Effects of non-native dandelion on the reproductive success of Asteraceae-specialist bees

There is little known about the extent to which native bees can incorporate non-native plants into their diets, and the costs or benefits associated with their use. Many wild bees are dietary specialists, collecting pollen exclusively from certain plant families, and many specialists prefer pollen from the daisy (Asteraceae) family. In our high-elevation study system in the Colorado Rockies, non-native common dandelion flowers in early June, while most native Asteraceae species flower later. The Forrest lab has observed that bee eggs laid late in the season often don’t survive the winter, suggesting that the earlier availability of dandelion could provide a reproductive advantage to those Asteraceae specialists that use it. This study tests the success of bee larval development on dandelion pollen and explores whether those bees that use this early-flowering plant produce more offspring (have greater fitness) than other Asteraceae specialists. Determining the effects of this non-native species on bee reproductive success can help us to better understand the capacity of these native bees to adapt to changing conditions in their environment.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jessica Forrest

Student:

Partner:

Chicago Botanic Garden & Northwestern University

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health); Sustainability & the Environment; Other

University:

University of Ottawa

Program: