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Animal Care Observation Internship
Full text linkZoos contain a wide variety of animals that each have idiosyncratic behavioral patterns, personalities and preferences. Unlike scientific literature, which tends to focus on the population, zoos take the wants and needs of individuals as priority. It would, thus, be beneficial for the zoo to have a detailed account of individual behavior throughout the day so the zoo knows how best to care for individuals. However, it is very likely that a few zookeepers watch over several animals at a time and have tasks to perform throughout the day. Watching and documenting specific behaviors at a specific time is a difficult task for them to also perform. I, along with several other college students or recent graduates, interned for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to perform this task. We observed several species of animal from multiple classes and park regions to document anything from basic behaviors, such as eating and drinking, to stereotypical behaviors like repetitive licking or head bobbing. With all the data polled together, I was able to create schedules at which the individuals tended to follow during the day. A Giraffe, Wombat, and Water Monitor are used as prime examples of the benefits of data collection and organization in this manner. Future interns will document the same behaviors as certain aspects of the environment are changed, such as construction or added enrichment items, allowing an examination of how said changes affect individual behavior and wellbeing. The data collected during this internship allows for greater care of individuals within the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Familiarity and its impacts on male mate preference the Sailfin Molly, Poecilia latipinna
Full text linkMating behaviors are an integral part of the life history and ecology of many species. Male mate preferences are an especially understudied area of research. We examined male mate preference for familiar and unfamiliar female fish in the sailfin molly Poecilia latipinna. We hypothesized that males would prefer familiar females as they may have been able to gather additional information concerning the female’s reproductive status. Males were isolated for a minimum of four days and then tested in a choice tank with two females of similar size. After the experiment, each male was randomly assigned to be with one of the two females for 7-10 days, at which point he was retested again with the familiar female and another unfamiliar female. Our results will expand the growing body of knowledge of not only sailfin mollies, but the impacts of male mating preferences overall
The Role of Democracy in Economic Growth
No full textThe question of economic growth and its relationship with a country’s political regime is not one that is new in political science and international relations. Many social scientists have investigated the veracity of this hypothesis and therefore have conducted several studies to validate and/or invalidate this commonly held belief within the community. In fact, different patterns of economic development have been identified in different parts of the world. And, clearly, there is not a one size fits all answer. There is evidence of authoritarian regimes with exponential growth, while there are also democracies struggling to bring their economy to a point where it flourishes to the benefit of their population. Moreover, many other types of political regimes are experiencing different phases in their economy. Therefore, concerns arise about whether authoritarianism really affects a country’s economic growth and makes it less likely to experience growth. This was my subject of investigation for my independent study and that is what I will be presenting at the Student Symposium
Collecting Histories: A Study of Perceived Authenticity and Gentrification in the Immigrant and Ethnic Food Corridors of San Francisco
No full textMany people do not realize how their food choices are impacted by cultural foodways. Foodways can be broadly defined as patterns that establish what we eat, as well as how and why and under what circumstances we eat (Edge, 2007). Cultural foodways are complex and tied to beliefs surrounding perceived authenticity. This is further complicated by the impacts of gentrification on different immigrant or ethnic food corridors. Through a funded grant, we explored these ideas in the various food corridors of San Francisco. During each visit, we completed structured observations by observing the setting, participants, events, and acts (Glesne, 2016). Important aspects of these observations reflect the negotiation of authenticity between customers and employees. Structured observations of restaurants, along with other tours and visits to cultural sites allowed us to hypothesize how perceived authenticity and gentrification impacted each space. Additionally, we interviewed workers, owners, artists, and future politicians to better understand their personal and professional history, along with their own perceptions of different social and cultural issues. For this presentation, we plan to compare the impacts of perceived authenticity and gentrification in the Mission District and Japantown. These food corridors are very different from each other and show two different sides to the experiences of immigrant or ethnic groups in San Francisco. The other corridors of our project include Chinatown, Oakland, Ghirardelli Square, and the Ferry Building. We plan to touch on our structured observations in each of these areas and how they relate to the project. Overall, the conclusions drawn from this project allow broad assumptions to be made around how cultural foodways and perceived authenticity impact individual decisions. It brings to light complicated issues surrounding identity and community, both impacted by gentrification and other social crises
A Flood of Construction: The Role of Levees in Urban Floodplain Development
No full textWe estimate the impact of levee-related flood risk reduction on rates of new housing development. Using a fixed effect Poisson regression and a nonlinear difference-in-differences identification strategy, we find that newly constructed levees increased the rate of residential development by over 50 percent compared to areas without levee protection. Contemporary analysis using a duration model indicates effects lasting decades later, with the magnitude of the induced development attenuating over time. Our findings inform discussion of the “Levee Effect” and highlight the possibility that further flood-risk reduction investment in levees may be partially offset through increased development activity
