About The Project

In this project, Student Challenge Awards Program (SCAP) team members conducted observational and experimental studies, examined pollinator/flower association, genetic and morphilogical diversity, and reproductive success in co-occuring species of camas lillies and penstemon. The team further assessed the potential for hybridization and reproductive isolation among these species, and quantified the contributions of pollinators to plant fitness and potential gene flow. Since the entire plant and animal community affects pollination, the team also tracked pollinator visits to other co-flowering plants that are associated with camas lillis and penstemon and may facilitate or compete with them for insect pollinators. These data help to determine the role of pollinating insects in fruit set and reproductive isolation. Although the team spent most of the time out in the field they also spent several days in the laboratory doing DNA isolations, the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing.

The project aims to create greater public awareness of the important ecosystem services provided by plant-pollinator interactions, and of the value of integrating ecological and genetic data for input into management practices.