Dissertaion Research: Hormonal Basis for Long-Term Pair-Bonds

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Conservation and management of species whose habitats are diminishing require an understanding of endocrinological and behavioral factors that lead to successful reproduction. Since 1983, Dr. Boersma has been studying such a species in Argentina and has identified some 5,000 individuals. She has found that when two individuals establish a long-term pair bond, their reproductive success is significantly greater. Little is understood about how this increased success is achieved. With the help of her graduate student, Mr. Fowler, and Dr. Wingfield, a world renown field endocrinologist, hormone changes will be determined across two full breeding seasons. They will examine the relationship between age, pair-status, hormone profile, and how these factors interact to influence reproductive success. Utilizing these behavioral and endocrinological techniques will help to understand the mechanisms whereby established pairs of a long-lived species produce a higher number of offspring. These data will not only fill a significant gap in our knowledge of physiology but has the enormous potential of directly influencing the management programs underlying conservation and restoration of biological diversity.