3+ years. If this strategy had been implemented between 2018 and 2024 with 100% effectiveness, it still would have resulted in 9,633 recordings of newt roadkill. The response to this ecological emergency lacks urgency, a factor crucial to preventing population extirpation. We stress the treatment of ecological emergencies as true emergencies.

Host-parasite dynamics in wild migratory songbirds are often studied during the breeding season, with limited focus on the overwintering period. White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys; WCSP) migrate seasonally to Central California, where they harbor ectoparasites, such as feather mites, during the winter. While some research suggests a negative association between feather mites and bird condition, recent studies indicate these mites may be commensal. This study examined the relationship between feather mite presence and WCSP morphological condition using data from 2021 to 2024. Principal component analysis (PCA) reduced five variables, retaining PC1 (morphometrics) and PC2 (date sampled). Both variables significantly explained variation in mite scores using a generalized linear mixed model. Results showed that smaller birds and those sampled earlier in the season had higher mite prevalence, suggesting that feather mite abundance is influenced by both host condition and seasonal timing. This research contributes to understanding host-parasite interactions in overwintering birds and highlights the importance of both seasonal and condition factors in shaping these relationships.

Bats are essential to the health of ecosystems and act as biological control agents in agriculture, though questions pertaining to phenology, activity abundance, and how bats utilize agricultural landscapes remain. Urban agroecosystems offer a range of resources for bats and may provide quality foraging habitat, particularly when crops are structurally complex like orchards. By assessing bat activity and species richness within orchards and riparian areas of the Santa Clara River Valley in California, we can identify when peaks in bat activity correlate to insect abundance throughout the year including during the growing season. Studying timing and amount of bat foraging activity within an orchard can help growers with their timing of pest management and utilizing these native species to reduce damage caused by pests. Preliminary results show bat activity is highest within summer and beginning of fall, however activity peaks within these seasons differ among species. Having a higher diversity of bat species can potentially aid in insect population control in orchards and nearby riparian areas throughout most of the year. Managing orchards and surrounding areas to promote healthy bat communities and other native biological control agents can help reduce the need for pesticides on managed lands.

The northwestern and southwestern pond turtles are two species of freshwater turtles facing significant population declines across their ranges. The primary threats to their survival are habitat loss and invasive species, while disease also poses a potential risk to their remaining populations. Recently, the parasitic North American Turtle Leech (Placobdella parasitica) was confirmed in Oregon on the northwestern pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata), a species native to regions east of the Rocky Mountains. In 2024, we documented the presence of P. parasitica at the Cache Creek Preserve in Yolo County, CA, affecting both A. marmorata and red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta). Additionally, we found P. parasitica on a common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) at a golf course adjacent to the San Diego River. These findings suggest that P. parasitica may be widespread throughout California. We recommend that leech surveillance be included in turtle sampling efforts and emphasize the importance of collaborating with leech experts to monitor this potential threat.

The ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) is the largest Buteo species in North America, and occupies arid grasslands. A small population of ferruginous hawks has been observed breeding within Butte Valley, California located in the northeastern region of the state. We investigated nest site selection at the nest tree scale via collection of on-the-ground nest tree attributes and on a larger habitat scale via resource selection functions utilizing land cover types. We compared nest tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) to the four nearest neighbor trees based on surveys conducted during the 2024 breeding season. Using matched case logistic regression, we found that ferruginous hawks show a slight positive selection for tree height and DBH. Using monitored nest site locations, we conduct analysis on different natural and agricultural land cover types and report patterns distinguishing occupied nests and random points through generalized linear models . This research may aid in understanding breeding habitat requirements and can assist managers in predicting new nesting sites as this population continues to grow.

Aqueducts can constrain some ground-based wildlife species’ movement patterns and gene flow for certain suites of species. In 2020 the California Department of Water Resources launched an effort to prepare two Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) to cover Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Activities for the State Water Project (SWP), which uses aqueducts to supply water from Northern California to Southern California. To identify the suite of affected species and extent of potential constraints, and to evaluate potential hot spots and opportunities, a wildlife movement study and analysis was performed across 294-linear miles of the aqueduct. The analysis considered focal and other key species, species habitat modeling, priority area mapping for connectivity, crossing type usage analysis, and identification of “important areas” for wildlife movement. Based on the results of the analysis, the study provided a discussion of the effects of structures and other barriers and issues and offered solutions and recommendations for improving wildlife movement. These were used to identify species-specific and cumulative hot spots to focus mitigations at. These include installation of additional crossing structures and other wildlife movement corridor improvements to support and enhance wildlife movement and genetic flow across the aqueduct system and are described in this Poster.

