Iron-rich coastal wetlands may act as sinks for heavy metal contaminants such as mercury, but may also remobilize this biotoxin, as well as mediate chemical changes that affect bioavailablity and toxicity. Walker Marsh is an iron-rich intertidal salt . . .

Phosphite (Pt), a traditional fungicide and novel fertilizer alternative used for P sourcing in agricultural soils, offers a potential for the conservation of phosphate (Pi), an essential and non-renewable limited resource. This potential has relied o . . .

Early detection of invasive species and evaluation of their impact on native ecosystems is key to conservation efforts. The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a useful tool to complement traditional field surveys in studying both the range . . .

Vocalizations are the main form of communication between anurans, and each species can have an array of calls that can range from simple to complex. Local dialects from different populations of the same species can inhibit intraspecific communication, . . .

The western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) is a small fossorial owl found in the western United States, Canada and northern Mexico (Shuford and Gardali 2008). Populations in northern California have suffered recent declines, and a better . . .

Tamalia coweni is unusual among gall-forming aphids in that it will often share its gall space with other members of its species, even as this has been shown to lower its fitness. Previous research utilizing manipulated densities of T. coweni on inflo . . .

Meadows in the Sierra Nevada are characterized as wet, heterogeneous habitats with diverse plant communities, often being biodiversity hot spots. These meadows not only provide resources for wildlife but also filter and store snowmelt, providing susta . . .

Kelp forest ecosystems are sensitive to changing global environmental conditions and unsustainable fishing practices (Tegner and Dayton 2000). Natural resource managers have implemented marine protected areas (MPAs) to mitigate ecosystem collapse and . . .

My study aimed to quantify nesting habitat availability for cavity-nesting birds in restored and remnant patches of riparian forest on the Sacramento River. I explored three hypotheses: 1) that older restored forests will attract more cavity-nesting b . . .

Cooperative or eusocial behavior is not unknown among gall-inducing insects, but the ecological and evolutionary contexts which produce such behaviors vary in their details. In Northern California, the manzanita leaf-gall aphid Tamalia coweni has show . . .