To give you a better idea of what is involved in a senior project, the topics cross the spectrum from ecology and GIS, to genetics and nutrition. For instance, one of our students focused on the behavioral differences in populations of redband trout. Another student in our natural resource ecology program, Tobyn Rhodes, studied the relationships between amphibian occurrence and fisheries management. Specifically, Rhodes was interested in monitoring the factors behind the declining amphibian population sizes. He determined one of the first steps was to develop long term data sets to explore possible factors contributing to the population decline. Possible factors may include: habitat destruction or fragmentation, pathogen infection, increased UV destruction and UV—B exposure, and introduced species. You can review presentations from former ecology and conservation biology students to gain greater insight into the senior thesis experience: