DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The impacts of partner abundance and niche breadth on benefits from mutualisms: Tracing outcomes from individuals to populations

所有有机体都以影响其生存的方式与其他物种相互作用。在互惠互利的互动中，物种以物易物，交换他们无法为自己提供的商品和服务。例如，当传粉者造访植物以获取重要的能量和营养(花蜜和花粉)时，它们在植物之间转移花粉(从而转移基因)。然而，传粉者丰度的变化和联合传粉者的可获得性可能会改变植物从与任何一个物种的伙伴关系中获得的好处。这个项目的目标是描述伴侣的丰度如何影响植物的繁殖成功和种群增长。一种传粉者的种群密度将被操纵，并将比较不同共传粉者数量的相关植物的影响。这项研究的结果将阐明密度依赖和合作伙伴专业化如何影响互惠互动的收益。由于当地传粉者提供的服务影响到经济上至关重要的农作物的产量和当地植物群落的多样性、持久性和结构，因此了解授粉互惠是特别令人担忧的。据报道，世界各地一些传粉者种群的减少意味着进一步的紧迫性。本研究的侧重点属三叶草(三叶草)和熊蜂(熊蜂)具有较高的经济价值和保护价值。最后，该项目包括与当地一个K-12班的合作伙伴关系，并为本科生提供研究机会。

All organisms interact with other species in ways that impact their survival. In mutualist interactions, species 'barter' goods and services that they cannot provide for themselves. For example, as pollinators visit plants to gain vital energy and nutrients (nectar and pollen), they transfer pollen (and thus genes) between plants. However, variation in pollinator abundances and the availability of co-pollinators may change the benefits plants receive from partnerships with any one species. The goal of this project is to characterize how partner abundance impacts plants' reproductive success and population growth. Population density of one pollinator species will be manipulated, and effects will be compared for related plants that vary in numbers of co-pollinators. Results from this study will elucidate how density dependence and partner specialization affect benefits from mutualist interactions. Understanding pollination mutualisms is of particular concern, since services provided by native pollinators influence the yield of economically vital crop plants and the diversity, persistence, and structure of native plant communities. Reported declines in some pollinator species groups worldwide imply further urgency. Focal genera in this study, Trifolium (clovers) and Bombus (bumblebees), have high economic and conservation value. Finally, this project includes a partnership with a local K-12 class and provides research opportunities for undergraduates.