Northwestern pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) (NWPT) population decline has been attributed to several factors, including competitive interactions with invasive red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) (RES) for basking and nesting habitat and invasive American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) for food resources as well as the predation of juveniles. Direct removal of RES and bullfrogs from the environment is thought to improve habitat conditions for NWPT. NWPT trapping surveys and invasive species removal efforts for RES and bullfrogs were conducted within the 15-acre wetlands of the Cache Creek Nature Preserve (CCNP) in Woodland, CA. Monthly turtle trapping and bullfrog gigging bouts were conducted for 3-4 day periods during the 2024 season. A total of 98 RES, 831 bullfrogs, and 150 other invasives were removed; twelve NWPT were marked and released. The twelve NWPT captured, (10 males, and 2 females, including 1 gravid female), were all adults; no juveniles were detected. Currently, CCNP RES population outnumbers the WPT population approximately 8:1, with no NWPT juvenile recruitment. Post-invasive species removal monitoring will continue in order to measure the efficacy of this management action.

Variation in the metabolism of rattlesnakes attributable to reproductive status is critical to understanding viviparous energetic requirements and has potential implications for reproductive frequency and adaptive success in the face of changing climates. We investigated the effect of reproductive status on standard metabolic rates of female Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis). We utilized internal temperatures and morphometric data from a population of C. viridis at a high-elevation site in northwest Colorado to estimate average standard metabolic rates of pregnant and non-pregnant females throughout their relatively short active season, and to estimate the average standard metabolic rate of females during their extended inactive season. Based on those rates, estimated annual energy requirements for survival among pregnant prairie rattlesnakes were significantly higher than the baseline energy requirements of non-pregnant prairie rattlesnakes: pregnant females were estimated to require 1097 kJ (90% CI: 953-1241) of energy compared to an estimated 598 kJ (90% CI: 571-624) for non-pregnant females. We estimated that pregnant females’ annual energetic requirement for survival is 1.83 times greater than that of non-pregnant females (90% CI: 1.66-2.02). The energetics of reptiles, especially that of snakes, is realtivley unnderstudied compared to other wildlife; these estimated energetic budegets based on standard metabolic rates contribute to a greater knowledge base for rattlesnakes, which have uniquely low energetic requirements. 

Increasing frequency, size, and severity of wildfires in the western U.S. threatens forest-dependent wildlife species. The Pacific marten (Martes caurina) has been considered to rely on mature, structurally-complex forest but has recently been found to occupy forest burned at high severity. To ascertain the relationship between the marten and burned landscapes, we used remote camera traps and non-invasive hair snares to assess marten occurrence, density, and home range in Lassen National Forest in northeastern California, burned by the 2021 Dixie Fire—the largest recorded single fire in California history. We detected martens at sites across the burn severity gradient, from unburned forest to stands burned at high severity. Preliminary results indicate that an individually identifiable marten’s home range spanned multiple burn severity classes, from unburned forest outside the fire perimeter to high-severity burn. Genetic analysis will identify individuals and sex ratio; subsequent analyses will estimate marten abundance and density, as well as the effect of the spatial heterogeneity of burn severity on marten occurrence. Because we detected multiple martens in 2022, 2023, and now 2024, we provide evidence for marten survival following an expansive high severity and intensity fire as well as short-term persistence of a rare forest-associated species.

