Hull Lab University of California, Davis
Hull Lab UC Davis
Diana Muñoz
Master's student, Ecology
B.S. Avian Sciences, UC Davis
damunoz[at]ucdavis.edu
Research Interests:
I am interested in the effects of toxins on avian survival and reproduction, focusing on substances that are present in the environment at elevated concentrations because of human activity. In collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), I am investigating long-term population trends in the Black-crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) and Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula) of Alcatraz Island. The San Francisco Bay hosts a significant portion of northern California’s heron and egret breeding populations, but is also a hotspot for mercury contamination in birds. Although USGS has monitored herons and egrets on Alcatraz since 1991, additional research is needed on the effects of mercury on their reproduction and survival. In addition to analyzing long-term population trends, I will be sampling for mercury on Alcatraz to examine this issue. I have been a volunteer at the California Raptor Center for approximately six years and have frequently observed the detrimental effects of toxins on birds. Despite my current work with ardeids, my ultimate goal is to become involved in vulture research and conservation.