Here's what happened this past semester in the Applied Ecology lab --
- Matt successfully defended his thesis research! He found that dozer lines impact the recovery of native vegetation and that the wider the dozer line, the higher likelihood of nonnative species. Look for his poster at the Northern California Botanists Symposium in January 2022
- Claire presented her blue oak seedling regeneration research to an audience of ~100 people at the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Chico State Herbarium. Her research was really well received!
- Lab Alum Hannah presented her research on obligate seeders and dozer lines (along with Claire's prior research project) at the virtual 9th International Fire Ecology & Management Congress
- Natalie experienced the joys of predawn sampling, and has started in on her honors work looking at the interactions of drought and wildfire on Blue Oak
- Holly has started interviewing folks to get their take on the barriers to beaver reintroduction in California - one down and a bunch more to go!
- Mikala has honed in on her thesis research topic: how dozer lines impact fuel loading. She's been really busy identifying dozer lines across northern California wildfire sites using aerial imagery. Excited to get out in the field to see what they look like on the ground.
- The lab welcomed two new lab members this Fall - Kaylie Deluca (Interdisciplinary) and Cassie Corridoni (Interdisciplinary - Wildland Management). Kaylie will be studying the impacts of the Dixie Fire at our long term restoration site at Drakesbad Meadow in Lassen NP. Cassie will be studying the recovery of plants and birds post-Camp Fire at the Butte Creek Ecological Preserve
- Kristen is getting ready to submit a (non-fire related!) proposal for some local endangered species work. And has been learning all about how to put together a virtual symposium with the entire Northern California Botanists board.