Plant Lab

Setup:

  • 5 x 6 Grid of Mimulus Lewisii (near isogenic lines, ROI/roi and roi/roi alternating)
  • ROI/roi (heterozygote-light pink) is color-coded red (by a piece of colored tape on the top of the bamboo stake), roi/roi (homozygote cardinalis-dark pink) is color-coded white
  • Pollinators are Bombus impatiens (bumblebees); the hive has 3 settings: closed, "come home" (can only enter, not exit), and open (instructions written on the hive)
  • Kept in Plant Lab greenhouse behind a screen; extra plants in greenhouse research area
  • Josh and Marie have keys (door should be open during the allotted times, but if not, call them on their cell phones: 253.212.8448 and 360.421.4358 respectively)

Procedure:

  1. Sign up online for at least 2 time slots
  2. Be at Plant Lab at least 5 minutes before your shift is set to begin
  3. If you have the additional task of "tie, swap," (the first shift of a time block) then you need to ensure that there is at least one flower on each plant (if not, swap with a plant from the extras in the greenhouse) and that the main stem is secured to the stake gently with twist ties (Very gently! Breaking the main stem will kill the plant). For this first shift, your timed visitation observation begins 15 minutes after your session begins (9:15 or 12:15).
  4. When your allotted observation time begins, set the hive entrance to the open setting.
  5. Using the clickers, count the number of visits to red and white labelled plants. Each person watching can have two clickers, one for each type of flower visitation. For those who are not comfortable in the bee room, you can watch your subset of flowers from the other side of the mesh partition.
  6. If the next group has not come, set the hive to the "come home" setting and leave.
  7. If you have the additional task of "counting flowers," you will tally the total number of each type of flower (red labelled Roi/roi versus white labelled roi/roi).
  8. Input your information into the data entry sheet.
Categories: Bio481