Summer Environmental StudyJason Robinson
2019 The Garden Club of America Awards for Summer Environmental Studies
Jason Dean Robinson is an undergraduate at the College of William and Mary studying biology and plant ecology. Working with
the Milkweed Conservation Lab led by Dr. Harmony Dalgleish this summer, he will research the potential mutualism relationship between the longhorn milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) and the common milkweed plant (Asclepias syriaca). The longhorn beetle is known to be parasitic to the milkweed plant, eating the plant’s roots. There may be evidence, however, that the presence of the beetle changes the plant’s nectar chemistry, increasing its attractiveness to essential pollinators. Robinson’s goal in studying this relationship is to increase the ef ciency of milkweed plant conservation efforts.
Funded by Amateur Gardeners Club, Zone VI
The Garden Club of America Awards for Summer Environmental Studies
To encourage studies and careers in the environmental field, with the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience beyond the regular course of study.
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