To understand parent-hybrid dynamics in cinquefoil (Potentilla) species in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, I am estimating environmental overlap among parents and hybrids, interbreeding among parents and hybrids, and hybrid population growth in multiple natural populations at NWT and (not included her

To understand parent-hybrid dynamics in cinquefoil (Potentilla) species in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, I am estimating environmental overlap among parents and hybrids, interbreeding among parents and hybrids, and hybrid population growth in multiple natural populations at NWT and (not included her

Rising temperatures are advancing the seasonal timing of flowering and pollinator activity in

Road dust has potential impacts on plant metabolism and reproduction even in small amounts. Dust is everywhere and is increasing due to human influence, this has the potential to reduce overall plant pollination worldwide. Since dust is roughly the size of a grain of pollen, it might possibly clog t

Thermoregulation is an important factor for bee flight which ultimately contributes to an individual’s ability to forage and produce offspring. Rising temperatures could benefit insects by increasing their efficiency in reproduction and provisioning. However, warming could negatively impact floral r

Native bumble bees play key roles in their ecosystems as pollinators, but little is known about the quantity and quality of floral resources on which they depend in natural areas across a season. Additionally, how those resources might be affected by abiotic factors, many of which are being altered

The physiological effects of road dust on the wildflower rosettes Ipomopsis aggregata, scarlet gilia, are shown to non-significantly reduce their growth rate in two meadows near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. Growth rate was a proxy for the amount of photosynthesis that occurred in the ro

Management and restoration are important in helping the ecosystem recover back to an original form. Native plant species and pollinators are a highlight of ecological restoration. Nitrogen is a nutrient source that most plants use to thrive to grow bigger. In high alpine communities, the soil is nit

Alpine climates are seemingly adverse environments for plants. These habitats directly impact plants via pollinator scarcity and abiotic factors like extreme temperatures and precipitation that influence resource allocation. As a result, elevational gradients are natural laboratories that can be use

Aims Important Findings Pollinators are traditionally considered to be the primary agent of Mertensia brevistyla had a significantly more upright floral orienta- selection on floral traits. However, floral traits may also be under tion than M. fusiformis, and seed set was highest in upright M. bre-

Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that, in these pollen-rewarding species, pollen secondary chemistry may reflect the need to attract and reward pollinators more than the need to defend pollen from herbivory.

Pollen is the sole protein source for most bees and the largest component of their larval diets.

Waser et al. (2016) found that road dust consistently reduces the pollen received by Ipomopsis aggregata flowers but does not consistently reduce seed set. Over three years we tested the hypothesis that the reason undusted plants do not have higher seed sets is that more of their fruits are eaten by

Climate change is occurring, and the effects will be visible all over the planet. In a subalpine ecosystem, earlier snowmelt and changes in summer precipitation are predicted to occur due to an increase in air temperature. During the summertime, this variation may lead to changes in traits, a proces

Pollinating bees visit flowers in order to forage for nectar and pollen, their major sources of nutrition. The plant communities that a bee interacts with vary across time and space, as different flower species dominate different habitats. One key driver of the spatial variation in plant communities

Alpine zones are characterized by climatic conditions that can vary over short vertical distances. Therefore, elevational gradients have been used to study how changes in climate can influence plant form, function, and diversity. In my study, I examined floral traits in native communities along an e

Premise of research. Road dust affects the quantity of pollen received by Ipomopsis aggregata flowers, with dusty flowers receiving less pollen than undusty flowers. One possibility is that hummingbird pollinators visit dusty flowers less and deliver less pollen. This could happen if dusty flowers p