Bats perform substantial ecological services, including insect consumption, pollination, seed dispersal, and nutrient cycling. Their low reproductive rates, and sensitivity to human disturbance makes bats vulnerable to a variety of threats including habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, pesticides, toxic wastewater, wind farm development, and the fungal disease white-nose syndrome. With the help of the “Bat Brigade” wildlife volunteer group, the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) conducted an 8-year study (2017 to 2024) of bat distribution, abundance, and calls per hour at three locations in Southern Alameda County. A total of 48 bat exit and acoustic surveys were conducted periodically between April and July at Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve, Lake Del Valle Regional Park and Camp Arroyo Regional Recreation Area. The study confirmed the presence of 7 genera and 9 species of bats, including two (2) California Species of Special Concern, the Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus), and the Western Red Bat (Lasiurus blossevilli). Additionally, the acoustic sampling detected the following species in order of abundance: Yuma Myotis (Myotis yumanensis), Mexican Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis), and California Myotis (Myotis californicus). Lastly, this effort demonstrates the tremendous energy that more than 1,000 volunteers can bring to a wildlife conservation program as community scientists contributing more than 5,000 hours of supervised service annually.

The Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger), one of our most distinctive colonial waterbirds, is listed as a California Species of Special Concern. Factors affecting their breeding population include limited suitable open nesting habitat, human disturbance, varied food availability, predation (feral animals and gulls), extreme weather, and environment pollutants. It is projected that by the year 2050, due to climate change, this coastal bird will have its habitat reduced by 50%. Typically, islet-breeding skimmers are in close proximately to nesting tern species which provide early warning and defensive behaviors against intruders. Since 2001, the East Bay Regional Park District has been working to establish and enhance a California Least Tern (Sterna antillarum browni) colony at Hayward Regional Shoreline located along the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay. These efforts are to assist in the recovery of this State and Federally listed endangered species and resulted in the attraction of breeding Black Skimmers to the site in 2015. For a total of eight breeding seasons (2015 to 2024), the Black Skimmer, California Least Tern, the threatened Western Snowy Plover (Anarhynchus nivosus nivosus) have nested successfully, in association with American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) and Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus). The results presented on Black Skimmer breeding chronology, hatching and fledging success, and diet in the northern portion of the species range answers data gaps that may help inform future research, protection, and management measures for this special status bird species.

Faced with climatic extremes, desert species may be at increased risk of depleting water and energy reserves in summer, thus, understanding their thermal ecology and microhabitat use is more crucial than ever to predict responses to climate change. Like many species, desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) use burrows as refugia from high daytime surface temperatures to avoid overheating and conserve energy and water. However, during summer, nighttime temperatures are lower at the surface than in burrows. Tortoises sometimes overnight at the surface during summer, raising the question of whether night surface use will increase under climate warming, a strategy that could buffer energy reserves but also increase predation risk. Cameras can address this question, but they are limited by tortoise movements among burrows and do not provide temperature information. In August 2023 and 2024, we observed juvenile and adult tortoise activity in the wild using time-lapse cameras and simultaneously recorded tortoise and environmental temperatures using temperature loggers (iButtons) affixed to tortoises and positioned in burrow and surface microhabitats. We will use camera observations to assess whether tortoise and environmental temperature data can be used to accurately predict nighttime microhabitat use in response to climate change across life stages.

With over 150,000 globally endangered species, conservation can feel daunting. However, efforts like wildlife reintroductions and captive breeding have shown success. The California condor, for example, has grown from 22 individuals to over 300 wild birds across the western U.S. and Baja, Mexico. This study examines how wild condor populations utilize space and how their home ranges vary annually and geographically. Using GPS tracking data, we analyzed home range patterns of condors released in southern and central California over a four-year period through Kernel Density Estimates (KDEs) and Minimum Convex Polygons (MCPs). Results show that while both flocks exhibit high site fidelity and varying annual home ranges, southern California condors maintain significantly larger home ranges, and central California condors spend more time near coastal regions than their southern counterparts. These findings raise important questions about why condors choose certain areas and how environmental factors influence their movements. By embracing curiosity and asking deeper questions about these patterns, we can better understand their behavior and be where the action is—guiding future conservation efforts more effectively.

