Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
5-2021
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Gerardo Arceo-Gomez
Committee Members
Thoms Jones, Darrell Moore
Abstract
Increasing evidence documenting the decline of insect populations, resulting from increasing human disturbances has resulted in efforts to establish pollinator gardens to provide additional resources for insect populations. However, our understanding of biotic and abiotic garden characteristics important for attracting and sustaining pollinator diversity is limited. Here, we evaluated 17 pollinator gardens to evaluate the effect of five biotic and three abiotic garden characteristics on pollinator species richness, abundance, and proportional representation of four pollinator functional groups. Plant species richness positively influenced pollinator richness and negatively influenced flower visitation. Bombus proportional abundance responded to several variables (distance to vegetation, plant species richness, floral symmetry, floral native status, habitat type), and decreases in their proportional representation were accompanied by increasing proportions of other insect groups. Our results suggest any size, diverse, native pollinator gardens can improve pollinator diversity, and small-scale pollinator gardens should favor functional groups adapted for the habitat type.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Watson, Travis, "Not All Pollinator Gardens are Created Equally: Determining Factors Pertinent to Improving Pollinator Garden Effectiveness" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3876. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3876
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Biodiversity Commons, Botany Commons, Horticulture Commons, Other Animal Sciences Commons, Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons