The Role of Yeasts in the Pollination Success of a Neotropical Orchid

dc.contributor.advisorRoy, Barbaraen_US
dc.contributor.authorMcAlpine, Jesseen_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-10-03T23:34:07Z
dc.date.available2013-10-03T23:34:07Z
dc.date.issued2013-10-03
dc.description.abstractThe Neotropical cloud forest inhabiting orchid Dracula felix has long been postulated to be a fungal mimic due to the form of its lower labellum and attraction to it by drosophilid flies that are often found feeding on fungal fruiting bodies in the surrounding area. The low number of co-occurring flowers in the area combined with the high number of fruiting fungi appears to have driven the evolution of the orchid genus Dracula to mimic these co-occurring fungi so that pollinators may be recruited. Over several years of working with these orchids we have noticed a particular lapping behavior by the pollinating flies on the labella and sepals of the Dracula flowers. In this study we have first surveyed floral yeasts and molds associated with Dracula flowers and then investigated the role of these fungi in attracting pollinators and offering a food reward to retain them for pollination purposes. In addition to the floral yeasts, leaf endophytes and root associated fungi were cultured and identified, and their frequencies were determined.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/13280
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Oregonen_US
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved.en_US
dc.subjectDrosophiliden_US
dc.subjectEndophytesen_US
dc.subjectOrchiden_US
dc.subjectPollinationen_US
dc.subjectYeasten_US
dc.titleThe Role of Yeasts in the Pollination Success of a Neotropical Orchiden_US
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineDepartment of Biologyen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Oregonen_US
thesis.degree.levelmastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameM.S.en_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
McAlpine_oregon_0171N_10711.pdf
Size:
840.9 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format