SSU faculty produce consequential research relevant to the university, the North Bay, and the broader public. The library is pleased to highlight and share monthly via Focus On: SSU Research. Here is July 2025's digest of newly published research:
Sperou, E. S., Krause, D. J., Borras‐Chavez, R., Charapata, P., Costa, D. P., Crocker, D. E., Smith, K. J., Thompson, B., Best, A., Anderson, J., Goebel, M. E., Bonin, C. A., & Kienle, S. S. (2025). Individual Specialization in a Generalist Apex Predator: The Leopard Seal. Ecology and Evolution, 15(6), e71593-n/a.
Apex predators are typically considered dietary generalists, which often masks individual variability. However, individual specialization—consistent differences among individuals in resource use or ecological role—is common in apex predators. In some species, only a few specialized individuals can significantly impact prey populations. Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are apex predators important to the structure and function of the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Though broadly described as generalists, little is known about their trophic ecology at the population or individual level. We analyzed δ13C and δ15N profiles in whiskers (n = 46) from 34 leopard seals in the Western Antarctic Peninsula to assess trophic variation. We also evaluated individual consistency across years using repeat samples from 7 seals over 2–10 years. We compared population and individual isotopic niche space and explored drivers of intraspecific variation in leopard seal trophic ecology. We find that leopard seals have a broad trophic niche (range: 6.96%–15.21‰) and are generalists at the population level. However, most individuals are specialists (59% for δ15N and δ13C), with only a few generalists (13% for δ15N, 6% for δ13C). Individuals also specialize at different trophic levels. Most variation in trophic ecology is driven by individual specialization, but sex and mass also contribute. We also find that some seals specialize over time, consistently foraging at the same trophic level, while others switch within and between years. This suggests some seals may disproportionately impact prey, especially when specialists consistently target specific species. Long-term specialization by a few leopard seals likely contributed to the decline of the local Antarctic fur seal population. Our findings show the importance of examining individual specialization in leopard seals across their range to understand their impact on other prey populations. This approach should be applied to other apex predator populations, as a few specialists can significantly impact ecosystems.
Mangun, G. R., Liu, Y., Bengson, J. J., Fannon, S. P., DiQuattro, N. E., & Geng, J. J. (2016). Neuroimaging approaches to the study of visual attention. In Neuromethods (Vol. 119, pp. 387–417).
Selective attention is a core cognitive ability that enables organisms to effectively process and respond to relevant information while ignoring distracting events. Elucidating the neural bases of selective attention remains a key challenge for neuroscience and represents an essential goal of translational efforts to ameliorate attentional deficits in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Knowledge of the cognitive and neural mechanisms of attention is crucial for the development and refinement of brain-machine interfaces. In addition, the relevance of attention mechanisms also extends to training and education methods. A more nuanced understanding could enable the development of more effective strategies and programs, enriching the educational landscape. This chapter will examine how functional imaging methods, with a primary focus on fMRI, have deepened our understanding of core aspects of attention, such as how attention is controlled, focused on relevant inputs, and reoriented, and how this control leads to the selection of relevant information. The most relevant studies will be reviewed with a focus on fMRI methods. However, a discussion of electromagnetic recording methods used in conjunction with fMRI, including simultaneous EEG/fMRI methods, will also be included where appropriate.
Burton, B. R. (2025). Six Steps to a Successful Study Abroad Program: Case Study in Stockholm, Sweden. csuglobalaction (2)2, 1-12.
This article is meant to serve as a guide for developing a short-term (typically 2 to 3 weeks long) faculty-led study abroad program. I will focus solely on my work in Stockholm, Sweden, during summer 2023. This article will be particularly helpful to faculty members who are new to developing their own study abroad programs. I have six suggested steps for developing a successful faculty-led program. These six steps include:
- thinking about what you want for students and your own career;
- building on-campus partnerships;
- recruiting and supporting students as early as possible;
- making the program itinerary interactive and rewarding for your students;
- preparing students for international travel;
- reflecting at the conclusion of the program while continuing to build long-term relationships with global partners.
Bhang, C. H., Yoon, E., Alejandre, S. M., Lefebvre, E. A., & Yeh, E. Y. (2025). Resilience Among 1.5 Generation Korean American Emerging Adults. Asian American Journal of Psychology.
Hao, B., Ahmadi, Y., Zhang, T., Chen, C., Lu, Z., Ma, H., & Kim, K.-H. (2025). Ultrathin K-doped g-C 3 N 4 /BiOBr heterojunctions with S-scheme charge transfer for efficient photodegradation of tetracycline. Journal of Environmental Management, 391, 126677.
