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。 在互利主义的相互作用中，物种“易货”商品和服务，他们不能为自己提供。 例如，当传粉者拜访植物以获得生命能量和营养（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，传粉者丰度的变化和共同传粉者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好处。 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。 一种传粉者物种的种群密度将被操纵，并且将比较在共传粉者数量上不同的相关植物的影响。 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利互动的好处。 了解授粉互惠关系是特别令人关注的，因为本地传粉者提供的服务影响到经济上至关重要的作物的产量和本地植物群落的多样性，持久性和结构。 据报道，世界范围内一些授粉物种群体的减少意味着进一步的紧迫性。 本研究的重点属三叶草和熊蜂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.