North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) play a vital role in aquatic ecosystems, however, their populations are vulnerable to various environmental threats, including contaminants that may impact their health and, by extension, the health of aquatic ecosystems. The goal of this study was to determine if river otters are exposed to anticoagulant rodenticides, insecticides, and heavy metals. We performed necropsies on 20 river otter carcasses collected from the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Delta from May 2019 - December 2022. Trace exposures to anticoagulant rodenticides were detected in 45% of the tested river otters (9/20). We detected lead exposure in 10% (2/20) and mercury in 65% (13/20) of tested river otters. Trace levels of fipronil sulfone, the metabolite of fipronil, were detected in 20% of tested river otters (4/20). Other insecticides, such as organophosphorus, neonicotinoids, and pyrethrins, were not detected. While larger sample sizes and regionally specific sampling areas may help create baseline “normative” values, these results suggest that river otters in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are not uniquely exposed to certain classes of pesticides that were tested for. However, the metabolic half-life of pesticides varies and may no longer be detectable in tissues by the time carcasses are collected.

The increasing frequency and intensity of megafires, driven by global climate change, pose significant challenges to wildlife populations and their habitats. In this study, we aim to assess the impact of the 2021 Dixie Fire, one of California's largest wildfires, on the American black bear (Ursus americanus) population within Lassen Volcanic National Park (LVNP). Using remote-triggered cameras and hair snaring techniques across 33 sampling locations, we will evaluate changes in population size, occupancy, and habitat use with data collected before and after the fire. By employing spatially explicit capture-recapture models and occupancy modeling, we will generate detailed insights into how the black bear population has responded to the wildfire disturbance. Our research will advance the scientific understanding of megafire impacts on large omnivorous mammals, providing essential information for conservation management. The findings will inform adaptive strategies for wildlife managers and stakeholders, aiding efforts to mitigate the effects of escalating fire regimes on black bear populations. This research will not only enhance scientific knowledge but also raise awareness of the growing risks and occasional benefits wildfires pose to large mammalian species in fire-prone ecosystems.

Monitoring is critical for assessing the effectiveness of restoration projects aimed at restoring ecosystems and biodiversity but is rarely done. This is likely because of a multitude of challenges that can hinder its success. One major challenge is the complexity and variability of ecosystems. Natural systems are dynamic, making it difficult to establish baseline conditions and track long-term changes effectively. A second challenge is the lack of standardized, quantitative field methods, which complicates data collection, comparison and synthesis. Another challenge is the time lag between restoration efforts and observable ecological outcomes. Many ecosystem processes occur over extended periods, making it challenging to measure short-term success or failure. Yet another challenge is that restoration projects often lack adequate funding for sustained, long-term monitoring, which is necessary to capture these delayed effects. Opportunities exist to combat these challenges, however, and promote consistent, effective, and efficient restoration monitoring. These opportunities include the development of core monitoring protocols, tiered monitoring approaches, utilization of remote sensing and community science, creating a centralized data platform, and collaborating across agencies and organizations to learn from one another. Addressing these challenges is essential for enhancing the success of habitat restoration initiatives.

The Island fox (Urocyon littoralis), native to six of the eight California Channel Islands, has been a focal point of conservation efforts since their population decline during the 1990s. However, limited information exists on the spatial ecology of adult females during reproduction and the movement and survival of pups in their first year. This study attempts to fill these gaps by investigating home range sizes of adult female San Clemente Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis clementae) during different stages of reproduction, while also examining the survival and dispersal patterns of their pups. Additionally, the spatial and behavioral patterns of the foxes will be explored in relation to the island’s two dominant habitats: grassland and maritime desert scrub. GPS collars were deployed on 12 adult females to estimate home range sizes before, during, and after denning, offering insights into how reproductive activities influence movement. Eighteen pups were fitted with VHF collars and data collection was supported by solar-powered digital signal repeaters (digipeaters) distributed across the island. The findings from this research will provide insights into the spatial ecology of both adult females and pups, contributing valuable information to guide future conservation and management strategies for this species of conservation concern.

