Dr. Julian Holland
Reciprocal Beneficial Interactions between Plants and
Insects
Mutualism, what is mutualism? Mutualisms are interactions
between species (i.e., interspecific interactions) that
confer benefits on both species. Mutualistic interactions
occur in habitats worldwide and are much more important
than often recognized. For example, in the absence of insect
pollinators, reproduction of many plant species will diminish
and hence likely lead to their extinction. Mutualisms are
diverse in nature, and include for example insect pollination,
animal dispersal of plant seeds, and ant protection of plants
from herbivores. Develop a project on one of these or another
type of mutualism occurring in the vicinity of Houston,
or join me in the Sonoran Desert during spring/summer months
to study the pollination mutualism between senita
cacti and senita moths.
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