2007 Saturdaze Scholarship for Natural History Research Bottom Row (left to right) 2007 Scholars: Conor Keegan, Jodi Brown, Peter Jackson-Tooby, Helena Vaynberg Top Row (left to right) Advisors: Michael Caterino (SBMNH, Curator Entomology), Paul Valentich-Scott (SBMNH, Curator Malacology), Emily Taylor (Cal Poly SLO, Professor), Henry Chaney (SBMNH, Diretor Collections and Research) standing in for Larisa Vredevoe (Cal Poly SLO, Professor) The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History supports education and research in natural history. Museum exhibits stimulate interest, heighten awareness and convey knowledge of natural history. Extensive research collections contribute to knowledge and understanding of the natural and cultural history of the Santa Barbara Region in a global context. Saturdaze is a consortium of artists, writers and teachers that develops natural history websites and Internet courses in biology. Saturdaze is honored to be associated with the Museum whose motto is . . . 2007 Saturdaze Scholarship for Natural History Research: Peter Jackson-Tooby Scholarship Award: $2,000 Abstract: We are currently doing research on the life histories of Western Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis). We have surgically implanted 20 animals (10 male and 10 female) with radio tracking units. Along with the tracking device, a thermo-sensor was also implanted in each snake that records its internal body temperature every two minutes for two years. Currently I am making bi-weekly trips out to our field site at the Chimineas Ranch just to the West of the Carrizo Plains to track the snakes movements and observe their behaviors. We are hoping to gain knowledge about their home ranges, activity levels, and interactions with each other and other organisms. There are several questions involving rattlesnake behavior that will hopefully be answered during the course of this study. One such theory that has been accurate so far is that different rattlesnakes all tend to use the same holes or rocks for shelter. We have observed different animals exhibiting this behavior for the past few months which is very exciting. The study began in the fall of 2006 when the animals were first captured and tagged, and will continue until summer of 2008 when the snakes will be re-captured and the tracking units will be removed. At this time the thermo-sensors will also be removed and valuable information will be obtained from them on how the snakes regulate their internal body temperatures. Through this experiment we hope to learn valuable information about the western pacific rattlesnake's natural history. Peter Jackson-Tooby Institution: California Polytechnic Sate University, San Luis Obispo Major: Ecology / Herpetology Advisor: Dr. Emily Taylor Future Profession: Field Biologist / Professor Above: Peter Jackson-Tooby admires the Museum's malacology collection of well over 2 million specimens as Paul Valentich-Scott, Curator Malacology, and Peter's Advisor, Emily Taylor, look on. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is regarded as having one of the world's finest malacological collections. 2007 Saturdaze Scholarship for Natural History Research: Jodi Brown Scholarship Award: $500 Abstract: Deep-water marine life in the Golfo de California is poorly documented. In 1967, a collection of 29 bivalve lots were collected in the Gulfo de California with a Campbell grab, at a depth range of 900-2700 meters, and later were donated to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH). The focus of this research will be to identify the bivalves using a dissecting microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The image of each specimen will then be captured using standard photography. Localities of each station will be mapped out to provide a visual parameter of where these bivalves were obtained. Bivalves from Golfo de California left: Delectopecten vancouverensis; right: Ennucula cardara (holotype) A general description of the bivalves environment will be described using the Velero IV station log, previously published material and personal communication with institutions known to have conducted research in the area. Data will then be compiled in a paper that will include the identification and images of the bivalves, a generalized view of the environment from which they were obtained, and a map of the localities; which will then be submitted for publication to create interest for additional research. Jodi Brown Institution: University of California, Santa Barbara Major: Biological Sciences Advisor: Dr. Paul Valentich-Scott (Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History) Future Profession: Research Biologist / Curator Above: Left: Emily Taylor and Peter Jackson-Tooby with a beetle specimen tray. Right: Krista Fahy discusses the role of egg collections from the past to understanding the present and looking to the future. Preservation of collections such as these allows scientists using modern techniques to determine how pesticide levels altered egg structure, and allow DNA samples from specimens to determine relationships. The Museum originally was founded in 1916 as The Museum of Comparative Oology and these same collections are housed within the Vertebrate Zoology Department with a regional collection of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and eggs, and mammals containing over 40,000 specimens representing over 2,000 species. The Museum is also know for an extensive regional insect collection with the focus of current research to develop a comprehensive collection of local insects, as well as a database containing information on their local distributions and activity patterns. Michael Caterino has initiated a new and exciting project to survey all the beetles living in California: an estimated 10,000 species. 