Pacific McGeorge School of Law
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Soil Matters: propagation success of Viola pedunculata and implications for conservation of an endangered butterfly
No full textThis study examines the propagation methods and survival of Viola pedunculata, a wild violet that is the only host plant for larvae of a federally listed endangered butterfly species in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. The primary goal was to determine how soil composition affects seedling survival and long-term growth, ensuring that these plants can thrive and continue providing a vital food source for Speyeria Scudder butterfly populations. Previous research by students in our lab showed high rates of success germinating Viola pedunculata using stratification following a drying period and that additional treatments were not required for germination. However, that work did not test methods for growing the germinated seeds. Here we germinated the field collected seeds and planted the germinating seeds in four soil treatments under controlled laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The four soil treatments were: autoclaved native soil, non-autoclaved native soil, a mixture approximating “UC Mix 2”, and a mixture approximating ”UC Mix 3”. These treatments vary in soil moisture and acidity providing a gradient to examine how soil composition and sterilization impact propagation success. Preliminary findings indicate that non-autoclaved native soil provides the most favorable conditions for germination and seedling emergence, yielding 32 Viola seedlings of 43 seeds planted (77%) —likely due to beneficial microbial interactions absent in sterilized media. In total, 79 seedlings emerged in greenhouse conditions and 92 in the laboratory. These results contribute to understanding optimal propagation practices for Viola pedunculata to help support future restoration efforts by outplanting propagated plants, or planting seeds from propagated plants, to butterfly habitats to help maintain and increase populations of threatened butterflies
Seeds of Resistance: Indigenous Ecofeminism in Gardens in the Dunes by Leslie Marmon Silko
No full textThis paper explores the ecological and feminist critique of settler colonialism in Leslie Marmon Silko’s 1999 novel, Gardens in the Dunes. Through a narrative that contrasts settler colonial with Indigenous perspectives on horticulture, Silko exposes the enduring impact and violent repercussions of the anthropocentric domination over nature. The story follows Indigo, one of the last surviving members of the Sand Lizard tribe, who is forcibly separated from her family and taken on a journey through gardens worldwide with her white adoptive parents. Through an Indigenous ecofeminist lens, Silko critiques settler colonialism’s exploitation of nature and Indigenous communities, exposing the interconnectedness between ecological domination and the subjugation of Native peoples.
Settler colonial horticulture is rooted in the anthropocentric exploitation and commodification of nature for ownership, display, and control. In contrast, Indigenous relationships to the land center on reciprocity, care, and integration of plants and people into a way of life of mutual sustainability and nurture. Indigenous ecofeminism recognizes the relationality of gender, culture, and ecology, exposing how settler colonial violence serves these bonds through the displacement and dispossession of Indigenous peoples from land and culture. Silko’s novel continues to develop this idea as it unravels Indigo’s experience with European botanical traditions as she is torn away from the values and practices of her Native American heritage.
In my analysis, I examine the intertwined cultural and ecological consequences of settler colonialism, revealed through the opposing Indigenous and colonial ideologies towards land and nature. Indigo’s journey in Gardens in the Dunes subverts the anthropocentric control of nature and offers an alternative grounded in Indigenous resistance, resilience, and the vital importance of reciprocal, sustaining relationships with the land. This paper will demonstrate how the novel emphasizes the inseparable connection between the treatment of people and the environment within the Indigenous experience
Variation in Diel Activity Across Life Stages in the Túngara Frog
No full textThe circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle that regulates physiological and behavioral processes. Amphibians exhibit complex natural histories with circadian rhythms that can vary among life stages. The túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) is a small terrestrial anuran native to Central America, with an aquatic larval stage and a terrestrial adult stage. In this study we examine the diel activity patterns of tadpoles, froglets and adults to reveal any changes to diurnality along their lives. Enclosures containing groups of captively raised frogs were photographed twice with a five-minute interval at each hour of the day. An index of movement was calculated for each group and hour and this procedure was repeated for enclosures containing adults, juveniles, froglets (metamorphosed juveniles) or tadpoles. A preliminary analysis shows that froglets and adults shared a bimodal distribution of activity with peaks soon after sunset and sunrise. Adult frogs were predominantly active soon after sunset, however, while froglets were more active after sunrise. The shift to nocturnality with age in túngara frogs appears to involve swapping of activity between the two peaks of a bimodal pattern fixed in time as opposed to gradually shifting the time of peak activity in a unimodal pattern. Further analysis of the diel activity patterns among the remaining life stages should reveal the full range and mode of change of diel activity in the túngara frog