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are coastal marine mammals that haul out close to areas of human activity, but they are notoriously reactive to human disturbance. There is currently no monitoring program documenting the occurrence of harbor seals along the central coast of California. Plans for a windfarm offshore of Morro Bay are likely to increase ship traffic and other human activity in the Morro Bay area. The goal of this project was to document the location and timing of harbor seal haulout behavior in Morro Bay and surrounding areas, to establish a baseline of haulout behavior prior to windfarm construction. To do this, we conducted regular ground surveys using binoculars at Estero Bluffs, Morro Bay, and Los Osos, documenting harbor seal abundance through a half tide cycle. We related harbor seal haulout behavior to abiotic factors like tide level and direction, air temperature, and wind. Preliminary results indicate that that these factors significantly affect harbor seal abundance, but in different ways at different sites. Going forward, we will conduct standardized surveys throughout the year to generate baseline data that will ultimately help us understand the impacts on increased anthropogenic activity associated with the offshore windfarm on our local harbor seals.

The objective of our study was to “spot” a potential correlation between canopy cover and yellow-spotted coloration in Aneides lugubris. We hypothesized that increased local canopy color decreases the size of salamanders’ spots, informed by other forest specialist Aneides, such as Aneides niger, which exhibits uniform, dark coloration. We tested this using community science data from iNaturalist, focusing on 3,495 observations of Aneides lugubris across 30 California counties up to May 22, 2023. Adult individuals were classified into "large spotted" or "small spotted" categories based on visible coloration, and a logistic regression was performed to analyze spot size against mean canopy cover as measured within 30, 100, and 100 meters from the salamander, using the GLAD 2010 dataset from Global Forest Watch. Logistic regression reveals a slight but statistically significant relationship between “smaller” spotting in observations and increased canopy cover (SE = 0.002, z = -5.08, p < 0.001), This suggests that canopy cover exerts a small yet significant influence on the species' spotting patterns. We also find a statistically significant relationship between higher latitudes and smaller spots, and demonstrate that canopy cover is still an important determinant of spotting patterns despite a strong latitudinal gradient in tree cover.

The Galapagos petrel (Pterodroma phaeopygia), a critically endangered seabird endemic to the Galapagos Islands, faces threats from invasive species and habitat destruction. Genomic information is vital in managing endangered species, but it is most beneficial if based on high-quality reference genomes. This study aims to generate the first whole-genome sequence and assembly of P. phaeopygia using Oxford Nanopore Ultra-Long Reads sequenced on a PromethION 2 Solo. A library was prepared using a sample collected from an adult male individual on San Cristobal Island in July of 2024. Sequencing produced 1.8 million reads comprising 22.63 gigabases, an estimated 18x coverage, and a minimum contig length required to cover 50 percent of the assembled genome sequence (N50) of 21,412 bases. The reference genome generated in this study will not only support future population genomic studies, but also provide critical data for the conservation and management of the Galapagos petrel, thereby contributing to efforts to preserve this vulnerable species.

Pathogens shape the evolution of host immune systems and one gene family that experiences pathogen-mediated selection is the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which encodes cell-surface receptors that present pathogen-derived antigens to T cells. The heterozygote advantage predicts that animals should select mates that are dissimilar or diverse in MHC genotype to maximize their offspring’s MHC diversity, which may confer greater immunocompetence. Parasite-mediated sexual selection further suggests that MHC genetic quality should be signaled by sexually selected traits. Female house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) prefer males with redder plumage, which requires dietary carotenoids for pigmentation that are also used for general health (e.g., body condition and immunity). I hypothesized that redder plumage and better body condition would signal MHC class I genetic quality and predicted that plumage traits and body condition would correlate with MHC I diversity and genotype. I found that amino acid and supertype allelic diversity at MHC I did not explain plumage color or body condition, however, pairwise distance at MHC I between males correlated with pairwise distance in plumage saturation, suggesting a relationship between MHC I genotype and plumage color. This study will add to the growing field of honest signals of immunogenetic quality in ornamented birds.

Many dangerous or poisonous animals use colors or patterns to warn potential predators of danger (aposematic signal), and thus avoid molestation. Pacific newts (Taricha) produce tetrodotoxin (TTX), a paralyzing toxin, and also possess bright orange or red bellies which they reveal when confronted. However, some garter snakes (Thamnophis) have evolved resistance to this toxin. In fact, after ingesting newts, some garter snakes might retain enough TTX to be rendered poisonous themselves. We hypothesize that toxin-resistant garter snakes have evolved colors or patterns as anti-predator signals. We thus predicted that snakes with higher levels of TTX resistance would possess stronger aposematic signals (e.g., red coloration, etc). We quantified TTX resistance in snakes from across multiple sites in California (sympatric and allopatric with newts). We then quantified RGB from these same snakes from photos. We used machine learning to quantify the surface area of red coloration. We found a positive relationship between TTX resistance and red coloration. We hope to determine if this coloration is detectable by predators. This project will provide an innovative technique in machine learning to quantify a unique predator-prey system and enhance the efficiency of photograph data processing.

