DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The effects of nectar robbery on territorial pollinators and plant reproduction

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Pollination is a critical process for plant reproduction that sustains ecosystems and bolsters global biodiversity. Of all known factors that may impact pollination, nectar robbery is one of the least understood. Nectar robbery refers to when an animal extracts nectar from a flower without providing the reciprocal service of pollen delivery or pollen receipt, and is usually done by creating a small hole in the base of the flower. This research is expected to improve our understanding of how nectar robbery impacts the delicate balance between plants and pollinators. This knowledge will help us to better understand the evolution of nectar robbery and its potential role in the conservation of pollination networks. Undergraduates in the US and Peru will gain experience by participation in the research, and STEM excitement communicated through the Tulane University Girls in Science and Technology program. The research itself promotes the progress of science through improved understanding of the dimensions of pollination, which has implications for national welfare; the project also supports education and diversity in a project with K-12 students. This research will investigate the effects of nectar robbery by Diglossa flowerpiercers (Family: Thraupidae) on the foraging ecology of hummingbird pollinators will be investigated, and the consequences for pollen flow and reproduction of the Andean plant Oreocallis grandiflora (Family: Proteaceae) assessed. The response of territorial hummingbird pollinators to nectar robbery in terms of spatial behavior and foraging ecology will be quantified using radio telemetry tracking. The hypothesis that nectar robbery may have a positive effect on plant reproduction via improved outcrossing rates caused by an increase in visitation by non-resident pollinators in the absence of resident territorial pollinators will be tested. Research experience will be provided to undergraduates in the US and Peru, and the research process will be communicated to K-12 students in the Tulane University Girls in Science and Technology program.