Using Quantitative Shape Analysis to Investigate the Coevolution of Brain Shape and Flight Loss in Birds
No full textBirds exhibit widely diverse brain morphology, which can provide insights into their ecological adaptations and evolutionary history. They are the most diverse clade of terrestrial vertebrates with over 11,000 extant species recognized. Additionally, they occupy a wide variety of ecological roles and complex cognitive behaviors such as tool use, problem solving, vocal learning, and sociality. Investigations of avian brain shape change hold potential to elucidate the relationships of brain structure to ecology, and cognitive ability. Fossils provide physical records of organisms but usually only preserve hard anatomical structures like bones and teeth. Birds’ brain cavities closely match brain shape, a feature unique among reptiles that makes birds an ideal model system for investigating the coevolution of brain morphology and ecology. Thus, the internal anatomy of fossil bird skulls can be used to create endocasts that approximate brain size and external shape, providing insights into cognitive and sensory capabilities for long-extinct organisms. Rails are a particularly useful group of birds to study the evolution of brain morphology because they occupy diverse habitats and exhibit a wide range of behaviors, body sizes, and flight capabilities. There is also evidence that various rail species have independently lost flight multiple times relatively recently, providing a well-defined phylogenetic framework, with well-established species relationships and divergence timelines.
This research utilizes high-resolution medical imaging and qualitative and quantitative shape comparisons to assess coevolution of brain morphology and ecology in rails. First, we collect microCT scan data for bird skulls from museums or other databases. We then use this data to create 3D digital models of brain cavities as proxies for external brain morphology. We then reconstructed 3D digital models of the birds’ brain cavities (i.e., “endocasts”) using the segmentation program Dragonfly (Comet). The Principle of Proper Mass suggests that the relative size of brain regions are correlated with functional complexity and the external brain surface correlates with neuronal cell density. Essentially this tells us that external brain morphology is a reliable indicator of internal structure. We then use qualitative comparisons of those endocasts across our sample to preliminarily identify brain structures/regions exhibiting marked morphological variation.
Future work will involve quantitative comparisons of our models within a phylogenetic context. Within R, we will use geometric morphometrics to quantify the statistically significant variation in brain shapes across our samples by placing landmarks on reconstrued endocasts. Additionally we will use Principal component analysis to reduce the dimensionality of our data. Then we will use phylogenetically informed statistical methods to investigate coevolution between brain morphology and ecology, which will allow us to determine whether similarities in brain shape are due to shared ancestry or convergent evolution. Elucidating the drivers of evolutionary shifts in brain morphology holds potential to expand our understanding of broader patterns in avian brain evolution. Overall, this research lays the groundwork for inferring ecological shifts in extinct birds for which direct data on brain morphology but not ecology are available
Giving Birth Should Never Be a Death Sentence: Chapter 621 and the Path to Maternal Equity
No full textChapter 584: Navigating Hate Literature and the Freedom of Speech Through Strategic Legislation
No full textFitPro Fitness App
No full textFitPro is an innovative mobile fitness application that addresses the gap between professional workout programming and user accessibility in the digital fitness space. The project tackles a challenge in the fitness technology sector: while numerous fitness applications exist, they often fail to provide an optimal balance between structured guidance and user-friendly interfaces, leading to reduced user engagement and compromised fitness outcomes.
The application is built using a modern technology stack, combining React Native with Expo for the frontend and Spring Boot for the backend infrastructure. This architecture ensures cross-platform compatibility while maintaining robust performance and scalability. The system implements profiles that track workout history, personal records, and fitness goals.
