Dissertation Research: Gradient Phenomena in Primates

本论文改进奖的主要目的是调查发育原则在非人类灵长类动物生长中的作用。通常认为，动物的生长模式是对功能适应需要的反应。然而，一段时间以来，人们已经知道，身体某一区域的生长变化会极大地影响其他部位结构的生长和形式。具体地说，身体沿前后轴和背腹轴的生长梯度可能会极大地影响形态和功能。在这项研究中，PI将把相对增长的概念应用于来自灵长类动物的数据。来自亚科内相关属的骨骼材料将进行各种长度和宽度的比较。通过这种方式，可以分析生长梯度的相互作用，以确定它们在产生最终表型中的作用。

The primary purpose of this Dissertation Improvement Award is to investigate the role of developmental principles in the growth of non-human primates. Generally, it is assumed that growth patterns of animals are responses to the need for functional adaptations. However, it has been know for some time that alterations in the growth of one area of the body can greatly affect the growth and form of structures elsewhere. Specifically, the body's growth gradients along anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axes, potentially could greatly affect form and function. In this research, the PI will apply the concepts of relative growth to data derived from primates. Skeletal material from related genera within a subfamilies will be compared for a variety of length and breadth measures. In this way the interactions of growth gradients can be analyzed for their role in producing the final phenotype.