Ecological Significance of Individual Variation in Physiology

生理学个体差异的生态意义

• 批准号: 9507529
• 负责人: Henry John-Alder
• 金额: $ 27.5万
• 依托单位: Rutgers University New Brunswick
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1995
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1995-08-01 至 2000-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9507529&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Ecological; Significance; Individual; Variation; Physiology

9507488 Dumont The organization of enamel in mammalian teeth can vary between simple parallel arrangement of crystallite (nonprismatic enamel) to complicated non-parallel arrangements (prismatic enamel). Prismatic enamel increases the strength of the tooth, but we know relatively little about the function of non-prismatic enamel. In humans, non- prismatic enamel is more resistant to erosive destruction by dietary acids and sugar by-products than is underlying prismatic enamel. This research examines tooth structure, diet diversity, and salivary chemistry in an array of mammal species. It will test the hypothesis that exaggerated superficial layers of nonprismatic tooth are adaptations that permit dietary emphases on acidic or sugary food sources. For each species, food hardness, sugar content and acidity of natural diets are measured, together with salivary pH and buffering capacity. The proportion of nonprismatic enamel in molar teeth is measured using scanning electron microscopy. Mammals with high proportions of nonprismatic enamel are predicted to consume foods that are more sugary, acidic, and softer than those eaten by species that exhibit relatively little nonprismatic enamel. Salivary pH and buffering capacity are predicted to be relatively lower among species that exhibit large proportions of nonprismatic enamel. This study will provide evidence of the interactions between tooth enamel morphology, oral physiology and feeding behavior that limit the diversity of foods that mammals select. It will lead to better understanding of the relationships between anatomy, physiology and behavior that influence the ways in which animals share food plant resources. It will provide insight into the diets of extinct or poorly known species. The results of this study may also yield insights into the role of human nonprismatic e namel in resisting dental erosion and the initiation of tooth decay.

9507488杜蒙哺乳动物牙齿的釉质组织可以从简单的平行微晶排列(非棱柱状釉质)到复杂的非平行排列(棱柱状釉质)。棱柱状牙釉质可以增加牙齿的强度，但我们对非棱柱状牙釉质的功能知之甚少。在人类中，非棱柱状釉质比潜在的棱柱状釉质更能抵抗饮食中的酸和糖副产物的侵蚀破坏。这项研究检查了一系列哺乳动物的牙齿结构、饮食多样性和唾液化学。它将检验一种假设，即夸大的非棱柱形牙齿表层是一种适应，允许饮食侧重于酸性或含糖的食物来源。对于每个物种，测量了天然饲料的食物硬度、糖含量和酸度，以及唾液酸碱度和缓冲能力。用扫描电子显微镜测量磨牙中非棱柱状牙釉质的比例。据预测，非棱柱状釉质比例较高的哺乳动物食用的食物比相对较少非棱柱状釉质的物种所吃的食物更甜、更酸、更软。唾液pH值和缓冲能力预计在非棱柱状釉质比例较大的物种中相对较低。这项研究将为牙釉质形态、口腔生理和进食行为之间的相互作用提供证据，这些行为限制了哺乳动物选择的食物的多样性。这将有助于更好地理解影响动物共享食用植物资源的方式的解剖学、生理学和行为之间的关系。它将提供对已灭绝或鲜为人知的物种的饮食的洞察。这项研究的结果也可能对人类非棱柱状牙釉质在抵抗牙齿侵蚀和引发龋齿方面的作用提供见解。