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Benjamin Montgomery
Ph.D. student
B.A., Williams College, 1998. Biology Major, Environmental Studies Concentration
Diploma of Science, Canterbury University, New Zealand. 2000, Dept. of Plant and Microbial Science.
U-M affiliation
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Contact information
University of Michigan
2071A Kraus Natural Science Bldg.
830 North University
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048
Phone: (734) 763-9308
Fax: (734) 763-0544
Email: brmontgo@umich.edu
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Fields of study
Plant-animal interactions and competition for pollination
Research interests
I am interested in how plants interact for pollination, in particular in the context of invasions. Traditionally, studies of competition for pollination have focused on closely related plants or morphologically similar plants. However, generalized relationships between many plants and pollinators suggest that interactions for pollination may occur even among dissimilar and unrelated species. My research seeks to assess the potential for competition for pollination among many species by investigating pollinator overlap and heterospecific pollen transfer among them. In particular, I am investigating the effect of the invasive herb, Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge), on the pollination success of co-flowering plants with a variety of floral morphologies. I perform my research on Iowa prairie remnants, and focus on the pollination of four native species: Sisyrinchium campestre (blue-eyed grass), Zizea aurea (golden alexanders), Viola pedatifida, and Lithospermum canescens (hoary puccoon). Additionally, to investigate competition for pollination in more detail, I am performing manipulative experiments in which I determine whether fruit and seed set decrease with proximity to Euphorbia for four native species. Finally, to determine whether decreased seed set is likely to affect population structure, I am performing seed augmentation experiments with two of the native species.
Academic background
B.A. Williams College. 1998. Biology Major, Environmental Studies Concentration. Senior Thesis: Reproductive Biology and Small-Scale Population Genetic Structure of Sagina nodosa (Caryophyllaceae). Diploma of Science. Canterbury University, New Zealand. 2000. Dept. of Plant and Microbial Science.
Advisor
Beverly Rathcke
Links
Iowa Lakeside Lab - situated near my field site
Michigan Botanical Club - source for meeting academics and amateur botanists
Recent publications
Montgomery, B. R., D. Kelly, Robertson, A. W., Ladley, J. J. 2003. Pollinator behaviour, not increased resources, boosts seed set of forest edges in a New Zealand Loranthaceous mistletoe. New Zealand Journal of Botany. 41:277-286.
Montgomery, B. R., D. Kelly, J. J. Ladley. 2001. Pollinator limitation of Fuchsia persandens (Onagraceae), Banks Peninsula, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany. 39: 559-565.
Montgomery, B. R., and Wheeler, G. S. 2000. Antipredatory activity of the weevil Oxyops vitiosa: a biological control agent of Melaleuca quinquenervia. Journal of Insect Behavior. 13(6): 915-925.
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