Green Things and Pollinator Wings: Symposium Explores Pollination Biology by Gary A
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Special Symposium Issue continues on page 14 Department of Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium The Plant Press New Series - Vol. 19 - No. 3 July-September 2016 Botany Profile Green Things and Pollinator Wings: Symposium Explores Pollination Biology By Gary A. Krupnick ollination biology was the focus Professor of Biology from the University plant diversity. of the 14th Smithsonian Botanical of Massachusetts, was commended for his Droege said that while there are few PSymposium, held 20 May 2016 at extensive contributions to tropical biology, plant species that are pollinator special- the National Museum of Natural History international conservation, and pollina- ists, there are many bee species that are (NMNH) and the United States Botanic tion biology. In his acceptance speech pollen specialists. Specialist bee larvae Garden (USBG) in Washington, DC. Bawa expressed often fail Titled, “Bats, Bees, Birds, Butterflies his appreciation to thrive on and Bouquets: New Research in Pol- and gratitude to the pollen of lination Biology,” the meeting featured the Smithsonian other plants seven invited speakers, a poster session, Institution and and are often and an evening reception. The confer- the selection restricted to ence brought together over 340 biolo- committee. He was delighted to see so target plant blooming periods. Popula- gists, ecologists, government officials, many friends and colleagues and gave tion sizes tend to be low for special- horticulturalists, and master gardeners to thanks to all who have inspired him. ists which might lead to conservation celebrate the progress of pollination biol- Both Laurence Dorr and Seán Brady concerns. Droege’s mid-Atlantic bee ogy and to address issues of pollinator (Curator of Bees, NMNH) served as collection shows about 20 percent as loss and conservation. conveners. pollen specialists, with the most com- The Symposium began with opening mon being Andrena erigeniae (a Spring remarks by Maureen Kearney (Associate he first speaker was Sam Droege Beauty specialist), Ptilothrix bombi- Director for Science, NMNH) and Lau- (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research formis (Hibiscus/Mallow specialist), and rence Dorr (Chair of Botany, NMNH). TCenter) who spoke about “Patterns Andrena violae (Violet specialist). The Kearney praised the partnership between in pollen and plant specialization among plant families with the most special- NMNH and USBG, and mentioned how native bees in eastern North America.” ists include Asteraceae, Ericaceae, and the symposium adds to the intellectual Droege’s macro photographs of bee Salicaceae. Specialist bees tend to be environment of the museum which often portraits from his online reference catalog the most vulnerable due to habitat loss, exercises an interdisciplinary research provided the backdrop for his talk about fragmentation, invasive species, and her- approach with a deep organismal focus in pollination from the bee’s point of view. bicide usage. Non-native plant species systematics, ecology, evolutionary biol- First he spoke about the high diversity of mostly favor generalist bee species, and ogy, and behavior. bee species in the United States – about thus Droege encourages the fostering of After the opening remarks, Ken- 4,000 species. He pointed out that there native habitat. neth Wurdack (Curator and Cuatrecasas are nearly as many bee species in Prince David Roubik (Smithsonian Tropical Committee Chair, NMNH) presented the George’s County, Maryland (249 species) Research Institute) next asked the ques- 14th José Cuatrecasas Medal in Tropical as there are in the United Kingdom (250 tion, “Whose bees are these? The pollen Botany to Kamaljit S. Bawa (see related species). He explained that 250 million taxonomy of bee nests and its story in story on page 14). This prestigious award years of evolution has led to complex recent decades.” Roubik explained that is presented annually to a scholar who and varied floral bee designs, nutritious pollen grains are nearly indestructible, has contributed significantly to advanc- pollen, complex secondary compounds, taxonomically informative, and open to and complex bee communities that reflect ing the field of tropical botany. Bawa, a Continued on page 17 Travel Vicki Funk traveled to Berlin, W. John Kress traveled to Costa Rica Jun Wen traveled throughout east- Germany (6/16 – 6/26) to be a plenary (6/9 – 6/16) to chair the Las Cruces Advi- ern China (6/23 – 7/22) to conduct field speaker at the Global Genome Biodiver- sory Committee meeting of the Organiza- research. sity Network conference, and to present tion for Tropical Studies. Kenneth Wurdack traveled to a workshop on Global Genome Initiative Gary Krupnick traveled to St. Louis, Wicomico