Plant-pollinator networks have been collected across Canada at many sites. We are asking various questions about how network (=species interaction) structure of these communities relates to the traits of the species and their phylogenetic history.
What are the hotspots of pollinator diversity in Canada? How does pollinator biodiversity compare in pristine vs. human-altered landscapes? We will address these kinds of questions.
Very little work has been done to incorporate the influence of crops into selection on floral traits. This is despite the fact that most species probably occur in close proximity to human disturbance of some kind, whether development, pollution, habitat fragmentation, or agriculture. I am using wild and cultivated Helianthus annuus to explore how agriculture influences selection on floral traits via biotic pathways of mutualists vs antagonists.
Visual description of research (C=competition, P=predation, M=mutualism):
Paper early view at Evolutionary Ecoloy here
Visual description of research:
See the publication in Ecology here
Visual description of research (location of ant-plant protection studies used in meta-analysis)
See the publications in Functional Ecology and Oecologia here here
Visual description of research: