Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Life Cycle Progression Of Chlainomonas Sp.: A Field Study, Honu Pata, Robin Kodner, Ag Camara, Clare Hanneman, Maya Matsumoto, Dan Van Hees

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Every year, there are blooms of algae in snowy alpine environments during the summer snow melts. One environment in particular, the snow-on-lake habitat on Bagley Lake in Mt Baker, has been the subject of study by the Kodner lab for many years. In this habitat, we find the genus Chlainomonas which has bloomed in late spring and early summer annually. Our lab has proposed a life cycle for the genus (Matsumoto et al 2024), and there are many morphologically distinct cell stages found in field collected samples. This study has expanded our understanding the life cycle dynamics by examining the …

Environmental Impact Assessment Of The Horseshoe Bend Trail Reconstruction, Ian Caldwell, Kathleen Castleberry, Julia Grams, Sascha Knight, Emily Panteleeff

College of the Environment Graduate and Undergraduate Publications

This is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the proposed action of constructing a new section of the Horseshoe Bend Trail along the State Route 542 corridor to Mt. Baker in Whatcom County, Washington. The construction of a new section of trail will renew access to the popular trail, which was washed out in 2021. Impacts to elements of the natural and built environment are examined, with emphasis on riparian and water quality impacts. The proposed action, alternative action, and no action are all considered, along with positives, negatives, and no impacts of each.

Assisted Regeneration Of Threatened Whitebark Pine After Wildfires In North Cascades National Park, Dylan Braund, Clara Magsarili, Ben Molenhouse, Bridget Miller, Zalan Szanyi

College of the Environment Graduate and Undergraduate Publications

This assessment evaluates the environmental effects of seeding whitebark pine seed caches in two burn sites located within the North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA) in Washington State. The goal of these efforts would be to reestablish stands of whitebark pines lost to wildfire.

Environmental Impact Assessment Of Mcglinn-Goat Island Jetty, Sydney Freeman, Sarah Granard, Joey Lane, Ava O’Neill, Malia Thatcher

College of the Environment Graduate and Undergraduate Publications

This environmental impact assessment examines the potential effects of two major fish restoration actions regarding the McGlinn-Goat Island Jetty and the no-action alternative. The goals of these actions are to improve fish passage to/from the N. Fork Skagit River and the Swinomish Channel, important migratory habitat for many salmonid species. This report also investigates potential sedimentation issues arising from alterations to the jetty infrastructure and the potentially deleterious effect of such alterations on maintenance of the Swinomish Channel as a navigable marine passage. This report focuses on analyzing the effects on earth, plants and animals, water, and Transportation. This assessment …

Environmental Impact Assessment Of The Abc Recycling Metal Shredder, Amanda Hogue, Ellysen Mcfarland, Julian Medina-Schroeder, Nico Fotes, Anna Newberry

College of the Environment Graduate and Undergraduate Publications

The purpose of this Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is to determine the likely effects of ABC Recycling’s proposed metal shredder facility on the natural and built environment. This assessment summarizes negative and positive effects associated with both the proposed and alternative actions. Where appropriate, this assessment provides additional mitigation measures that could be applied to either the proposed or alternative actions. The impacts of ABC Recycling’s proposed action to build a metal shredder facility were investigated with emphasis on the adverse effects on air and water quality, soil and geological conditions, plant and animal habitat, energy and natural resources, and …

Environmental Impact Assessment For Reforestation Of Douglas Fir After The 2023 Sourdough Mountain Fire, Samantha Burgh, Brandon Lankford, Spencer Natario, Mikaela Silva, Maggie Strecker

College of the Environment Graduate and Undergraduate Publications

This Environmental Impact Assessment was conducted on account of the extensive damage to site conditions at Sourdough Mountain. The proposed areas of action would focus on National Park lands, within the parameters of Sourdough, that withstood severe, extensive degradation as a result of a wildfire outbreak in Summer of 2023. Deforestation throughout the Skagit basin, with particular focus surrounding Sourdough Mountain, was investigated in relation to critical assessments and analyses of natural and built environmental factors throughout the mountain.