Long term monitoring is crucial for understanding patterns of change in ecosystems at local, regional and state wide scales. Understanding the effects of climate change at multiple spatial, temporal, and taxonomic scales can support adaptive land management decisions and inform long term goals and strategies for conserving California’s biodiversity. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is working with several partners to establish a Climate Biodiversity Sentinel Site Network to monitor ecosystems and wildlife on public and private lands. In this ongoing and growing effort, CDFW has established 39 sentinel sites on select Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves across the state. Each sentinel site hosts or will host a research grade weather station, four terrestrial wildlife monitoring plots with cameras and acoustic sensors, and a Motus wildlife tracking station. Resulting data is processed with multiple automated and machine learning tools and will allow scientists to evaluate links between climate change and its effects on local species and ecosystems. This presentation will include data collected during the 2023 field season and preliminary data collected in the 2024 field season.

Motus is a world-wide network of automated wildlife tracking stations. Over the last 5 years, the network has developed substantially in California. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is a major contributor to this network, through its development of Sentinel Sites for long-term monitoring of climate change, wildlife diversity and wildlife movement. Here, we provide an overview of the Department’s Motus project, summarize detections on our lands and outline future directions the project will take. We also provide a map of California station Motus project assignments. The Department manages 25 Motus station throughout the state. We have detected 30 species and are active partners on tagging projects involving 7 species. The detection summary will include lists of species detected and frequency, detection frequency over time, number of detections per station (controlling for time deployed), and several other variables. Over the next several years, the Department will retrofit 30 California Motus stations to detect very tiny 2.4 GHz tags, build 2 node networks for fine scale movement tracking, initiate tagging projects on additional species and continue to build out the network.

Restoration is acknowledged worldwide as a conservation need to return ecosystem functions, though projects require monitoring to justify effort. In the San Francisco Bay, manmade salt ponds are becoming restored to tidal marsh, notably by the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. The Alameda song sparrow (Melozipa melodia pusillula) has been documented to use restored and reference marshes, but their use of restored salt ponds is not fully understood. We hypothesize relationships between salt pond restoration age, percent cover of native plants, and Alameda song sparrow abundance. We also address questions on Alameda song sparrow habitat requirements. Alameda song sparrow abundance index data is used with botanical survey data at sites ranging in restoration age and native plant composition. We collect mist netting and bird banding data from a subset of these sites to confirm breeding success. Linear regression, principle component analysis, and analysis of variance show effects of each variable on Alameda song sparrow abundance. Similar Alameda song sparrow abundance across variably aged sites age and native composition both show how quickly nesting habitat might be provided for the species.

Eucalyptus trees were introduced into California in the 1850s for their potential as lumber and have since become one of the most common invasive arboreal plants. However, the essential oils stored in eucalyptus leaves which have antifungal and antibacterial properties, have been documented to negatively affect soil health. This study investigated the impacts of these essential oils on soil microbial activity and macronutrient levels in comparison to native oak species. We sampled 3 locations in the LA Zoo’s Oak Woodland area. We used Solvita soil respiration kits to assess microbial activity and we also measured pH, nitrogen, and phosphorus levels. Results indicated that soils beneath eucalyptus trees were more acidic and had lower macronutrient levels compared to those beneath oak trees. The soil respiration analysis also showed reduced CO2 levels in areas where eucalyptus leaves were most abundant, suggesting lower microbial activity. In combination with the acidification, reduced macronutrient levels, and diminished microbial activity, this study supports previous findings that eucalyptus essential oils negatively impact soil health. However, from a conservation perspective, prior to removal of these trees, adequate replacements must be found to provide critical habitat for avian species, particularly nesting raptors, and to prevent erosion.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Bats and WNS project installed 8 long-term acoustic stations in Plumas and Tehama counties in the spring of 2021. The Dixie Fire began three months after the stations were installed. As the wildfire spread it encompassed three acoustic stations, burned within 1 mile of four stations, and within 3 miles of one station. The Dixie Fire was the largest recorded wildfire in California to date, burning 374,000 hectares at mixed intensities. 55% of that area burned at high severity. For my thesis work, I will analyze acoustic data collected for the CDFW project before, during, and after the fire to improve understanding of how wildfires impact Northern California’s bat communities. To date, 17 species of bat have been found in the study region and over 6 TB (>2 million files) of call data has been collected. Though statistical analyses are not yet completed, observations suggest there were changes in both bat activity levels and species observed between the pre-fire period of 2021 and the same time range post-fire in 2022. This poster will discuss these changes and potential next steps for the study.

