Submitted by Mel Baldino on
Restoration and management of lands in the United States often focus on a singular goal. In most cases, that focus is on either biodiversity or carbon sequestration. Even though the management may impact both aspects of the ecosystem, restoration goals and implementation still focus on isolated objectives even within the same regions. A notable dichotomy prevails between habitat restoration, centered on biodiversity and endangered species, and ecosystem functions such as carbon uptake and storage. As a result, we still lack a robust understanding of how restoring for a single aspect of the ecosystem impacts other goals and to what extent diverse objectives can be met by a single restoration effort to achieve a “win-win” outcome for both biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
During the field component of this project, we will be doing day-long (8 hour) field excursions into my study sites in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which are wetlands restored for carbon sequestration. These field days will be spent running trial drone flights, tending to audio recorders and camera traps, and doing point count estimates of bird populations. The other hours on this project will involve data processing which can be completed remotely. Data processing includes audio, drone imagery, and camera trap imagery. This may involve using ML and coding in Linux and Python, but many tasks can be completed without any coding.
The undergraduates will join me for one weekly field visit from the week of May 19th to the week of August 4th. Work hours will vary based on schedule and weather, but the days will be no longer than 8 hours each from when we leave campus to when we arrive back. We will arrive at the sites AT SUNRISE, so work begins very early in the morning.
The SPUR student will help setting up the drone, tending to audio recording equipment and camera traps, and identifying birds (sight and sound). No previous experience required, but experience identifying California birds would be greatly beneficial. There is potential, depending on the schedule of the undergraduate and the amount of data we record, for there to be data analysis opportunities in the lab. This could be done remotely and would involve identifying bird calls on audio recordings, entering data into an Excel sheet, and identifying/tracing birds in drone imagery and camera trap images.
SAFETY NOTE: This work will not require hiking, moving heavy objects, or interacting with animals. However, it will be in wetlands. It will likely require many hours in the sun. There will be bugs. The chosen undergraduate will participate in the creation of a full safety plan for the project before the work begins and will be provided with the resources required to be safe in this environment.
All necessary skills can be learned on the job, but a preferred candidate would have experience identifying California birds by sight and sound. Undergraduate will need to bring hiking boots and appropriate field clothes, but all other necessary equipment will be provided.