Nwac Snow School Intern, Sorelle Sumner Thompson

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The Mt. Baker Snow School internship opportunity with Western Washington University and the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) allows students to help educate middle schoolers in the Skagit and Whatcom school districts on snow science. Every Friday in March, I supported snow professionals and biologists by teaching kids about snowpack analysis, snow algae sampling, snow water equivalency, snow crystal observations, etc. The internship is also coupled with NWAC program outreach to help educate the public on recreating outside responsibly. The program outreach was two weekend days in March that consisted of setting up an NWAC tent and reaching out to backcountry …

Institute For Watershed Studies Lake Whatcom Project Intern, Joey (Christopher Adam) Lane

College of the Environment Internship Reports

Over the course of my internship at the WWU Institute for Watershed Studies I worked on the Lake Whatcom project, a long-term water quality monitoring program for the City of Bellingham. We focused on the Lake Whatcom watershed, sampling the lake and tributaries monthly and analyzing water samples to determine seasonal and long-term water chemistry and biological changes. My role as a research assistant included collecting water samples from the lake and tributaries, performing extensive laboratory analysis to generate water quality data, conducting hydrological monitoring, and maintaining lab safety and functionality through weekly chores.

Birds Of Costa Rica: Journal & Sketchbook, Clara Magsarili

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This project exhibits the birds of Costa Rica which are extremely beautiful and diverse. I had the opportunity to see 148 species of bird while studying abroad in Costa Rica in the fall of 2023. This project is a collection of personal observations of each species accompanied by a watercolor painting or colored pencil drawing. Inspired by a Tropical Birds class that I took at Veritas University in San Jose, Costa Rica, 'Birds of Costa Rica: Journal & Stetchbook' grew into a piece that encapsulates a lifetime of a love of birds, art, and sharing my passion with others.

Developing Two-Dimensional Ammonium Sensors For Use In Marine Sediments, Zoe Kass

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Nitrogen spatial distribution and denitrification rates are not currently well understood in marine sediments. Both nitrogen distribution and denitrification rates vary widely. Better understanding these processes and the factors that impact them could have a variety of applications, from providing us with a foundation for determining any potential impacts of anthropogenic nitrogen to restoring eel grass beds. This project focused on the development of a two-dimensional ammonium sensor using diffusive equilibrium thin films. We successfully created and calibrated our sensor before deploying it at Padilla Bay to produce a two-dimensional image of the spatial distribution and concentrations of ammonium in …

Environmental Restoration Intern, Chloe Alexis Bibb

College of the Environment Internship Reports

This city program runs community restoration work parties every Saturday from September to June, where citizens can volunteer their time to participate in local restoration efforts in city parks. The projects usually consist of invasive species removal and native species planting, but occasionally other opportunities are present. The role of the intern in this position requires setting up these work parties and assisting in running them. Interns are also expected to help volunteers with any related questions and use their education and expertise in environmental topics.

Nsea Community Program Intern, Payton M. Bovee

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The community program internship was designed to support NSEA’s program team by facilitating community and student opportunities to engage with salmon and restoration activities throughout Whatcom County. The goal is to provide Whatcom County residents with hands-on experience in restoration and the tools/knowledge to act as stewards of salmon habitat. This is accomplished through several outreach opportunities including NSEA’s Students for Salmon program, community work parties, Salmon Club, and salmon sighting events.

Nwac Snow School Intern, Nathaniel Hoang

College of the Environment Internship Reports

Mt. Baker Snow school in collaboration with the Mt. Baker Ski Area, North Cascades Institute, and the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) provides an insightful opportunity for kids grades 6 – 12 to experience hands on science education and exploration at the Mt. Baker Ski area. Covering niche environmental science topics not commonly covered in typical grade school curriculum, snow school is an opportunity for children to explore different scientific implications of what they already know and how it applies to snow science. Aside from education, snow school served as an opportunity for a large majority of kids to explore a …

Post Polymerization Modification And Preparation Of Dynamic Polymer Networks Via Guanylation Of Aryl Carbodiimides, Conner J. Klingler