Following the publication of bumble bee survey considerations by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in June 2023, biologists throughout California have adopted methodology for habitat assessments and presence/absence surveys for the detection of nesting and foraging bumble bee species. After the implementation of survey guidelines, data collected during Crotch’s bumble bee presence/absence surveys for the 2024 season offers potentially valuable insight to better inform methodology for upcoming survey seasons.

The historic range of the San Quintín kangaroo rat (Dipodomys gravipes), once thought extinct but rediscovered in 2017, is restricted to a strip less than 170 km long and a few km wide within the coastal plains around San Quintín, Baja California. This rodent was first described in 1925 by Laurence M. Huey, who described the habitat in this area as hard soils covered with grasses. Similarly, Edward W. Nelson (1922) reported that “the vegetation is so low and insignificant that the plain has the appearance of an open prairie.” The habitat was recovering from years of wheat cultivation beginning in 1891, abandoned in 1917. The San Quintín kangaroo rat thrives in disturbed habitat left after the fallowing of fields. With the construction of the transpeninsular highway, agriculture was renewed in 1971 and by the early 2000s had expanded over much of the plain, but then it stalled because of saltwater intrusion into the aquifer. Desalinization plants have been introduced into the region, allowing the once fallow fields to be cultivated yet again. Dipodomys gravipes is listed as endangered by the Mexican government, and the renewed threat of expanding agriculture illuminates the need for targeted conservation. Many other narrow endemic taxa of flora and fauna share the San Quintín kangaroo rat’s range, highlighting the desirability of a multispecies approach to conservation of the region’s wildlife.

The order Chiroptera is one of the most widely understudied groups of mammals, despite being the most diverse – over 1,400 species composing 20% of all mammals. The difficulty in studying these organisms lies in their nocturnal and elusive nature. One of the hardest puzzles to solve among the lives of bats are their diets. Nighttime foraging often occurs well above treetops and buildings and can be up to 60km away from roosting sites. Recent advancements in DNA metabarcoding have emerged as valuable tools for elucidating bat diets by providing comprehensive data on their feeding patterns. This study employs this method in conjunction with dissections of fecal pellets to investigate the diets of insectivorous bats living in Northern California. By integrating both molecular and morphological analyses, we aim to achieve a higher resolution of dietary data. Samples were collected from the rural landscape of Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve in Chico, CA, during Winter and Spring 2024. These findings will be compared with ongoing data collection from the Chico State University farm during Fall 2024, Winter 2024/2025, and Spring 2025. This research contributes to a greater understanding of bat diets, ultimately informing conservation strategies for these critically important yet vulnerable species.

Urbanization affects wildlife communities through habitat alteration and loss, which can be particularly detrimental to species that are sensitive to environmental changes, such as bats. Bats play a critical role in ecosystems as pollinators and insect predators, but their populations can be impacted by habitat loss and fragmentation. This study explores bat community composition as a function of urban development and seasonality across three sites that vary in urban development in northern California: CSU Sacramento (high urban) and Rattlesnake Bar, Beal’s Point, and Folsom Point within Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (intermediate urban and rural). Acoustic monitors will be deployed for the summer, fall, and winter seasons for 30 days each season, and will be rotated every 10 days. Additionally, a fourth round of monitoring will take place at Auburn Airport (Auburn, CA), Effie Yeaw Nature Center (Sacramento, CA), and Round Valley Regional Preserve (Brentwood, CA) to further capture bat diversity along the urban gradient. By analyzing species richness, diversity, and activity patterns, I aim to assess how urbanization impacts bat populations. I expect lower species diversity in more urbanized areas and also expect seasonal variation in bat activity. This research will contribute valuable insights into the effects of urban expansion on bat communities and inform conservation strategies for urban landscapes.

