NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2011

该行动为2011财年NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金，扩大参与。该研究金支持研究员在东道实验室的研究和培训计划，研究员还提出了扩大生物学参与的计划。该奖学金的研究和培训计划的标题亚历山德拉N和谐威胁是：了解传粉者群落结构及其对授粉服务的影响，在一个自然破碎的景观。 该奖学金的主办机构是圣路易斯的华盛顿大学，赞助科学家是Tiffany Knight博士。在越来越多的人类主导和破碎的景观中，通过利用景观和生物特征来了解生物多样性模式，获得了有关群落动态的宝贵知识，并防止了物种损失。 这对传粉者来说尤其重要，因为它们为植物提供支持服务，并帮助稳定植物群落。本研究调查了欧扎克沼泽地的传粉者群落。 研究的地点是一个自然破碎的生态系统，与茂密森林基质中的岩石露头相关，在那里正在进行恢复沼泽地的重大努力。利用斑块大小、隔离度、扩散能力等景观特征，增加斑块年龄、食性宽度等景观特征，测量传粉服务程度，提出并试图回答两个问题：1）景观特征如何影响传粉者多样性和组成？2)传粉者的多样性和组成如何影响植物的授粉服务？了解分散景观中的传粉者群落可能是避免“全球授粉危机”和提供有针对性的恢复建议的关键。拟议的研究为研究员提供了作为研究人员和教师发展的各种机会。正在实现的培训目标是：（1）建立额外的技术和方法技能，（2）为不同的学生群体学习辅导技能，（3）增加教学准备和经验。为了扩大参与，来自科学代表性不足的群体的高中生和大学生被纳入研究;在本科课程中提供客座讲座，使学生了解学术界的多样性。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2011, Broadening Participation. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Alexandra N Harmon-Threatt is: Understanding pollinator community structure and its effects on pollination service in a naturally fragmented landscape. The host institution for this fellowship is Washington University in St. Louis, and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Tiffany Knight.In increasingly human-dominated and fragmented landscapes, valuable knowledge about community dynamics is gained and species losses are prevented by using both landscape and organism features to understand patterns of biodiversity. This is especially important for pollinators, which provide a supporting service to plants and help stabilize plant communities. This study investigates pollinator communities in the Ozark glades. The location for the research is a naturally fragmented ecosystem associated with rocky outcrops in a densely forested matrix where significant efforts to restore glades are occurring. Using common landscape features, such as patch size, isolation, and dispersal ability; adding new features, patch age and dietary breadth; and measuring extent of pollination service, this research poses and seeks to answer two questions: 1) How do landscape features affect pollinator diversity and composition? 2) How does pollinator diversity and composition affect pollination service to plants? Understanding pollinator communities in fragmented landscapes could prove key in averting a "global pollination crisis" and providing targeted recommendations for restoration.The proposed research provides the Fellow diverse opportunities to develop as a researcher and teacher. The training goals being met are 1) building additional technical and methodological skills, 2) learning mentoring skills for a diverse group of students and 3) increasing teaching preparation and experience. To broaden participation, high school and college students from groups under represented in science are being included in the research; and guest lectures are being given in undergraduate courses to expose students to diversity in academia.