As secondary cavity-nesters, mountain bluebirds are limited in their selection of nest sites by the choices of primary (excavating) cavity nesters. In the aspen forests of Colorado, red-naped sapsuckers are the primary excavators and several species depend on sapsucker nest cavities for their own ne

There are two types of cavity nesting birds: excavators and non-excavators. In the aspen (Populus tremuloides) woodlands of Colorado, the red-naped sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) is the predominant primary cavity nester. Sapsuckers excavate new holes each year in trees infected with the heartwood

One of the most interesting questions that ecologists strive to answer is how and why species diversity and richness amongst organisms varies across geographical regions. Of course, there are multiple possible factors that impact the patterns of species diversity but this study compounds data from h

Sex-biased herbivory towards male plants has been shown to be common in many dioecious species. Valeriana edulis is a perennial, dioecious dicot that is the plant host to an ant-aphid mutualism. We investigated the interaction between ants and aphids to determine if it differs based on the sex of a

There is an incredible diversity of floral morphologies and colors within plant communities of the southwestern, Rocky Mountains. However, little research has been done to quantify exactly how diverse these communities are, and to assess which ecological and phylogenetic processes are structuring th

Mosses are foundational members of alpine plant communities but are often excluded from vegetation monitoring. In this study, I surveyed moss and vascular plant cover across five alpine ridges near Gothic, Colorado to understand how environmental variables shape moss abundance. I analyzed vegetation

As there is an increase in greenhouse gasses, it is causing direct and indirect changes in plant interactions with herbivory and fungal pathogens. By imitating the increase in climate change through temperature, it is possible to observe the indirect effect it has on herbivory/fungal pathogens on th

I examined the effect of forest fragment area on bird species richness and abundance in high- elevation Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni) and sub-alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) patches in Gunnison County, Colorado. Point counts were used to survey birds in 26 forest patches, ranging from 0.06 to 8.

The Mountain White-crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) is a migratory songbird that nests in alpine and sub-alpine meadows in the Rocky Mountains. They return to their natal elevation to breed, and nest from 2,438m to 3,657m above sea level in the spring to late summer. Because they nes

Competitive dynamics play an important role in community assembly but are often difficult to study in natural systems due to their complexity. Here, I examine the effects of competition on community functional trait distributions. Many studies of competition have found competitive hierarchies, where

Light response is a unique plant trait that is caused by a species level adaptation to a particular light environment and leaf morphology. By ignoring individuals and focusing on communities as a whole, I was better able to understand how irradiance levels shape plant life. I measured some key chara

The theory of pollination syndromes is pervasive in pollination biology. Correlational selection may explain why certain flower phenotypes are selected for by certain pollinators thereby offering support for the theory of pollinations syndromes. Using potted individuals of the hummingbird-pollinated

The process of manually diverting water from stream channels for agricultural purposes, industrial uses, and other reasons is practiced universally worldwide. These diversions of water are primarily characterized by a reduction in total flow within the stream. This study examines the response of ben

The purpose of this study is to test several macroecological statistical theories in the sub- alpine environment. Statistical theories are based on purely statistical assumptions, and these predictions were tested against measured values for macroecological metrics including the species-abundance di

The capabilities of remote sensing technology are advancing rapidly, and with it, the applications of those technologies are also advancing. Indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) have long been used to determine vegetative health, but no direct measurements have been made to

Plant-fungal symbioses affect the growth and fitness of most plants on earth. Moreover, they can structure plant community composition and feedback to affect ecosystem-level properties such as carbon storage. As climate change drives species distribution shifts in plants, the fungi may or may not co

Raising offspring is one of the most important roles of mothers in many species. We studied maternal care in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) and how it is affected by stress. Stress helps these rodents survive hazardous situations. To study this, we observed the marmots at The Rocky Mo