Sex and size allow for many different types of individuals within one species. These individuals can have different needs, which can influence responses to interaction, as well as what interactions take place between species members. We modeled how the sex and size of individuals of Valeriana edulis

Years of early snowmelt tend to have a decrease in floral abundance throughout the year. This causes flowers to be more susceptible to frost and drought stress. Based on which flowers are successful this can affect bumble bee diet breadth due to the direct correlation between bumble bee proboscis le

The caddisfly L. externus has been observed to have a decline in population density over the summer months as the larvae develop. However this pattern has not been formally tested, so collecting population density data is important for future research and understanding changes in densities over time

Native Bombus species are in decline in the United States. Since pollinators are such integral species in a system, the extinction of a single Bombus species could potentially have far reaching consequences on crop production and plant reproduction necessary for species diversity ad agriculture. How

Plant reproductive success is often influenced by not only direct effects of flower-eating herbivores (florivores) consuming floral tissues, but also the indirect effects of pollinator visitation. Previous literature suggests that florivore damage can negatively influence pollinator visitation, cons

Rising global temperatures are predicted to alter community dynamics by shifting species ranges and altering biotic interactions. Herbivory is expected to increase with prolonged growing seasons and heightened metabolic rates; pathogen damage may increase as well. We predict that damage by herbivore

Schenker 1 Intraspecific trait variation – the variation among individuals within the same species – is seen within all natural populations and strongly affects the dynamics of and interactions between populations, communities, and ecosystems. Individual trait variation fluctuates across space and t

This study examined sexual dimorphism and dichromatism in mountain white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) and how it changes over an elevational gradient. Birds living in high elevation habitats are subject to harsh climatic conditions and a shorter breeding season, which affects h

Riparian zones are widely recognized as important sources of high species diversity. High levels of food resources and habitat complexity in riparian zones attract large numbers of avian species, particularly in arid regions. However, less is known about the importance of riparian proximity in wet m

​ Puddling is a form of supplemental feeding for nectivorous Lepidoptera to acquire necessary mineral nutrients, primarily sodium, that are otherwise absent from their nectar diets. For many species sodium is important for growth, nervous system function, and egg production. However, the mechanisms

The interaction network between pollinators, plants, and the microbes that inhabit them is not yet widely understood. Most studies of floral microbes have focused on the role of nectar yeasts (e.g., Metschnikowia reukaufii) in the behavior of bumblebee pollinators and how they affect the fitness of

Vanston 2 Plant-pollinator communities are complex networks that are essential to the promotion of biodiversity and ecosystem health. Plant pollinator networks are sensitive to environmental change, and climate change poses a severe threat to the dynamics of these networks. It is important to examin

Wetland nutrient cycling occurs through complex feedback mechanisms and dynamic inter- and intra-species interactions. In the shallow, oligotrophic ponds at the Mexican Cut Nature Preserve, near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in the Elk Mountains of Western Colorado, detritovore caddisfly

In order to understand the ecological and evolutionary significance of plant-pollinator mutualisms, it is critical to first comprehend the fluctuating and complex nature of plant- pollinator interactions. Specifically, it is important to realize how these interactions respond to changes in factors s