Terry, Tammy  (Texas Tech University).  Mentor:  Laura Galloway (University of Virginia).  The potential for geitonogamy in
natural populations of Campanula americana.

Abstract: A possible evolutionary advantage for a plant having a large number of flowers is the increase in potential reproductive success by attracting more pollinators.  However, by increasing the number of flowers a plant have, the chances for within plant pollen transfer could also potentially increase (Darwin, 1876).  Geitonogamous pollination, the transfer of pollen between flowers on the same genetic individual, has potential consequences such as increasing the potential for self fertilization, which can result in inbreeding depression, or reducing reproductive success due to a reduced amount of pollen outcrossing to other individuals (Hessing, 1988).  The potential for geitonogamy in Campanula americana was investigated by assessing plant size, pollinator behavior, population density, and gender display in natural populations.  It was found that geitonogamous pollination is likely in natural populations, and this likelihood increases with plant size.