Student Projects

Fire Suppression and Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) Hypothesis Testing

Abstract The Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The prevailing hypothesis for the species decline is encroachment of trees into its habitat due to fire suppression. However, this hypothesis has not been rigorously tested. Using geographic information systems and aerial imaging, I compared changes in abundance …

Precision Agriculture Adoption and Integration Case Study

Abstract — Remote sensing systems for precision agriculture allow for technology and automation to improve the profitability and sustainability of modern farms. The adoption of these systems in the United States has been slow, due to the high cost of and difficulty using them. The University of Idaho, in collaboration with Laurel Grove Wine Farm …

PLC-controlled LED Lighting Gantry Robot

Abstract — Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are tools that often act as an area where mechanical engineering and computer science partner to further research in the field of industrial automation. The application of industrial automation techniques to precision agriculture is an area of large importance for researchers and farmers, allowing for technology and automation to …

Studying Bats in the UI Experimental Forest Using Acoustic Monitoring

Creepy, dirty, disease-ridden, blood-sucking pests. This is the description that come to mind for most people when they think about bats. So, why would anyone want to study bats? The truth is that bats are incredibly important to many ecosystems world-wide. Bats eat insects that carry diseases which means they serve as a natural insect …