Salamanders have been used in a variety of different experiments to determine the health of various ecosystems. Biofluorescence was recently studied in amphibians in a study done in 2020. Not much is known about all its functions, more studies are needed to fully understand how it works and how it c

Nectar plays a critical role in attracting pollinators, thereby facilitating pollination and the spread of pollen. Nectar traits like volume and sugar concentration are strongly influenced by environmental factors such as temperature and relative humidity. Yet, there is little understanding of how t

A previous study conducted at RMBL has found that road dust affects wildflower pollination and reproduction, this study included Ipomopsis aggregata. In 19 of 20 independent tests wildflowers carried less pollen on their stigmas in dusty conditions, but their seed sets were not consistently affected

Competition for ephemeral resources like carrion is intense among necrophagous insects, particularly burying beetles (Nicrophorus spp.), where reproductive success is limited by access to carcasses. Burial and post-burial maintenance behaviors are hypothesized to reduce carcass detection by competit

It is widely accepted that in stream systems, detritivores accelerate the breakdown of detritus that has been “conditioned” by microbial decomposers. By accelerating the breakdown of dead plant material, detritivores release nutrients and smaller food particles that are used by downstream plants and

Subalpine ecosystems are home to hundreds of species of wildflowers, many of which are endemic and very vulnerable to climate change. Megachilidae are a family of primarily solitary bees that are very efficient pollinators, making them crucial components of subalpine ecosystems. Some Megachilidae sp

​ Watershed degradation in the Western United States is a continuing issue under climate change. The headwaters to the Colorado River in the Rocky Mountains are experiencing dryness, altered chemistry, and flashiness due to climate change. Management practices involving artificial beaver dams (BDAs)

The microbiome has a well-documented relationship with host behavior. Greater microbial diversity and specific microbes have been associated with improved fitness, though these associations have been studied almost exclusively in captive animals with implications for human health. In wild population

In conservation, it is vital to understand how organisms use their habitat and what constitutes high quality habitat. This has become increasingly urgent in ecosystems impacted by direct or indirect human disturbances such as habitat loss or climate change. High elevation ecosystems are particularly