WWU Graduate School Collection

Styrenic carbodiimide (CDI) polymers have shown an interesting ability to form reversible polymer networks, known as covalent adaptable networks (CANs), through an uncatalyzed reaction with multifunctional amines. CANs have been a topic of interest in polymer chemistry due to their ability to be reprocessed, which is not found in classic thermoset polymer networks. However, not much is known about the capabilities of the nucleophilic addition of amines to aryl CDI repeat unit structures that goes into making these networks due to the understudied reactions involved. This thesis aims to develop a better understanding of the chemistry involved through various post …

Reconstructing Vegetation Cover During The Retreat Of The Puget Lobe Of The Cordilleran Ice Sheet Using Organic Matter From Marine Sediment Cores, Emily Mcquarrie

WWU Graduate School Collection

The dynamics of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet (CIS) over the last glacial period are complex, with several instances of ice retreat and readvance before the final retreat. This study demonstrates that in western Washington, marine sediment cores can be used to reconstruct continental ice cover. Here, I present a reconstruction of terrestrial landscape evolution within the Puget Sound during the last deglaciation, using geochemical analyses of organic matter from marine sediment cores. I measured the carbon isotope composition in bulk organic matter (d¹³C_org) and concentrations of leaf wax biomarkers (n-alkanes and fatty acid methyl …

Deglacial And Holocene Environmental Change Recorded In Lake Sediments From The Snowy Mountains, Kosciuszko National Park, Southeastern Australia, Emma J. Mickelson

WWU Graduate School Collection

The sediment record from Lake Albina, the Snowy Mountains, southeastern Australia suggests significant environmental change mostly reflecting shifts in climate from the LGM through the Holocene. Immediately following deglaciation, approximately 19.4 thousand cal ky BP, Lake Albina experienced cold and/or dry conditions with minimal vegetation in the catchment. Cooler conditions persisted with a slight increase in moisture throughout the Antarctic Cold Reversal (ACR; 14.7-13 cal ky BP) aligning closest with a strengthening of the Atlantic Meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and a northward shift of the South Westerly Winds (SWW). Between 12.9-9.7 cal ky BP, Lake Albina recorded a climate reversal …

High Resolution Seafloor Structure Of The Gofar Oceanic Transform Fault, Paige Koenig

WWU Graduate School Collection

The Gofar oceanic transform fault (OTF) accommodates 12.5 cm/year of plate boundary motion through large earthquakes, microseismic swarms, and aseismic slip in distinct regions of the fault along strike. Local and teleseismic observations show that well- coupled segments of the fault tend to fail via M~6 earthquakes roughly every 5 years. These fully-coupled segments are bound by barrier zones, up to ~10 km-wide, that do not generate large-magnitude earthquakes, but instead host microseismic swarms, accompanied by aseismic slip (Shi et al., 2021). Geophysical modeling and observations provide evidence that hydrothermal fluid circulation and fault damage may influence slip behavior segmentation. …

Velocity Structure Of The Queen Charlotte Fault Across The 2013 Mw 7.5 Craig Earthquake Region, Lazaro Valentin Garza

WWU Graduate School Collection

Offshore southeastern Alaska and western Canada, the Queen Charlotte Fault (QCF) separates the Pacific (PA) and North American (NA) plates. Here the plate boundary experiences ~55 mm/yr of dextral slip accompanied by increasing fault obliquity from north to south. Among the historical M>7 earthquakes that have occurred on the QCF, two recent earthquake ruptures in 2012 and 2013 highlight the potential for seismic and tsunami hazard along the margin. Earthquake observations and geophysical imaging following the 2013 Mw7.5 Craig earthquake provided new insight into QCF crustal architecture, but also created new questions about how earthquake rupture dynamics are related …

The Biophysical Resilience Capacity Of The Salish Sea’S Tidal Wetlands To Sea Level Rise, Kenna Kuhn

