Carrie Wendt, 2016

Thesis:

Examining barn owl nest box selection at three spatial scales on Napa Valley vineyards 

After Humboldt, Carrie went on to work as a partner biologist for the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Point Blue Conservation Science.

For her thesis, Carrie studied the nest box and habitat characteristics that predict barn owl nest box occupancy on winegrape vineyards in Napa, California. Viticulturists have been deploying barn owl nest boxes on vineyards to assist with rodent pest removal for decades, but ecologists have not thoroughly examined this system. Her research aimed to answer the following questions: What local and landscape-scale habitat characteristics predict nest box occupancy? How does nest box design and orientation influence occupancy? Carrie's results helped inform vineyard managers on ideal nest box design and placement in order to maximize occupancy, and therefore the potential for rodent removal services. Installing nest boxes in suitable habitat may benefit barn owls by increasing artificial nesting sites where natural sites are limited. She also surveyed farmers to better understand rodent control practices and the perceived effectiveness of barn owls at removing rodent pests and mitigating rodent damage.

Jadzia Rodriguez,

Thesis:

Effects of vegetation on the behavior of hunting barn owls (Tyto furcata) and their prey

Jadzia is studying how changes in habitat and vegetation affect the behavior of hunting barn owls and their prey. She is interested in how these altered behaviors could affect the outcome of a predator-prey interaction. In the spring and summer of 2024, Jadzia deployed GPS tags fitted with accelerometers on adult barn owls to reveal the precise location of where they kill their prey. This work was conducted in winegrape vineyards in Napa Valley, California, which have predictable changes in vegetation due to management such as cover crop mowing and grapevine growth. This research may help guide vineyard management practices by determining which habitat variables are associated with a predator’s successful hunting behavior.

Jennifer Brown, 2016

Thesis:

Effects of canopy cover on the prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on frogs in Jamaican coffee farms.

After Humboldt, Jen went on to work as a veterinary technician in Humboldt County, and then as a wildlife technician with the Yurok Tribe.

For her thesis, Jennifer examined the incidence and prevalence of a disease-causing fungus on frogs in coffee farms in Jamaica.Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis(Bdfor short) is a fungus that causes Chytridiomycosis, an infectious disease affecting the survival of amphibians worldwide. Previous research has hypothesized that Bd is positively associated with forest cover, perhaps because a closed canopy is more moist and favorable for fungi. Jennifer tested this hypothesis by examining Bd loads on frogs captured on coffee farms that span a gradient of shade canopy cover. She hoped to find an optimal vegetative structure type that promotes a balance between frog diversity/richness and sub-lethal chytrid fungus infections. Her research provided a useful tool for understanding how to manage agriculture practices, such that maximum conservation of frog species is possible.

Ximena Gil,

Thesis:

Do rangeland management practices incentivized by California's Healthy Soils Program confer co-benefits for both birds and ranchers?

Rebecca Green, 2007

Thesis:

Distribution of forest carnivores and evaluation of habitat models for American Marten in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

After Humboldt, Rebecca went on to earn a PhD at UC Davis.

For her Humboldt thesis, Rebecca investigated the distribution of American marten, fisher and other medium-sized carnivores in a variety of habitats and elevations in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Track plates and remote cameras were used to detect and provide permanent records of species in habitat types ranging from nearly barren alpine areas to mid-elevation giant sequoia groves to foothill hardwood forests. Vegetation and presence/absence data from these surveys allowed Rebecca to evaluate the performance of several habitat models for the American marten within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Information from this project was reported to Park Service biologists and other wildlife managers in the region to promote awareness and understanding of the current habitat conservation needs of martens and fishers in the Sierras.

Chris Smith, 2014

Thesis:

Bird species richness and abundance in shade and sun coffee farms in Kenya

After Humboldt, Chris went on to work as a field ornithologist in Australia and New Zealand.

Chris studied the effects of shade trees in Kenyan coffee farms on bird abundance and species richness. Virtually no research had been done in coffee on bird communities in Africa, and it was currently unknown how certification programs that advertise coffee as "shade grown" or "bird friendly" actually affect birds. Shade trees may also be habitat for insectivorous birds that help remove pests from the coffee. Chris's results helped reveal relationships between farm vegetation and the bird community to inform future bird conservation and future research on the delivery of pest control services by birds.

Frank Juma Ong'ondo, 2021

Thesis:

Bird abundance and diversity in shade coffee and natural forest in Kenya

After Humboldt, Frank went on to pursue a PhD at Mississippi State University. For his thesis, Frank investigated how shade coffee can harbor forest-associated species of birds in Kenya. Previous research has shown that coffee farms in the Neotropics can provide good habitat for birds, but it remains uncertain how well coffee supports birds strongly associated with forests, and much less work on this topic has been done in Africa. Frank compared and contrasted bird abundance and diversity between shade coffee farms in central Kenya and adjacent natural forests of Karura forest and Ngong road forest. His analysis revealed which Kenyan forest bird species are and are not able to occupy shade coffee farms. This understanding helps clarify the role of natural forests and agriculture in Kenyan bird conservation and helps inform land use planning that incorporates the management and diversification of the anthropogenic matrix in which natural areas are embedded.

Amy Roberts, 2008

Thesis:

Bat use of redwood basal hollows with increasing isolation in contiguous, remnant, and legacy redwood forest stands.

After Humboldt, Amy worked for the EPA in Sacramento.

Fr her thesis, Amy investigated how roost isolation and distribution may affect bats' use of redwood basal hollows located in Redwood National Park and adjacent private land. She used guano-traps placed within hollows to determine the use of roosts in three different spatial scales. The information collected advanced our understanding of forest-dwelling bats and their roosting ecology.

Dane St. George, 2019

Thesis:

Barn owl prey delivery rates in Napa Valley vineyard ecosystems.

After Humboldt, Dane went on to be a wildlife biologist with the California Dept of Fish and Wildlife.

For his thesis, Dane studied barn owl prey delivery in winegrape vineyards in Napa Valley. Using nest box cameras, he documented the rate at which adults deliver prey items to birds in the nest box throughout the breeding season. Dane also analyzed how prey delivery rates relate to various local and landscape habitat variables and ultimately, how habitat affects the ecosystem service of rodent pest control delivered by barn owls in vineyard ecosystems.

Allison Huysman, 2019

Thesis:

Barn owl hunting responses to wine country wildfires.

After Humboldt, Allison went on to work as a research associate at Georgetown University and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

For her thesis, Allison studied barn owl response to wildfires in Napa Valley by monitoring nest boxes and placing GPS transmitters on owls. She used this information to analyze how nest box occupancy and barn owl hunting habitat selection vary depending on the degree to which habitats near a nest box burned. This has implications for barn owls’ potential to provide pest control as an ecosystem service in vineyards and can inform management in the face of wildfires that are increasingly affecting both people and natural areas.