Grumelot & Escuela Nave 73: Defying Traditional Stage Presence Through Digital Media
No full textAs COVID-19 brought significant changes to the art industry, it forced creators to re-invent the way they collaborate and produce their work. Within Hispanic Classical Theater, these unforeseen circumstances led playwrights, directors, and performers to seek new ideas and venues of dissemination that may change the course of Spanish comedia productions for years to come. However, the proliferation of these digital productions raises several questions: How can multimedia outlets be used effectively to capture the audience’s attention and engage them in the same way as traditional theater? How can they create a sense of intimacy and recreate the perception of being present in the absence of the in-person theatrical experience? In order to answer these questions and to understand how these challenges can be overcome, this article examines the multimedia play Y es mayor dolor la ausencia que la muerte (Grumelot and Escuela Nave 73). A digital and interactive show that attempts to overcome the limitations imposed by digital broadcasting and implements social presence elements that allow the performers to create a sense of connectedness with the audience
Current Water Quality Guidelines Across North America and Europe Do Not Protect Lakes from Salinization
No full textHuman-induced salinization caused by the use of road deicing salts, agricultural practices, mining operations, and climate change is a major threat to the biodiversity and functioning of freshwater ecosystems. Yet, it is unclear if freshwater ecosystems are protected from salinization by current water quality guidelines. Leveraging an experimental network of land-based and in-lake mesocosms across North America and Europe, we tested how salinization-indicated as elevated chloride (Cl-) concentration-will affect lake food webs and if two of the lowest Cl- thresholds found globally are sufficient to protect these food webs. Our results indicated that salinization will cause substantial zooplankton mortality at the lowest Cl- thresholds established in Canada (120 mg Cl-/L) and the United States (230 mg Cl-/L) and throughout Europe where Cl- thresholds are generally higher. For instance, at 73% of our study sites, Cl- concentrations that caused a ≥50% reduction in cladoceran abundance were at or below Cl- thresholds in Canada, in the United States, and throughout Europe. Similar trends occurred for copepod and rotifer zooplankton. The loss of zooplankton triggered a cascading effect causing an increase in phytoplankton biomass at 47% of study sites. Such changes in lake food webs could alter nutrient cycling and water clarity and trigger declines in fish production. Current Cl- thresholds across North America and Europe clearly do not adequately protect lake food webs. Water quality guidelines should be developed where they do not exist, and there is an urgent need to reassess existing guidelines to protect lake ecosystems from human-induced salinization
\u3cem\u3eHollywood or History? An Inquiry-Based Strategy for Using Film to Teach About Inequality and Inequity Throughout History\u3c/em\u3e
No full textThe book provides 30 secondary lesson plans (grades 6-12) that address nine different topics centered around inequity and inequality throughout history, many of which connect students to the world we are living in today
Over a Decade of Field Physiology Reveals Life-History Specific Strategies to Drought in Garter Snakes (\u3ci\u3eThamnophis elegans\u3c/i\u3e)
No full textChanging climates and severe weather events can affect population viability. Individuals need to buffer such negative fitness consequences through physiological plasticity. Whether certain life-history strategies are more conducive to surviving changing climates is unknown, but theory predicts that strategies prioritizing maintenance and survival over current reproduction should be better able to withstand such change. We tested this hypothesis in a meta-population of garter snakes having naturally occurring variation in life-history strategies. We tested whether slow pace-of-life (POL) animals, that prioritize survival over reproduction, are more resilient than fast POL animals as measured by several physiological biomarkers. From 2006 to 2019, which included two multi-year droughts, baseline and stress-induced reactivity of plasma corticosterone and glucose varied annually with directionalities consistent with life-history theory. Slow POL animals exhibited higher baseline corticosterone and lower baseline glucose, relative to fast POL animals. These patterns were also observed in stress-induced measures; thus, reactivity was equivalent between ecotypes. However, in drought years, measures of corticosterone did not differ between different life histories. Immune cell distribution showed annual variation independent of drought or life history. These persistent physiological patterns form a backdrop to several extirpations of fast POL populations, suggesting a limited physiological toolkit to surviving periods of extreme drought
Debe ser dirigida: Theories of community organizing for research management in the context of rural Ecuador
Full text linkThis research analysis and literature review discusses the factors that mobilize individuals to take an active role in community-led resource management. After reviewing major contemporary theories of resource management such as Elinor Ostrom\u27s polycentric theory, CPR theories, and Arnstein\u27s ladder, the essay then applies these theories to the context of the Quijos Valley in Ecuador, where the author conducted informal interviews with community members both involved and not-involved in managing fragile soil ecosystems. The literature review considers the idea that individuals are more likely to take an active role in research management when there are strong community bonds, and highlights the importance of considering post-colonial and cultural perspectives when discussing the barriers to participation in resource management