Abstract Detail

Education and Outreach

Morley, Lydia [1], Marcelli, Monica [2], McCormick, Melissa [3], Spalink, Daniel [4].

“People, Pollinators, and Raspberry Pi”.

Pollinators aid in the reproduction, diversity, gene flow, and overall survival of a plant populations. Despite their importance for conservation efforts, we have a dearth of information about native North American orchids and their pollinators. Of the appx. 200 species, pollinator associations are only known for about half. Considering high rates of pollinator generalism among orchids for which pollinators are recorded, its clear that we need increased observation efforts to illuminate not just novel pollinator relationships, but also the diversity of pollinator relationships across a single species’ range. These efforts are paramount if we aim to understand how orchid populations and species are maintained in nature. At the same time, successful conservation efforts depend heavily on the investment and interest of local community members and stakeholders.To meet these needs, our project implements a community science driven method to record pollination events across the ranges of multiple species. Doing so has allowed us not only to generate vast amounts of data, but also to create widely available educational resources. Using Raspberry pi computers, we created motion capture video cameras that can be easily monitored and adjusted by community scientists. This method has produced marked success and serves a model for expanding ecological surveys by including community members directly in the process of science.

1 - Texas A&M University, Ecology and Conservation Biology, 534 John kimrough BLVD, 2258 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, United States
2 - Smithsonian Institution, SERC, 647 Contees Wharf Rd, Edgewater, MD, 21037, Edgewater,, MD, 21037, USA
3 - Smithsonian Institution, SERC, 647 Contees Wharf Rd, Edgewater, MD, 21037, United States
4 - Texas A&M University, Ecosystem Science And Management, 2138 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77802, United States

Keywords:
conservation
Pollinators
Orchids
Citizen Science.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: EO1011
Abstract ID:867
Candidate for Awards:None