The next time you go for a hike, take an extra moment to appreciate the seemingly ordinary life all around you. A house fly, humble yarrow weed and other "generalist" plants and pollinators play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and may also serve as buffers against some impacts of climate change, finds new University of Colorado Boulder research. The findings, published this month in Ecology, provide valuable insights for prioritizing the conservation of species that contribute to the strength of ecological communities. "A lot of times, conservation efforts are geared toward things that are rare. But oftentimes, species that are common are also in decline and could go extinct, and that could have really big repercussions for maintaining biodiversity," said Julian Resasco, lead author on the study and assistant professor of ecology. A "generalist" simply refers to a species that interacts with a lot of other species. For example: A bee that visits many different species of flowers, or conversely, a flower that's visited by many species of bees and other pollinators, said Resasco. Bumblebees are well-known generalists, their fuzzy, cute bumbling bodies having garnered a large fan base of admirers over the years. But there are unsung heroes among generalist pollinators, including an insect that we often consider with disdain: flies. According to Resasco, some flies are the most common visitors to flowers, and they visit lots of different flowers. Generalist plants that Colorado residents may recognize include mountain parsley (Pseudocymopterus montanus), which are made up of bunches of small yellow flowers, and common yarrow (Achillea millefolium), which looks similar but are usually white. These plants may not be the famous, brightly colored specimens that wildflower enthusiasts go looking for in summer, but this research finds their role is important to the ecological stability of the meadows where beloved columbine,... |