The Cache Creek Conservancy (CCC) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization based in Woodland, California. CCC’s mission is to restore and enhance the lower Cache Creek watershed and its highly impacted landscapes. For almost three decades, CCC has utilized invasive removal and wildlife monitoring to restore native habitat. The Arundo Eradication program started in 2021, focuses on removing Arundo donax along the lower Cache Creek. To date, CCC has successfully treated and retreated more than 7.28 acres of Arundo. Besides invasive plant eradication, CCC has more recently delved into invasive wildlife removal, specifically American Bullfrog and Red-eared Slider. This past season, over 800 bullfrogs and 98 sliders were removed from the Cache Creek Nature Preserve’s wetland habitat. Alongside invasive removal, CCC conducts systematic surveys to monitor how restoration efforts are impacting native wildlife, including special status species such as Swainson’s Hawk, Northwestern Pond Turtle, and Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle. The data is used by CCC and Yolo County to develop management plans for various restoration sites along the lower Cache Creek. Additionally, these initiatives have been integrated into a college internship program that allows students and recent graduates gain valuable hands-on experiences in the environmental career field.

Urbanization and agriculture have expanded significantly in recent decades, leading to habitat loss, fragmentation, and reduced landscape connectivity for carnivores. Bobcats (Lynx rufus), wide-ranging ambush predators, are associated with intermediate urbanization who also use agricultural areas. However, the features of agricultural landscapes that attract bobcats remain unclear. Using 12 years of bobcat location data collected by the National Park Service in the agroecosystems of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, we analyzed their habitat selection and movement behavior using integrated step selection functions. My preliminary results show that bobcats select for natural habitats, use agricultural areas in proportion to their availability, and avoid urban areas. Bobcats are also seen moving fastest through urban areas in comparison to agricultural areas, suggesting greater preference for agricultural areas. Since bobcats are natural enemies of rodent pests that deal considerable damage to agricultural areas, understanding what influences bobcat presence in these areas is crucial for maintaining resilience in these ecosystems. Our future work will identify specific features of urban-agricultural ecosystems to inform growers and natural resource managers on how to increase connectivity between natural and agricultural areas to encourage not only bobcats, but wildlife movement permeability overall throughout this region.

Nearly a decade has passed since the removal of the San Clemente Dam, and the steady flow of sediments from the stockpile continues to travel down the Carmel River. This ongoing sediment transport has significant implications for the river ecosystem, particularly for the steelhead trout, an endangered species whose habitats lie downstream. Steelhead trout are known to migrate upstream after the winter months to lay their eggs in designated spawning grounds. These spawning grounds require specific conditions: coarse gravel and fast-flowing water. By measuring and monitoring the size of the spawning gravel using a gravelometer through cross-sections of the river, we can assess the health and suitability of these habitats over time. The data collected from these measurements is crucial for conservation efforts. If there is a notable accumulation of fine sediments burying the spawning gravel, this information can be presented to conservation agencies that protect and restore critical aquatic ecosystems. This study is particularly valuable for its focus on the long-term effects of low-impact dam removal projects.

An enhanced method of gathering behavioral data of nesting Swainson’s hawks was developed by QK using ZooMonitor, an App-based data collection method developed by the Lincoln Park Zoo to record captive animal behavioral data. We describe ways the app was modified from captive to wild animal data collection, development of behaviors specific to Swainson’s hawk in the App, provide examples of representative data output and graphical representations of data using the App, and describe the advantages of using the App compared to the standard method of using a hard-copy data forms. The App was tested in 2023 and 2024 during a pilot study of two active nests near a bridge construction project. We highlight some problematic aspects of the methodology that were encountered, and solutions developed to overcome those issues, provide recommendations for next steps in the study, and discuss data gaps that should be filled by other means.