FILLING THE GAPS IN SPALDING S CATCHFLY RECOVERY: POLLINATORS AND NONNATIVE PLANTS”

Project ID: F24AC00018

Federal Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Partner Institution: Washington State University

Fiscal Year: 2024

Initial Funding: $94,870

Total Funding: $94,870

Principal Investigator: Bossert, Silas

Agreement Technical Representative: Nordquist, Dan

Abstract: SPALDINGS CATCHFLY (SILENE SPALDINGII) IS A FEDERALLY THREATENED PLANT ENDEMIC TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THERE ARE ONLY 139 KNOWN OCCURRENCES THROUGHOUT ITS RANGE, WHICH INCLUDES PARTS OF WASHINGTON, MONTANA, IDAHO, OREGON, AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. SPALDINGS CATCHFLY DEPENDS ON NATIVE GRASSLAND HABITAT WHICH IS DECLINING THROUGHOUT THE REGION FROM CONVERSION TO AGRICULTURE AND THE INVASION OF COMPETITIVE NONNATIVE SPECIES. NONNATIVE INVASIVE PLANTS ARE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS TO SPALDINGS CATCHFLY POPULATIONS AS THEY CAN COMPETE FOR RESOURCES, ALTER ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS AND MAY EVEN ALTER POLLINATOR BEHAVIOR. FOR EXAMPLE, A PREVIOUSLY RECORDED POLLINATOR OF SPALDINGS CATCHFLY, BOMBUS FERVIDUS, HAS BEEN OBSERVED TO VISIT BOTH SPALDINGS CATCHFLY AND ST. JOHNS-WORT (A NONNATIVE SPECIES) WHEN BOTH SPECIES WERE PRESENT. THIS SUGGESTS THAT THE PRESENCE OF SPECIFIC NONNATIVE SPECIES IN SPALDINGS CATCHFLY HABITAT MAY NEGATIVELY IMPACT REPRODUCTION AND IMPEDE SPECIES RECOVERY. UNDERSTANDING THIS DYNAMIC IS IMPERATIVE BECAUSE SUCCESSFUL POLLINATION IS VITAL TO SPALDINGS CATCHFLY RECOVERY.ALTHOUGH SEVERAL POLLINATORS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED VISITING SPALDINGS CATCHFLY, THE POLLINATOR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PLANT IS LARGELY UNSTUDIED. IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE HABITAT FOR SPALDING S CATCHFLY AND ITS POLLI