Avian Polyandry: Life History Strategies in a Model System

要了解男性和女性之间差异的原因以及这种差异对他们之间社会互动的影响，一种方法是对“传统”性别角色颠倒的生物体进行详细研究。这样的物种是存在的，尽管它们的数量很少。这项研究将包括对滨鸟的一种--夹竹桃的行为进行详细的研究。在这个物种中，雄性承担着卵和幼崽的所有“父母”照顾。雌性之间相互竞争，以获得与雄性的接触。通过单独标记种群的所有成员，研究人员将详细说明社会互动和生殖结果。这项研究为深入了解性别角色颠倒的演变和男性独有父母照顾的起源提供了机会。它还应有助于更好地了解两性之间生殖冲突的动态。这项研究将为评估热带生物多样性提供有用的信息，因为该物种是整个热带地区水生栖息地最普遍的指示物种之一。

One approach to understanding the causes of the differences between males and females as well as the implications of such differences for social interactions between them, is to perform detailed studies of organisms in which the "traditional" sex role are reversed. Such species exist, although they are few in number. This research will involve a detailed behavioral study of Jacanas jacana a species of Shorebird. In this species males perform all of the "parental" care of the eggs and young. Females compete among themselves to obtain access to males. By individually marking all members of a population, the researchers will detail social interactions and reproductive outcome. The study offers opportunities to gain insights into the evolution of sex-role reversal and the origins of exclusive male parental care. It should also lead to a better understanding of the dynamics of reproductive conflict between the sexes. The study will provide information of use in assessing tropical biodiversity since this species is one of the most ubiquitous indicator species inhabiting aquatic habitats throughout the would's tropics.