2007 Saturdaze Scholarship for Natural History Research: Conor Keegan Scholarship Award: $500 Abstract: The family Histeridae contains approximately 4000 species. Most histerid beetles are generalist predators that can be found in a multitude of habitats. Species habitats include dung, decomposing plant material, bird nests, rodent holes and some, even live symbiotically with social insects. My interest in the Histerid family is in how all of the described and un-described species fit together in the family Histeridae. My goals are to produce and gather information regarding the phenotypical characteristics to aid in describing and distinguishing both undescribed and known species. Specimen images are captured using scanning electron microscopy. Unique morphological characteristics of each of the species are categorized and compared. Conor Keegan Institution: Santa Barbara City College Major: Biological Sciences Advisor: Dr. Michael Caterino (Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History) Future Profession: Research Biologist / Professor Above: Paul Collins (Curator Vertebrate Zoology) shows the temporary storage for local area bird mounts. A new Bird Diversity Hall is under construction with a planned opening in 2008. Helena Vaynberg and Emily Taylor inspect a "refurbished" Green Heron as part of a mounted collection over fifty years old. 2007 Saturdaze Scholarship for Natural History Research: Helena Vaynberg Scholarship Award: $500 Abstract: Tick infestations of livestock and other domesticated animals is a common problem in California. However, infestation patterns on horses in this part of California have not been well studied. The goal of this study is to observe natural infestation rates of horses by ticks in San Luis Obispo (more specifically, those horses located on Cal Poly land). Nymphal and adult ticks were collected on a weekly basis from a group of 10-16 pastured horses and sorted by species and sex. Three tick species have been found to infest horses on a regular basis from January through May: Dermacentor occidentalis, Dermacentor albipictus, and Ixodes pacificus. In addition to observing the species diversity and population density of the ticks over several months, any Ixodes pacificus found were cultured to determine if any are infected with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, an agent of Lyme disease. Thus far, there has been no evidence of exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi from the ticks collected off horses. Between January and May 2007 a total of 3,653 ticks were collected from 37 individual Cal Poly horses. Tick species composition included 86.75% Dermacentor occidentalis, 12.59% Dermacentor albipictus, and 0.66% Ixodes pacificus. Of these three species, Ixodes pacificus is of most medical significance as a vector of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum bacteria to horses, other animals, and humans in California. With respect to horse health, heavy infestations of Dermacentor albipictus, in particular, can lead to emaciation and anemia. Dermacentor occidentalis has not been documented as a major vector of any tick-borne disease in the U.S. In San Luis Obispo County, Dermacentor occidentalis appears to be the most common tick to infest horses during the winter and spring months. Further studies should be conducted to examine fluctuations in tick density and species composition on horses throughout the year and the impact of these three tick species on horse health. Helena Vaynberg Institution: California Polytechnic Sate University, San Luis Obispo Major: Biological Sciences Advisor: Dr. Larisa Vredevoe Future Profession: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Above: California Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata). We learned at the scholar presentations that Helena Vaynberg is now collaborating with Emily Taylor by supplying ticks that can be used for studying infection dynamics of ticks on lizards. Dr. Taylor is interested in the observation that ticks are differentially distributed between male and female lizards and her investigations of testosterone levels in lizards showing sexual size dimorphism will be used to test correlations seen in tick infestations. 2007 Saturdaze Scholarship for Natural History Research: Carey Batha Scholarship Award: $500 Male Red-winged Blackbirds have conspicuous red and yellow shoulder patches that they flash to other male redwings or when displaying on their territory. These badges are thought to be an honest indicator of the individual's health, status and resource-holding ability--the larger and brighter the color patch, the higher quality the individual. These badges are controlled in large part by testosterone levels. I am examining the relationship between patch size/brightness and the other measures of immunity (that we consider in Merrill's larger project). I take digital photos of each male redwing's wing patch and score the patch for size and relative brightness using a spectrophotometer. Merrill (my advisor) and I will correlate these data with the measures of testosterone levels that we measured for his project. I predict that: 1) males with larger patches will mount stronger immune responses than males with smaller patches, and 2) that males with brighter patches will mount stronger immune responses than males with smaller patches. Carey Batha Institution: University of California, Santa Barbara Major: Aquatic Biology Advisor: Loren Merrill Future Profession: Research Biologist