IEE speaker series
- Kelly Swarts
Assistant Professor | Umea Plant Science Center
Dec 5, 2025 | 12:00 pm | Pacific 123
Foundational readings in Pol community Ecol & Poll bio
Jan 5, 2026 | 1:00 pm | 384 Onyx Bridge
Host: Lauren Ponisio
Course Overview
This graduate seminar explores foundational literature in pollination biology and plant–pollinator community ecology. We begin with classic work on pollinator effectiveness (quality and quantity), move through the specialization–generalization continuum in both plants and pollinators, and then zoom out to the geographic mosaic of coevolution and the structure of mutualistic networks. We end with analytical and dynamic models of plant–pollinator networks. Readings span empirical studies, synthetic reviews, book chapters, and modeling papers, and weekly discussions will emphasize how these ideas inform contemporary research and conservation of pollination services.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the seminar, students should be able to:
- Critically analyze foundational primary literature and reviews in pollination biology and plant–pollinator community ecology.
- Explain and compare key concepts such as pollinator quality vs. quantity, specialization vs. generalization, and the geographic mosaic of coevolution.
- Describe how plant–pollinator interactions scale up to form mutualistic networks, and interpret common network metrics and their ecological meaning.
- Synthesize how pollinator communities and interaction networks influence ecosystem function, resilience, and pollination services.
- Discuss implications of this foundational literature for pollinator conservation and management, and articulate open questions and future research directions.
- Effectively present and lead discussions on specific topics in pollination ecology, providing constructive critique of methods, analyses, and interpretations.