Plant-Pollinator Interactions between Erigeron speciosus and Heterotheca villosa in Virginia Basin

Abstract

Vanston 2 Plant-pollinator communities are complex networks that are essential to the promotion of biodiversity and ecosystem health. Plant pollinator networks are sensitive to environmental change, and climate change poses a severe threat to the dynamics of these networks. It is important to examine the individual dynamics within these communities to understand how they will be affected by climate change and increasing global temperatures. The focus of this study is to compare the individual mutualistic plant-pollinator relationships of Erigeron speciosus and Heterotheca villosa, two species of Asteraceae, the Daisy flower family, in Virginia Basin, Gothic, CO. Although H. villosa was more abundant than E. speciosus, E. speciosus was more attractive to pollinators. Bombus seemed to prefer H. villosa, but more sampling should be done. E. speciosus is likely more attractive due to its larger surface area of disc flowers. Further research should continue network sampling at Virginia Basin and investigate flower tube length and pollinator tongue length relationships and the role of flower scent and floral volatiles.

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