Mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. vaseyana) covers large areas in arid regions of western North America. Climate-change models predict a decrease in the range of sagebrush, but few studies have examined details of predicted changes on sagebrush growth and the potential impacts

Uncertainties in the calculation of water and phosphorus budgets for a bottom‐withdrawal reservoir were determined for 1979–1982. Ungaged components of the water budget were estimated from the residual of measured terms. This residual accounted for less than 30% of total water input and for more tha

The ecology of quaking aspen was studied in Gunnison County, Colorado. In the study area, aspen stands often take the form of small islands surrounded by fescue grasslands. At its upper altitudinal limits, aspen generally abuts the spruce-fir forest. The greatest number of trees were 4- to 7-in DBH

This study describes the stratigraphic characteristics and distribution of fluvial deposits of the Upper Cretaceous Williams Fork Formation in a portion of Rulison Field and addresses 3D geologic modelling of reservoir sand bodies and their associated connectivity. Fluvial deposits include isolated

Secondary transfer of pollen can occur when a second pollinator remobilizes grains that had already been transferred to a flower by a previous pollinator. We used a pollen-color dimorphism to measure components of secondary transfer by bumble bees visiting the lily Erythronium grandiflorum. Remobili

Looking at the entire flower community as a resource for foraging pollinators, it is found that flowers are an unreliable resource, especially in unpredictable environments.

Stable isotope ratios of precipitation are useful tracers of climatic and hydrological processes. To better understand the isotope hydro-climatology of a high-elevation Rocky Mountain valley we collected meteoric water samples from Gunnison, Colorado, USA and determined stable isotope values for 239

It is found that, after over 100 years, these disturbed plant communities remained distinct from similar surrounding undisturbed areas, suggesting that biotic factors structure vegetation communities even hundreds of years following disturbance.

ABSTRACT: The Gunnison River in the Gunnison Gorge is a canyon river where upstream dams regulate mainstem discharge but do not affect debris‐flow sediment supply from tributaries entering below the reservoirs. Regulation since 1966 has altered flood frequency, streambed mobility, and fluvial geomor

How improved communication with zoology can enrich plant ecology is illustrated by some individual and collective actions that plant ecologists can take.

Abstract Corydalis caseana ssp. brandegei (Fumariaceae) is a perennial plant that grows in moist, subalpine regions of south central Colorado, USA. Prior to this study, nothing was known of its reproductive biology. The most numerous visitors (59%), and the only known pollinators, were long‐tongued

Previous studies have demonstrated that bird song is influenced by infection. We investigated how mounting an immune response by mountain white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) affects specific aspects of territorial song and behavior. We used song playback to simulate a territoria

Despite the strong influence of pollination ecology on the evolution of selfing, we have little information on how distinct groups of insect pollinators influence outcrossing rate. However, differences in behavior between pollinator groups could easily influence how each group affects outcrossing ra

Hybridization and polyploidization are exceedingly important processes because both influence the ecological envelope and evolutionary trajectory of land plants. These processes are frequently invoked for Castilleja (Indian paintbrushes) as contributors to morphological and genetic novelty and as co

During the past 50 years, freshwater ecologists have mostly attributed massive accumulations of algal biomass in lakes and rivers to high nutrient inputs. While researching the role that phosphorus (P) plays in increasing diatom biomass in rocky-bottomed rivers, I (MLB) was puzzled by the presence o

It is concluded that ant-tending provides an ecological context that favors maternal care in this treehopper species and the primary benefit of maternal care is to attract ants while nymphs are small and few in number.

Comparisons among young of ground-dwelling squirrel species with different adult sociality indicate patterns of interaction during development that may influence the evolution of complex sociality. Social behavior and spatial overlap of weaned young with their mothers, littermates, non-littermate yo

The gut microbiome has a well-documented relationship with host fitness. Greater microbial diversity and abundance of specific microbes have been associated with improved fitness outcomes. Intestinal microbes also may be associated with patterns of social behaviour. However, these associations have

A growing body of research documents the importance of plant genetic effects on arthropod community structure. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are often unclear. Additionally, plant genetic effects have largely been quantified in common gardens, thus inflating the estimates of their