|
|
|
|
 |
Rachael Winfree | I study how human land use affects pollinators, and how pollination can be maintained in human-dominated ecosystems. I am interested in questions such as, Which habitats and plant species support pollinators in human-used landscapes?, and What factors influence the pollination services provided to native plants and crops? This area of research has substantial conservation applications because pollinators provide an important ecosystem service, crop pollination, which in turn provides incentives for their conservation. In one current research project, conducted in collaboration with Claire Kremen and Neal Williams, I am investigating how the pollination services provided by wild bees vary with the extent of agricultural and suburban development in the surrounding landscape. We are also testing several hypotheses about how ecosystem functions in general might respond to species loss – for example, whether the per capita contribution of the remaining pollinator species might increase, thereby mitigating the overall loss of function. In a second project, I am studying wild bees’ use of different habitat types in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and identifying plant species that are heavily used by pollinators. The results of this study will be used to develop pollinator-friendly planting guidelines for landowners throughout the state of New Jersey. In a third project, I am investigating changes in wild bee communities across land use gradients in southern New Jersey, and the role of floral specialization in determining how bee species respond to forest fragmentation. |
||
 |
|||
| A wild bee (Dialictus sp.) on a tomato flower. | |||
 |
|||
| A wild bee (Dialictus sp.) on a watermelon flower. | |||
 |
|||
| Pollination experiments on watermelon | |||
|
|
|
|
Tel
609.258.6228 |
Curriculum
Vitae (pdf) | Publication Abstracts (pdf) | Teaching (pdf) | |
 |
 © 2007 The Trustees of Princeton UniversityWeb page feedback: amyb 'at' Princeton [dot] edu | Last update: October 24, 2007 |
|