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Title: | Investigating Broad-tailed Hummingbird (\textit{Selasphorus platycercus}) Foraging Behavior in the Rocky Mountains, with Links to Climate Change |
Authors: | Morokhovich, Cole |
Advisors: | Stoddard, Mary C |
Department: | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |
Class Year: | 2020 |
Abstract: | Climate change is causing potential mismatches in the arrival of migrating Broad-tailed hummingbirds (\textit{Selasphorus platycercus}) and the timing of first flowering at their breeding grounds near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. Their foraging behavior at \textit{Delphinium nuttallianum}, an early-season flower, will provide information about the potential consequences of these timing mismatch effects. While previous experiments have studied optimal foraging strategies of bumblebees at \textit{D. nuttallianum}, Broad-tailed hummingbird behavior at this plant has not yet been described. Observations of Broad-tailed hummingbird and bumblebee foraging were conducted, in addition to nectar and flower color measurements to better understand and describe a pollinator’s decision-making process. The flower measurements revealed a spatial arrangement of nectar quality which only the bumblebees take advantage of, and no color differences between flowers. In comparison, the seemingly erratic and inefficient foraging behavior of Broad-tailed hummingbirds on \textit{D. nuttallianum} could lead to energy deficiencies if \textit{D. nuttallianum} population size decreases due to climate change, and provides a glimpse into the strength of coevolution between Broad-tailed hummingbirds and \textit{D. nuttallianum}. In this thesis, I also begin to lay the groundwork for a long-term study aimed at quantifying fluctuations in Broad-tailed hummingbird pollination behavior due to climate change using time-lapse camera technology over multiple years. |
URI: | http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/dsp01rf55zb71k |
Type of Material: | Princeton University Senior Theses |
Language: | en |
Appears in Collections: | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 1992-2020 |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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MOROKHOVICH-COLE-THESIS.pdf | 1.1 MB | Adobe PDF | Request a copy |
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