I studied survivorship from the period of egg laying to winter diapause in a population of E. gillettii (Nymphalidae). I investigated if fitness, in the context of hatching and succesful development to diapause was related to egg cluster size, habitat parameters, or both, and if there were factors a

Coexistence of closely related species can be explained by a number of biotic and abiotic factors. In Trichoptera (caddisflies), the patterns of coexistence of the species Rhyacophila in streams near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) has been tracked for 43 years. This study is a conti

A 14 year warming experiment being conducted in a subalpine meadow has resulted in several physical changes, including advanced date of snowmelt, a decrease in soil moisture, and increased soil temperature in heated plots versus control plots. These microclimate changes have led to a shift in plant

Climate change is predicted to impact pollinators through both direct and indirect mechanisms: by altering physiological stress through warming temperatures and by changing species interactions through the altered phenology and abundance of food sources and competitors. While research has been done

Dispersal is important for recolonization, migration and maintenance of local metapopulations and populations, in case of disruption in an animal's habitat. Morphology (wing loading and wing aspect ratio) and physiology (metabolic rates) are features that have been shown to explain dispersal process

Environmental change affects the survival, interaction and co-existence of species within an ecosystem. We studied multiple species of Rhyacophila, a primitive genus of caddisfly that, in its larval state, lives at the bottom of cold, oxygen rich and fast flowing streams. Previous research has shown

Niche-based processes, such as environmental filtering and niche differentiation, have been proposed to contribute to the assembly of ecological communities. While functional traits can be useful for testing hypotheses regarding niche-based community assembly, most studies utilizing functional trait

This study utilizes apatite (U-Th)/He, or AHe, to produce a vertical transect of cooling histories along the height of the partially exhumed Crystal Pluton in the Elk Mountains of west/central Colorado. These cooling histories are interpreted to reflect exhumation controlled by the incision of the C

Formica obscuripes, or the Western Thatching Ant, is a native North American ant species commonly found throughout the central and western US. Like many ant species, F. obscuripes acts as an ecosystem engineer, as colonies can significantly alter the nutrient content, moisture content, temperature,

Long term data on stages of plant succession on bare areas is extremely useful in determining patterns of revegetation over longer periods of time. Understanding of these patterns can have application in conservation and restoration. This study examined plant community composition data for a subalpi

An earthflow that occurred in Gunnison County, Colorado created a natural laboratory to study plant succession. Plant succession and ants can effect the soil composition of grounds left bare and depleted of organic matter by the landslide. This study was conducted to examine if the described success

A 22 year warming experiment at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory has elucidated short term (15 year) responses in plant community and soil organic carbon to artificial warming. This summer’s research evaluates long-term (>15 year) changes and, because of recent climate change effects, the releva

A central question in the study of biodiversity is, what mechanisms allow species to coexist? While most attention to this question has focused on antagonistic species interactions, positive species interactions have recently gained attention and may rival antagonisms in their importance. Grasses wi