Dimorphic Traits and Evolution of Behavior

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IBN 9318246 Westneat ABSTRACT Contemporary biological studies of social systems, which take an interdisciplinary approach combining evolution and behavior, have revealed that there are general principles underlying the ways in which characteristics of each sex can affect the other sex. Fuller understanding of how those traits in which males and females differ, including behavioral traits, influence both the actions of other animals and biological success are important in a number of applied areas, particularly in designing optimal breeding programs for endangered species. In the long run, a full understanding of these basic biological processes will provide clues to understanding male and female interactions in other species, including humans. Dr. Westneat will employ experimental manipulations, observations of the behavior of free-living individuals, and analyses of the genetic consequences of behavior to provide an understanding of the evolutionary forces acting on the interactions between males and females. Five experiments on red-winged blackbirds will be carried out. Three will investigate how individual variation in appearance among free-living males affects three components of mating success (number of females nesting on the territory, proportion of their young sired by the territory owner, and number of young sired in other males' territories) using molecular genetic techniques. The other two experiments will test different factors that influence female responses to males. Dr. Westneat's research will help us comprehend the evolutionary consequences of the relationship between appearance and behavior in the context of male-female interactions.