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

所有生物都以影响其生存的方式与其他物种相互作用。在互惠互动中，物种“物物交换”它们自己无法提供的商品和服务。例如，当传粉者访问植物以获取生命能量和营养（花蜜和花粉）时，它们在植物之间传递花粉（从而传递基因）。然而，传粉媒介丰度的变化和共同传粉媒介的可用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利益。该项目的目标是描述伴侣丰度如何影响植物的繁殖成功和种群增长。控制一个传粉媒介物种的种群密度，并比较不同传粉媒介数量的相关植物的影响。本研究的结果将阐明密度依赖和伴侣专业化如何影响互惠互动的利益。由于本地传粉者提供的服务影响着经济上至关重要的作物的产量以及本地植物群落的多样性、持久性和结构，因此了解传粉相互作用是特别值得关注的。据报道，世界范围内一些传粉媒介物种群的减少意味着进一步的紧迫性。本研究的焦点属三叶草属（Trifolium）和大黄蜂属（Bombus）具有较高的经济和保护价值。最后，该项目包括与当地K-12班的合作，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.