Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
Faculty Sponsor: Melinda Butterworth & Nicole Iroz-Elardo
Discipline: Public Health: Ethics Advocacy & Leadership / Environmental Science
The Opal Creek Wilderness, renowned for its ecological richness and cultural significance, faced unprecedented challenges in the wake of the 2020 Beachie Creek Wildfire. This study investigates the intricate dynamics of post-fire recovery within Opal Creek, focusing on the regeneration of key tree species and exploring the influence of historical fire patterns on current ecological responses. Through rigorous fieldwork and data analysis, this research illuminates the resilience of select tree species, the nuanced impact of fire severity on vegetation recovery, and the broader implications for forest management and conservation strategies amidst escalating wildfire occurrences and changing climatic conditions.
Faculty Sponsor: Joe Bowersox
Discipline: Environmental Science
Forests undergo constant change as natural disturbances alter composition and structure. Canopy gaps promote regeneration by providing increased light to seedlings in the understory. The rarity of gaps forces seedlings to persist in low-light conditions, resulting in slower growth. This study monitored 30 plots across three canopy conditions to assess interspecific seedling competition in varied lighting and gap sizes. It focused on five species: northern red oak, birch, eastern hemlock, red maple, and white pine, anticipating higher survival rates for light-dependent species in gap sites and conspecific seedlings further from focal trees based on the Janzen-Connell hypothesis.
Faculty Sponsor: Joe Bowersox
Discipline: Environmental Science
Urban watersheds are impacted by changes in nutrient cycling and pollution from storm runoff. Excess nutrients from fertilizer and other sources are common in urban streams, and stormwater control measures (SCM) may be locations of enhanced nutrient removal. In this study, we examine excess nitrogen removal via denitrification in SCMs by examining the microbial community and microbial activity present in SCM sediments. Samples were collected from SCMs in the Pringle Creek watershed located in Salem, Oregon. Data collected will be used to assess nitrogen removal throughout different seasons, and lead to better urban designs to help with the denitrification process.
Faculty Sponsor: Katja Meyer
Discipline: Environmental Science