Dissertation Research: Evolution and Costs & Rapid Growth in Sunfish

小行星9423718 快速生长对动物是有益的，因为大的尺寸在与其他动物竞争、繁殖和躲避捕食者方面具有优势。 家畜的快速增长在奶制品、鸡蛋和肉类生产方面的实际好处是显而易见的。 尽管如此，在自然环境中，很少有生物能以它们所能达到的速度生长，这表明存在负面影响。 虽然快速增长的积极影响是众所周知的，但对消极影响几乎一无所知。 本研究将探讨快速增长的好处和可能的限制增长率在一个共同的运动鱼，南瓜太阳鱼（Lepomis gibbosus）。 一些南瓜籽种群在与蓝鳃太阳鱼（L。macrochirus）。 将这些种群的鱼与没有蓝鳃鱼竞争对手的湖泊中的鱼（已知生长较慢）进行比较，以确定快速生长对以下方面产生了什么影响：a）冒险获取食物，B）减缓或损害骨骼发育，c）降低储存生命第一个冬天的脂质的能力，以及d）降低对细菌和寄生虫感染的免疫反应。

9423718 WILSON Rapid growth is beneficial to animals because large size gives advantages in competing with other animals, reproduction, and avoiding predators. The practical benefits of rapid growth in domestic animals is obvious in terms of dairy, egg, and meat production. Nonetheless, few organisms in their natural environment grow as fast as they are capable, suggesting there are negative effects. Although the positive effects of rapid growth are very well known, almost nothing is known about the negative effects. This study will examine the benefits of rapid growth and possible constraints on growth rate in a common sport fish, the pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus). Some populations of pumpkinseed show a rapid juvenile growth rate in response to competition with bluegill sunfish (L. macrochirus). Fish from these populations will be compared with fish from lakes without bluegill competitors (and known to grow more slowly) to determine what effects rapid growth has had on: a) risk-taking to obtain food, b) slowed or compromised skeletal development, c) decreased ability to store lipids for the first winter of life, and d) decreased immune response to both bacterial and parasitic infection.