We investigated nutrient limitation in high elevation ponds in the Gothic, Colorado, USA area and whether it varied with elevation and/or degree of permanence. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are often the key limiting nutrients in aquatic systems that regulate algal biomass (Pick & Lean 1987; Heo &

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted by plants as signals to other organisms and are interrelated with atmospheric chemistry and climate change. Typically, phenology advances and temperature increases with climate change. How floral volatiles of Ligustigum porteri influences its multitrophi

As a result of climate change, plants are experiencing shifts in flowering phenology due to early snowmelt, and thus becoming more susceptible to damage from spring frost events. These direct effects of snowmelt and frost on plants can indirectly impact plant- pollinator interactions, yet few studie

Many studies have shown that pollinators are largely responsible for changing and maintaining flower color morph frequencies in nature. However, the preferences of pollinators do not always reflect observed frequencies in nature, especially in self-pollinating species. Thus, non-pollinator forces co

Herbal impact on nectar robbing is species specific by pollinator species (Maloof and Inouye 2014). Unlike hummingbird pollinated plants, some bee-pollinated species does not suffer reproductive loss by nectar robbing (Maloof 2001, Mayer et al. 2014, Maloof and Inouye 2014). This observational study

Exploring the geographical and temporal movement of hybrid zones provides practical evidence for conservation biologists investigating the dynamics of species invasions (Buggs 2007). Genetically based clines in floral traits can also help us to understand potential adaptation in responses to climate

In ecology it is important to understand the limits of a species range and what their behaviors are within their range. Thomomys talpoides (Northern Pocket Gopher) and its relatives have been studied extensively at lower elevations ( 2700m). We asked what mechanism(s) (elevation, edaphic factors) de

For years the standard of care in burying beetles has been a male and female, bi- parental care, but is it really? The intent of this experiment was to measure the success of burying beetle larvae produced under four different parental conditions after carcass preparation; 50 pairs of Nicrophorus in

Increasing urbanization has led to the expansion of human infrastructure, including road networks. Current research has shown that roads have important ecological effects, ranging from habitat fragmentation to contamination of water runoff. This study examined the potential effects of roads on the r

Roads potentially impact nearly one-fifth of the continental United States. Runoff, traffic disturbance, and maintenance associated with roads can affect both the abiotic and biotic features of roadside ecosystems. Species along unpaved roads are particularly susceptible to road dust effects. Plant

Abiotic and biotic factors have been known to affect plant communities. How these factors affect root-colonizing fungus such as arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) and dark septate endophytes (DSE) fungal communities is still novel to ecology. Nitrogen addition has been shown to either increase or decrease

Previous studies by Pyke et al. have shown that bumblebees exhibit behavior that is consistent with optimal foraging theory. In this most recent effort, bumblebees were observed foraging on vertical inflorescences and their behavior was compared to a predicted model that would result in a maximum ne

There is evidence showing that large differences between age/sex categories in crown morphology of white-crowned sparrows are used to signal status. We investigated the role of more subtle crown characteristics, specifically the proportion of the crown that is white, as a signal used to mediate aggr