Tarleton State University

Awards Issued Prior to January 20, 2025, Were Funded Under Previous Administrations and May Not Reflect the Priorities and Policies of the Current Administration. the Purpose of This Project Is to Promote a Collaborative Research Initiative Between Three Institutions--tarleton State University, Texas A&m Agrilife Research-stephenville, and Texas A&m University-kingsville--with the Focus of Conserving Pollinators in Grasslands in the Southern Great Plains.pollinator Insects Are in Decline in Much of the United States, Which Provides Over $39 Billion Per Year in Pollination Services for Agricultural Crops. There Is No Single Leading Cause of This Decline, But the Loss of Native Flowering Plants That Pollinators Recognize as a Food Source Is a Contributing Factor. at the Same Time, Over 40% of the United States Is Composed of Working Lands, Which Includes Farms, Rangelands, and Other Landscapes Formerly Dominated by Native Grass But Have Been Replaced by Non-native Vegetation. Replacing Non-native Vegetation With Native Vegetation Can Improve Forage for Birds and Pollinators But Also Provide Important Ecosystem Services, Such as Toleratingdrought. Grasses, Which Normally Are Not Considered a Source of Food for Pollinators, May Produce Pollen That Is Readily Accepted by Bees, Flies, and Other Pollinating Insects, and Given That Grass Pollen May Have Higher Starch and Water Content Than Other Flowering Plants, Grass Pollen May Be an Important Resource for Pollinators During Times of Drought.in Summation, We Simply Do Not Know How Critical Grass Pollen Is for Sustaining Insect Pollinator Populations in Working Lands in the Us, and Seek to Identify a Supplemental Resource That Can Provide Benefits to Pollinators During Periods Where Other Resources Are Limited. Our Collaborative Research Will Help Identify a Suite of Grass Species That Could Be Included Into Pollinator-friendly Plantings or Lead to Plant Trials for Commercial Use in Landscapes, Rangelands, and Restoration Across North-central Texas, With Expectations to Expand Our Findings to Help Improve Restoration Efforts Through the Southern Great Plains.