Thatcher, Spencer; Eyere, Gloria (Dixie State University)
Faculty Advisor: O'Brien, Erin (College of Science, Engineering, and Sciences; Biological Sciences Department)
Dwarf bear-claw poppies (Arctomecon humilis Coville) are an endemic species of wildflower in Washington county Utah. These poppies only flower for about a month during the summer. There are currently seven known locations where these poppies are found. Conservation efforts to protect these populations includes research to understand the reproductive success of each site. Populations with low reproductive success may indicate the need for additional efforts or interventions to save this unique species. Four specific locations were monitored over a three-year period. Poppies in these areas were tagged and studied during their flowering seasons and individual inflorescences were bagged and collected to determine struggling locations and their correlating issues related to population decline. Seeds were split into two groups: immature and mature and were weighed and counted. A large percentage of immature seeds may indicate a resource or pollinator issue for the population. A low overall seed production may indicate that a resource limitation or other stressor is reducing the population viability.