An Experimental Test of An Avian Life History Model

鸟类生活史模型的实验测试

• 批准号: 8717683
• 负责人: Jeffrey Walters
• 金额: $ 16.1万
• 依托单位: North Carolina State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1988
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1988-01-01 至 1991-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8717683&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Experimental; Test; Avian; Life; History

In some species, some mature individuals, called helpers, assist others in raising young rather than reproduce themselves. Studies of such cooperative breeding have been extremely productive in the development of theory related to the evolutionary basis of social behavior in animals. This research will test a general theory known as habitat saturation, which relates group formation to retention of young in an environment in which opportunities for dispersal are limited. The investigators propose that individuals which remain in their natal group as helpers rather than disperse are practicing a strategy for acquiring high quality territories. The species they are studying is unique in constructing cavities in living pine trees, and the investigators propose that birds seek to acquire territories with existing cavities rather than expend the great time and energy required to construct cavities in areas not previously occupied. Previous research showed that the behavior of this species is consistent with this hypothesis. Individuals that serve as helpers become breeders by replacing previous breeders in the immediate vicinity of their natal territory. Some inherit natal territory, others move to adjacent groups. In contrast, individuals that do not serve as helpers, that is, disperse after fledging, wander and may move to territories far from their natal site. This research will test the hypothesis about the ecological basis of habitat saturation and territory quality by constructing cavities in unoccupied habitat. It is predicted that birds will occupy these territories once cavities are present. In conducting this research, the investigators will monitor over 500 banded adults each year. These data provide one of the best demographic samples available for any bird. This is particularly important because the red-cockaded woodpecker is a federally endangered species endemic to the United States, and its population dynamics are of great concern. This experiment, if successful, will provide the first known means by which populations of this rare bird can be increased through management.

在某些物种中，一些成熟的个体（称为助手）帮助其他个体抚养后代，而不是繁殖自己。 这种合作育种的研究对于动物社会行为进化基础相关理论的发展非常有成效。 这项研究将测试一种称为栖息地饱和度的一般理论，该理论将群体形成与在分散机会有限的环境中保留幼仔联系起来。 调查人员提出，那些留在出生群体中作为帮助者而不是分散的个体正在实施一种获取高质量领地的策略。 他们正在研究的物种在活松树上建造空洞方面是独一无二的，研究人员提出，鸟类寻求获得现有空洞的领地，而不是花费大量时间和精力在以前没有占据的区域建造空洞。 先前的研究表明，该物种的行为与这一假设相符。 充当帮助者的个体通过取代其出生领土附近的先前繁殖者而成为繁殖者。 有些继承了出生的领地，有些则迁移到邻近的群体。 相比之下，不充当帮助者的个体，即在羽翼丰满后就分散、流浪，并可能迁移到远离出生地的地区。 本研究将通过在无人栖息地建造空洞来检验关于栖息地饱和度和领土质量的生态基础的假设。 据预测，一旦出现空洞，鸟类就会占据这些领地。 在进行这项研究时，研究人员每年将监测超过 500 名带带的成年人。 这些数据为任何鸟类提供了最佳的人口统计样本之一。 这一点尤其重要，因为红冠啄木鸟是美国特有的联邦濒危物种，其种群动态令人高度关注。 该实验如果成功，将提供第一个已知的方法，通过管理来增加这种稀有鸟类的数量。