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

Outdoor recreation benefits local economies, environmental education, and public health and wellbeing, but it can also adversely affect local ecosystems. Human presence in natural areas alters feeding and reproductive behaviors, physiology, and population structure in many wildlife species, often re

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

Because phenology and climate are linked, studying the consequences of shifting phenology can help scientists understand the systems that make up current climates and construct future ones. In the Rocky Mountains, climate change has led to earlier snowmelt, an event that triggers the start of the gr

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