Drought, Soil Microbes, and Bumblebee Foraging

This project investigates how drought stress and soil microbial communities influence the foraging behaviour and colony-level responses of the common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) in red clover (Trifolium pratense).

Using greenhouse-based two-choice and no-choice assays, I measure:

• foraging preference across soil moisture and soil microbiome treatments
• colony growth, worker production, and hive mass gain
• treatment effects on nectar volume, sugar concentration, and floral abundance

The goal is to understand how environmental stressors and soil ecology shape pollination services in red clover seed production systems.