WWU Graduate School Collection

Tidal wetlands offer significant ecosystem services, cultural identity, and economic opportunities, but the impact that projected SLR will have on tidal wetlands in the Salish Sea is not known. In this thesis, I examine the exposure, watershed-scale biophysical resilience capacity, and jurisdictional variation in resilience capacity of the Salish Sea’s tidal wetlands to SLR. I quantify exposure, resilience, and jurisdictional variation using existing spatial data and analysis techniques. I employ a framework for biophysical resilience capacity developed by NOAA and NERRA. This study’s results indicate that there is substantial variation in wetlands area by watershed, from 0 km² to …

Enhancing The Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment And Restoration Process Through Bayesian Networks: A Case-Study On The Little Mississinewa River, Indiana, April D. Reed

WWU Graduate School Collection

The Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) program gives Tribes and certain government agencies the authority to assess injury to natural resources and to pursue and implement compensatory action for any resources lost or injured due to unlawful releases of chemicals into the environment. This study was centered around the development of a Bayesian network (BN) decision support tool tailored to the needs of NRDAR practitioners. The goal was to design a probabilistic BN tool that could lend quantitative insight into natural resource injury. A case study was used to develop and demonstrate the tool’s functionality and propriety …

Life Cycle Assessment Of A Hemp-Based Thermal Insulation Panel, Kara Davis

WWU Graduate School Collection

Buildings have a monumental impact on the environment and the economy and account for about 40% of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and materials entering the economy. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool for quantitatively evaluating the environmental impacts of a product throughout its life span commonly applied in the building and construction sector. While past efforts have focused on reducing operational energy and carbon, attention has shifted towards embodied energy and carbon as buildings become more energy efficient. This graduate thesis applies the LCA framework and investigates the life cycle environmental impacts of a hemp-based thermal insulation panel …

Revealing Binding And Unbinding Pathways Of Small Molecules And Peptides To Enzymes With Enhanced Sampling Methods, Kayla Ariana Croney

WWU Graduate School Collection

In vitro experiments are critical to understanding the biochemistry of molecular systems but it can be a challenge to obtain atomistic resolution. Computational chemistry gives insight to these results with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using Newton’s equations of motion to analyze the motion of atoms and molecules. However, due to insufficient sampling and long-lived metastable states separated by high energy intermediates, enhanced sampling methods must be applied. Metadynamics (MetaD) enhances the exploration of MD by adding time-dependent bias. Here, we applied MetaD to two enzymes to study their substrate binding/unbinding pathways with their respective substrates. Yeast cytosine deaminase (yCD) deaminates …

Transition State Kinetics Through Kramers’ Rate For Variationally Enhanced Sampling., David Cummins

WWU Graduate School Collection

Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations use Newtonian mechanics applied at finite time steps to numerically propagate the time-trajectory of a dynamical system. However, many biochemical processes such as catalysis, ion channel gating, substrate binding, and protein folding evolve over time scales which are orders of magnitudes greater than those afforded by MD and the computational power available today. The development of methods that reduce the computational cost of sampling such rare events help to provide a dynamic insight into these processes. This thesis explores the application of a recently developed enhanced sampling method, Variationally Enhanced Sampling (VES), for calculating kinetic rate …

An Assessment Of Historical And Future Bluff Recession In Puget Sound, Wa, Callie Little

WWU Graduate School Collection

Sea level rise in the coming century is projected to cause substantial changes along the world’s coastlines and adverse effects to communities and environments. Among these changes, questions about the extent, rate, and uncertainty of coastal bluff retreat relative to historical observations and in response to sea level rise are critical to evaluate. Coastal bluffs comprise ~43% of the shoreline across Puget Sound in the Salish Sea and their recession is a growing concern to human safety, property, infrastructure, and diverse ecosystem services for culturally and commercially important fisheries. This project assesses bluff erosion using field observations, structure from motion …

Using Olivine-Hosted Melt Inclusions To Better Understand The Transcrustal Architecture Beneath Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan), North Cascades, Washington, Amanda Florea

