Gremski, Kristina  (Yale University).  Mentor:  Laura Galloway (University of Virginia).  The effect of flower number on
geitonogamous pollination in Campanula americana.

Abstract: Plants which display more flowers have potential to attract more pollinators and bear more seeds.  Producing more flowers can have negative evolutionary consequences, however, through the possibility of geitonogamous (within-plant) pollination, which can lead to a higher level of inbreeding.  This study tested the hypothesis that geitonogamy increases with increasing flower number in Campanula americana.  Experimental arrays with manipulated flower numbers were used to observe pollinator behavior and look at pollen movement through the dispersal of fluorescent dye.  It was determined that as flower number on an individual increases, pollinators visit more flowers per foraging bout and a greater percentage of dispersed fluorescent dye remains within the plant.  Thus, geitonogamous pollination does increase with flower number and could potentially lead to the production of less fit progeny by larger plants.