• Royce Fellowship
Emily
Longman

Concentration 

Biology - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Award Year 

2014
Growth and Survival of California Least Terns in San Diego, California

Faculty Sponsor: Dov Sax

California Least Terns (Sterna antillarum browni) are a species of ground nesting, migratory birds that have large breeding grounds on the shorelines of San Diego County. Human disturbances have increased the threat from predators, resulting in the species being federally listed as endangered. In affiliation with The San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, Emily assisted in monitoring the growth and survival of Least Tern chicks. She used mark-and-recapture techniques and radio tags to closely observe population dynamics. These adaptive management strategies identified the best ways to monitor and protect the species from future threats.