WWU Graduate School Collection

The Schriebers Meadow cinder cone is located on the southern flank of Mount Baker and produced the Sulphur Creek lava flows and SC tephra deposits ~9.8 ka. Mount Baker, a Cascade volcano, is located ~50 km east of Bellingham, Washington. Previous work on the Sulphur Creek lava flows show that the eruption comprised two primary bulk rock compositions, ranging from basalt at the toe to basaltic andesite closer to the vent. However, little is known about the relative composition and eruption timing of the SC tephra from the same vent. In this thesis, I quantify compositional variations through the explosive …

The Origin Of Float Rocks On The Western Fan Front In Jezero Crater, Mars, Bavani S. Kathir

WWU Graduate School Collection

Examining loose pieces of rock separated from outcrops, or “float” rocks, at Jezero crater, Mars, and comparing them to in-place outcrops can provide key insights into the crater’s erosional history, the units in the Jezero watershed that the Perseverance rover cannot visit in-situ, and the geologic context for any future returned samples. Here, we used multispectral observations from the Mastcam-Z instrument on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover to investigate the lithology and origin of float rocks found on the western Jezero fan front (sols 415-707). We identified four textural classes of float rocks (conglomerates, layered, massive, and light-toned). We …

Synthesis And Dft Investigations Of Silver Nanocubes Coated With Gold Layers For Enhanced Stability, Ayomide Daniel Oluwafemi

WWU Graduate School Collection

Silver nanocubes (Ag nanocubes) are one of the most important nanostructures, due to their plasmonic capabilities. However, their susceptibility to oxidation upon exposure leads to rounding of their edges or sharp corners, compromising quality and stability. A feasible option to address this issue is to deposit a second metal, such as gold (Au), which is resistant to oxidation, onto the Ag nanocubes. Regrettably, manipulating the synthetic parameters that shape Au coated Ag nanocubes is difficult. The galvanic replacement reaction between Au and Ag can erode, hollow, and disintegrate the Ag nanocubes. We explore several synthetic pathways to achieve well-controlled shaped …

Legacy And Emerging Contaminants Of Concern In Edible Seaweeds Of The Salish Sea, Holly L. Suther

WWU Graduate School Collection

Seaweed are cultivated and harvested around the world for many uses including food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and fuel. Seaweed aquaculture has been on the rise globally, and interest has been expressed in the United States in furthering the development of the industry. Because seaweed can absorb contaminants into their tissues, an understanding of the risks to consumers is important for informing those consumers and maintaining public support for the industry. Seven species of seaweed that are either wild-harvested or of interest to aquaculture were collected from the Washington State Salish Sea and analyzed for differences in contaminants by season, site, algal …

Elucidating The Binding Characteristics Of Lrp1 In Factor Viii Blood Coagulation, Nicole Topor-Madry

WWU Graduate School Collection

Abstract

Factor VIII and von Willebrand factor (vWF) are essential for blood coagulation. FVIII, a large glycoprotein with 2332 amino acids, is crucial in the intrinsic pathway of coagulation. After secretion, FVIII circulates in the bloodstream at approximately one nanomolar concentration, bound to vWF, which protects it from rapid clearance. In response to vascular injury, FVIII is proteolytically activated, dissociates from vWF, and binds to activated platelet surfaces and activated Factor IX, dramatically accelerating the rate of blood clot formation. Hemophilia A, affecting 1 in 5000 males, results from functional FVIII deficiency. Standard treatment involves prophylactic FVIII injections but has …

Biodiversity Of Snow Algae In The North Cascades: Comparing Distinct Microhabitats At Mount Watson., Chloe Beck

WWU Graduate School Collection

Snow algae, commonly known as pink snow, bloom in high alpine environments globally. Snow algae blooms are on every continent, but the biodiversity within them is under studied. The snow habitat is suitable for algae growth in the spring and summer months when liquid water is available in snowpacks. Diverse terrain in alpine systems can create unique and variable snow habitats as snow melts through the growing season. This study describes the biodiversity of blooms from a site, Mt. Watson, in the North Cascade Mountain Range. The measures of biodiversity assessed include species richness, alpha diversity, beta diversity, and genetic …