Residual tetracycline (TC) in aquatic ecosystems poses a significant risk to the health of both flora and fauna. Advanced catalysts with strong photocatalytic capabilities have emerged as a promising solution for not only TC degradation but also water purification. Here, the photocatalytic destruction (PCD) of TC has been investigated using ultrathin potassium-doped g-C3N4/BiOBr heterojunctions (KCNx/By, where x and y are the percent mass ratio values of KOH/melamine and KCN/BiOBr, respectively). All PCD tests have been conducted under 300 W of illumination from a xenon lamp with a light intensity at the catalyst surface of 280 mW. The PCD efficiencies of the formulated KCN2/B3 (92.7 % within 30 min) are approximately 1.62 and 1.34-fold higher than those of KCN2 and BiOBr, respectively. KCN2/B3 achieves the strongest performance against TC in terms of removal-reaction kinetics (r: 0.209 mmol g−1 h−1) and space-time yield (5.90E-03 molecules·photon−1·g−1) among the common photocatalysts built by g-C3N4- or BiOBr. The superior photocatalytic activity of KCN2/B3 can be attributed to the S-scheme charge-transmission pathway, which efficiently preserves photogenerated electrons (B3: reduction catalyst) and holes (KCN2: oxidation photocatalyst). This newly fabricated 2D/2D nanocomposite can be used in the construction of a scalable photocatalytic system for the remediation of TC in wastewater.
Green, N., Norwood, A., Sidhe, C., Mutlow, A., Aymen, J., Stiles, R., Bushell, J., Lim, T., Culver, E., Reeder, N., Timmer, M., Connelly, F., Charbonneau, J., McCall, W., Koenig, L., Stein, M., Geist, N., Lambert, M. R., & Hernández-Gómez, O. (2025). Shell Lesion Prevalence and Bacteriome Associations in Threatened Western Pond Turtles (Actinemys marmorata and Actinemys pallida) in California, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 61(3), 574.
Bacteriome characterization studies can provide insights into the microbial ecology associated with disease. We collected western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata and Actinemys pallida) from six San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA, ponds; assessed their shells for lesions; and collected shell swabs and keratin scrape samples to evaluate bacteriome differences between the whole shell (swabs) and the affected tissues (scrapes). We quantified shell lesion type and prevalence by using visual inspections of photographs collected of the plastron and carapace and then applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize the associated bacteriomes of shells that observed pits, ulcerations, or no lesions. We observed shell lesions at high frequencies throughout our sites, with larger individuals (>100-mm plastron length) more likely to possess injuries. We saw no differences in alpha diversities between shells presenting with lesions and those on which we did not observe lesions; however, swab samples showed higher bacterial richness than keratin scrapes. The bacterial composition within the scrapes was influenced by pond location and then lesion presence. We observed a higher relative abundance of Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Cyanobacteria, and Deinococcota in the shell keratin microflora of turtles with shell lesions. Because western pond turtles are under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in the USA, understanding patterns of shell disease pathologies and the bacteria associated with disease is imperative for the management of current populations.
Hernandez, K. M., Clemento, A. J., Linossier, J. E., Crocker, D. E., Costa, D. P., Reichmuth, C., & Garza, J. C. (2025). Microhaplotype Methods Enable Relationship Inference in a Bottlenecked Mammalian Species. Animal Conservation.
Genetic methods provide the ability to assess key aspects of population biology. Recent advances in high‐throughput, low‐cost DNA sequencing are providing opportunities to study species with limited genetic diversity. In particular, microhaplotype genetic markers have exponentially increased our ability to elucidate kin relationships and social structure through accurate pedigree reconstruction. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) have extraordinarily low genetic variation—among the most depauperate of any mammal species—making it challenging to discern familial relationships with genetic methods. Here, we describe the discovery of a panel of 122 microhaplotype markers for the species, validated by genotyping population samples with a standard amplicon‐sequencing approach. Additionally, we correctly assigned known mother‐offspring pairs with high confidence in the inferred relationships, successfully overcoming historical obstacles to the use of genetic tools for relationship inference in pedigree studies of northern elephant seals. This work enables key conservation questions to be addressed for this species and provides an example of how to advance understanding of the ecology, behavior, and reproduction of other mammals with very low genetic diversity.
Geckle, B., Fang, K., & Saraví, J. R. (2025). Editorial: Skateboarding and society: intersections, influences, and implications. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1649479.
Over the last 75 years, skateboarding has come a long way, evolving from a niche activity among surfers in California to a global phenomenon with millions of participants worldwide. Throughout its history, the activity of skateboarding has diversified. The people who skateboard, where they ride, how they ride, and their reasons for riding have evolved as skateboarders have developed new and creative ways to participate in the activity. As the activity of skateboarding has changed, so too have skateboarders’ interactions with their surrounding communities, both physically and socially. These unique characteristics of skateboarding have attracted the attention of researchers over the last several decades. Books, theses, and articles are evidence of this research. The Research Topic presented here, entitled “Skateboarding and Society: Intersections, Influences, and Implications,” contributes to this body of literature by demonstrating how skateboarding can be a useful mechanism for negotiating power, placemaking, urban and social development, education, and change.
