iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Robin Waterman

@robinwaterman.bsky.social

I'm a PhD student in Plant Biology and Ecology, Evolution & Behavior at Michigan State University's Kellogg Biological Station, working in the Conner Lab. I research agricultural weed evolution and plasticity.

Posts Replies Media

Robin Waterman @robinwaterman.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

This work was conducted at @kelloggbiostn.bsky.social and made possible via the summer undergrad research programs www.kbs.msu.edu/education/undergraduate-program/!

kbs.msu.edu

000

Robin Waterman @robinwaterman.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

We used slow-motion videos of wild radish pollinators to investigate the mystery of why mustard family flowers consistently have four long plus two short stamens. We propose the new hypothesis that pollination efficiency increases when pollinators move from one stamen type to another during a visit.

On left, wild radish photograph with long and short stamens indicated. On right, diagram of wild radish flower visited by small bee, which moves from feeding on long to short stamen.

100

Robin Waterman @robinwaterman.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Excited to announce our new paper "Testing adaptive hypotheses for an evolutionarily conserved trait through slow-motion videos of pollinators", published in Royal Society Open Science: doi.org/10.1098/rsos.251127. Thanks to co-authors Sally Song, Nicholas Bhandari, & @jeffreyconner.bsky.social!

Metallic green sweat bee visiting wild radish flower

153

Reposted by Robin Waterman

Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 12/02/2025

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025! Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide! #scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

289114545401