A key innovation in FitPro is its intelligent workout generation system, which creates customized exercise programs based on specific muscle groups. Unlike existing solutions that offer either rigid, pre-programmed workouts or completely unstructured exercise logging, FitPro provides dynamically generated, professional-grade workouts that adapt to user preferences while maintaining proper exercise principles. Each workout plan includes detailed specifications for sets, repetitions, and rest periods, ensuring users receive appropriate guidance for safe and effective training.
The application features a clean, intuitive interface that guides users through their fitness journey while tracking progress through multiple metrics. Notable features that are currently being implemented include:
Muscle-specific workout generation for targeted training
Comprehensive exercise tracking with detailed progress metrics
Personal record tracking and goal-setting capabilities
Structured rest periods and form guidance for exercise safety
The project demonstrates how thoughtful software engineering can improve user experiences in fitness technology. By implementing a scalable architecture and focusing on user experience, FitPro shows how mobile applications can effectively bridge the gap between professional fitness guidance and accessible user interfaces.
This project represents a significant step forward in helping individuals integrate fitness into their daily lives by removing common barriers to exercise participation. FitPro not only provides clear, structured workout plans but also motivates users through progress tracking, achievement milestones, and personalized goal setting. By combining accessible workout programming with engaging progress visualization, the application helps users maintain long-term fitness habits while seeing tangible results. The intuitive interface and guided workout experience make it easier for individuals to start and maintain their fitness journey, addressing the common challenge of exercise adherence through technology. This approach demonstrates how thoughtfully designed software can make fitness more approachable and sustainable for users at all experience levels
(Re)membering: Navigating Culturally Responsive Teaching to Support Black Students from the Cultural Experiences and Life Histories of Black Women K-3 Teachers
No full textThis study examines the lived experiences of four Black women teaching in primary grades, focusing on the ways their resilience and culturally responsive pedagogies shape the academic and personal growth of young Black students. Utilizing a qualitative endarkened narrative approach, this research explores how these teachers employ storytelling as both a pedagogical and cultural tool, drawing from their own experiences and ancestral knowledge to foster identity development, bridge the opportunity gap, and empower students during the foundational years of education. Through rich and layered narratives, the participants illuminate their journeys of resilience, detailing how they cultivate inclusive, affirming learning environments despite the systemic barriers they and their students face. Their stories reflect a genuine commitment to educational justice, demonstrating how culturally relevant teaching affirms student identity, nurtures self-efficacy, and strengthens academic achievement. Their lived experiences both inform their instructional practices and position them as key agents in disrupting cycles of marginalization that disproportionately affect Black children in early education. Findings reveal that the participants’ personal histories and cultural insights fundamentally shape their teaching philosophies, allowing them to nurture both intellectual and emotional development in their students. Their endarkened storywork serves as a counter-narrative to deficit-based perspectives, offering students both a mirror to see themselves reflected in the curriculum and a window into the power of their cultural heritage. The study highlights the indispensable role of Black women teachers in grades K-3, highlighting their impact in fostering resilience, belonging, and academic excellence among Black students. In doing so, this research affirms the necessity of centering culturally responsive, identity-affirming pedagogy in efforts to close the opportunity gap and reimagine equitable educational futures
The Power of Presence: Body Image in Disney\u27s The Little Mermaid
No full textThis study explores how body image is represented in Disney’s The Little Mermaid across its 1989 animated film and the 2019 and 2023 adaptations. Grounded in Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory, the research examines how repeated media exposure shapes audience perceptions of morality, beauty, and identity—particularly through the portrayal of body size. Using a triangulated qualitative approach—reflexive journaling, content analysis, and survey responses—the study reveals consistent patterns: thin characters are depicted as virtuous, desirable, and heroic, while larger-bodied characters are often cast as villainous, comedic, or morally flawed. These associations were recognized by participants across all methods and confirmed through both reflective interpretation and implicit assumptions. Findings indicate that even critically engaged viewers internalize body-based moral coding, reflecting the powerful influence of repeated symbolic messaging in children’s media. The study calls for more inclusive storytelling that challenges normative body standards and highlights the need for media literacy education to help audiences recognize and question the underlying messages in popular culture
Discrete Math for Computer Science - Chapter 12: Introduction to binary relations
No full textSee this OER textbook full record by clicking here.https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/open-videos/1014/thumbnail.jp