County, Maryland (6/2) to (GGI) - Gardens (co-presented by Mor- Missouri (6/27 – 6/30) to present a talk collect Litsea aestivalis (Lauraceae) with gan Gostel). entitled “#EarthOptimism: Success Sto- Wesley Knapp (Maryland Department of Erika Gardner, Carol Kelloff, ries in Plant Conservation” and a poster Natural Resources) at Wetipquin Pond Melinda Peters, and Meghann Toner entitled “A Continental Approach to Preserve. traveled to Berlin, Germany (6/19 – 6/27) Orchid Conservation and Restoration” at Elizabeth Zimmer traveled to Austin, to attend the annual meeting of the Society the Global Partnership for Plant Conserva- Texas (6/17 – 6/22) to present a talk for the Preservation of Natural History tion conference at the Missouri Botanical entitled “DNA sequences identify cryptic Collections, where Gardner and Toner Garden. species of quillworts (Isoetes L.)” at the each presented a talk and Peters presented Sylvia Orli traveled to Amsterdam, Evolution 2016 meeting, and to attend a poster. Netherlands (4/30 – 5/5) with the Smithso- an editorial board meeting of Molecular Carol Kelloff and Mark Strong nian Digitization Program Office to meet Phylogenetics and Evolution as Deputy traveled to Zuni, Virginia (5/21 – 5/27) with Picturae and Naturalis to discuss the Editor-in-Chief. to collect rare plants in the Longleaf Pine specimen digitization project. communities for the Global Genome Ini- tiative (GGI) project. Nancy Khan traveled to Front Royal, Visitors Virginia (5/11 – 5/12) to attend a session of the Emerging Leaders Development Monica Carlsen, Missouri Botanical Gar- Yaling Wang, Xi’an Botanical Garden, Program at the Smithsonian Conservation den; Araceae and Zingiberales (2/17/15 China, and Shouzhou Zhang, Fairy Lake Biology Institute (SCBI). - 2/16/17). Botanical Garden, China; Global Genome Initiative Gardens Program partnership Gouri Mahadwar, University of Roch- The Plant Press meeting, Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) (4/12 ester; Legume phylogenetics internship - 4/14). New Series - Vol. 19 - No. 3 (9/1/15 - 8/11/16). Daniel Geiger, Santa Barbara Museum of Chair of Botany Morgan Gostel, George Mason Uni- Natural History; Oberonia (Orchidaceae) Laurence J. Dorr versity; Compositae and GGI-Gardens (4/15 - 4/19). ([email protected]) Program (9/1/15 - 8/31/17). Marcelo Devecchi, Universidade de São EDITORIAL STAFF George Wang, University of Louisiana at Paulo, Brazil; Simaba (Simaroubaceae) Lafayette; Plant-insect interactions (1/7 - (4/21 - 4/22) Editor 5/31). Gary Krupnick Lucas Jordao, Jardim Botanico de Rio de ([email protected]) Tomas Fer, Charles University, Czech Janeiro, Brazil; Mimosa (Fabaceae) (4/21 Republic; Zingiberales (2/1 - 6/3). Copy Editors – 4/22). Robin Everly, Bernadette Gibbons, and Joel Cohen, Rockville, Maryland; Plant Rose Gulledge Zvezdana Ukropina-Crawford, Berry DNA barcode internship (3/28 - 4/1). College; Crataegus (Rosaceae) (4/22). News Contacts Cassandra Quave, Emory University; Michele Conrad and 25 students, Mans- MaryAnn Apicelli, Rusty Russell, Alice Mediterranean ethnobotany (4/1). Tangerini, and Elizabeth Zimmer field University; Herbarium tour (4/23). Holly Summers, Cornell University; The Plant Press is a quarterly publication pro- Kate Wagle, University of Oregon; vided free of charge. To receive notification of Oenothera (Onagraceae) (4/5) when new pdf issues are posted to the web, please Botanical Art Collection (4/25 - 4/29). subscribe to the listserve by sending a message Chris Holder and Elizabeth Striano, to [email protected] containing only the Tom Lovejoy and 9 students, George following in the body of the text: SUBSCRIBE George Mason University, and Nancy Mason University; Plant conservation and PLANTPRESS-NEWS Firstname Lastname. Rybicki, U.S. Geological Survey; Trapa Replace “Firstname Lastname” with your name. herbarium tour (5/2). (Trapaceae) (4/6 - 4/7; 4/12 - 4/13). If you would like to be added to the hard-copy Marjorie Falanruw, U.S. Forest Service; mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Krupnick at: Cintia Luz, Universidade de São Paulo, Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, Micronesian flora (5/3). PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, Brazil; Schinus (Anacardiaceae) (4/11 - DC 20013-7012, or by E-mail: krupnickg@ 4/13). Kathleen Kron, Wake Forest University; si.edu. West Indian Ericaceae (5/11 - 5/12). Rowan Schley, Royal Botanic Gardens, Web site: http://botany.si.edu/ Kew; Brownea (Fabaceae) (4/11 - 4/14). Continued on page 10 Page 2 Taking Stock t has been an eventful year. Last summer when it average size of the 3,200 institutional herbaria in the Chair became apparent that I would likely become Chair world is a modest 100,000 specimens! As with the Iof the Department of Botany I realized that among symposium, this project also is a partnership. The many other things I would have to organize