Richman Sarah

Effects of large animal grazing on alpine plant-pollinator interactions

Project Number: CH-7389

Project Type:	Master
Project Duration:	01/06/2023 - 01/10/2026
Funding Source:	other ,
Leading Institution:	ETH
Project Leader:	Dr. Sarah Richman Dept. Umweltsystemwissenschaften (D-USYS) ETH Zürich CHN G19 Universitätstrasse 16 8092 Zürich Phone: ; +41 (0) 78 235 74 45 e-Mail: sarah.richman(at)usys.ethz.ch http://www.usys.ethz.ch/

related to this project.

for which the project has a relevance.

Research Areas:

Biodiversity

Disciplines:

general biology

Abstract:
Alpine plant communities are experiencing rapid environmental shifts under climate change. Two of such shifts are changes to the timing and intensity of grazing by large animal herbivores. Alpine meadows are grazed by wild ungulates as well as domesticated animals, the latter of which has been hypothesized to become more intense in high-elevation meadows as mountain environments become warmer under climate change. Grazing changes the overall appearance the floral community in meadow landscapes. This can affect pollinator foraging behavior, as pollinators respond to various sensory cues offered by flowers. This study will examine how intensity affects pollination success in plants through changes to the local floral and pollinator community. The SNP offers experimental field sites where it is possible to exclude domestic grazers, wild grazers, and all grazers. We will observe pollinator visitation to flowers and compare subsequent plant reproduction across the three meadow types.


Last update: 4/24/23
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-7389

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