This study looked at the differences in bee community composition between estimates obtained from pan traps vs. netting. Comparing species richness, evenness and community composition between the two sampling types from the years 2009-2017 and 2009-2021. Based on a rate of bees caught per hour, with

Competition for carcass resources can be fierce with a broad range of taxa vying for control of the nutrient rich resource. Arthropod competition for carcasses is well studied. Flies, beetles, and ants are common carcass utilizers. The burying beetle (Nicrophorus spp). is an obligate carrion breeder

Ant-aphid mutualisms are keystone interactions that, if altered, have the potential to cause cascading, multitrophic effects on local arthropod and plant communities. In our study system, the flowering stalks of Ligusticum. porteri (Apiaceae) are colonized by the aphid Aphis asclepiadis, which relie

Anthropogenic climate change is altering environments, which in turn has the potential to influence plant traits (through phenotypic plasticity) and natural selection. The effect of changing climate on the strength and direction of selection remains unresolved. In this study we quantified the plasti

1. Compensatory growth is well-studied and exhibited across a variety of taxa, including plants, invertebrates, and a variety of vertebrates. Compensatory mechanisms allow individuals to recover from adverse conditions, potentially enhancing survival and fitness. However, to compensate for a low bod

Forest associated species, bees and otherwise, are among the world's most vulnerable species due human activity such as deforestation. Even though bees are significant to ecosystem health by providing such important services as pollination, basic information on bee biodiversity and factors driving t

Mutualisms involve complex relationships between multiple types of organisms. Traditionally, mutualisms like pollination have been studied using a pairwise perspective – only focusing on two individual species or groups of species with similar functions involved in the relationship. Including third-

The spatial clustering of plants occurs for a variety of reasons, including the evolution of concentrated floral displays to attract more pollination. Within clusters, traits that attract pollinators may differ from non-cluster conditions– such as increasing floral display size andscent, which can c

The ontogeny of personality traits is crucial to understanding their ecological significance but has not yet been well-studied. We examined the development of two traits that are commonly correlated in a syndrome, boldness and aggression, in a long-term study of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmot flaviv

As ecosystems continue to change, the ability to find high-quality habitats is becoming a valuable skill. Caddisflies are often found in pond environments with a variety of habitat qualities, such as food (detritus) quality. Asynarchus nigriculus, being highly mobile and having a unique dietary need

Plant-pollinator networks are intricate systems that can give insight on a location’s biodiversity and response to environmental changes. By studying pollination networks at different elevations, researchers can evaluate how varying environmental conditions influence how plant and pollinator species