REU: The Role Amino Acids Play in Attracting Pollinators to Floral Nectars

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This award will establish a Research Experience for Undergraduates Site at the State University of New York-Fredonia. The project will foster the intellectual and emotional development of 10 undergraduate participants by involving them in an investigation of plant-pollinator interactions. The research will focus on the role that amino acids play in attracting insect pollinators to floral nectars. Participants in this project will collect nectars and quantify their sugar and amino acid compositions using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. In addition, they will study the behavioral response of various pollinators to amino acids in the nectars of plants. This project will be divided into two parts, summer (1988) and winter(1989). The eight summer weeks will offer one week of introduction to theory and methods, three weeks of directed research on group projects, and four weeks of independent, participant-originated projects. During the fall semester, participants will analyze the results of their individual projects. They will return to Fredonia in January, 1989, when they will prepare oral presentations of their projects to be presented at the Eastern College Science Conference (ECSC) in April 1989. Student researchers in this project will develop through 1) an increased understanding of ecology, behavior, evolution, biochemistry, and chemical instrumentation 2) hands-on experience with specific field and laboratory research techniques, 3) practice in critical reading and analytical thinking, and 4) acquisition of a variety of research support skills. All of these accomplishments will enhance the emotional maturity of participants, help to define their career choice as scientists and, in some cases, raise their aspirations.