POWRE: Parentage and Male Parental Effort in a Species With Alternative Reproductive Opportunities

非技术摘要 建议编号：9805973 PI：Whittingham，琳达 在许多动物中，雄性和雌性合作组成家庭。然而，父母可能会有利益冲突，每个人都应该提供多少父母照顾他们的年轻人。 冲突的一个根源是，雄性不是它们所照顾的后代的遗传父亲（父系）。 这种情况经常发生在鸟类中，因为许多物种的雌性会与雄性交配，而不是与它们的社会伴侣交配。当雄性在养育非自己的后代时，是否应该减少它们的父母努力，如果是，应该减少多少？ 这项试点研究将使惠廷汉姆在一个新的和令人兴奋的模型系统（弗伦斯）追求这个问题，并开发新的分子方法的亲子鉴定分析是必要的，她的研究扩展。该项目还将为本科生和研究生提供现代遗传技术的研究经验和培训。 最近的理论表明，男性可能会调整他们的父母的努力与他们的父权（年轻的父系的数量）在某些情况下，但不是其他人。 弗伦斯提供了一个模型系统来检查影响父母为什么可能或可能不合作抚养后代的因素。 这些因素包括雄性评估其父亲身份的能力以及与其他雌性交配的机会。 这一项目将使人们更好地了解父母决策的基本原则。 此外，它还为年轻科学家提供实地和遗传方法方面的综合培训。

NONTECHNICAL ABSTRACT Proposal Number: 9805973 PI: Whittingham, Linda In many animals both the male and female cooperate to raise a family. However, parents may have conflicts of interest over how much parental care each should provide to their young. One source of conflict arises when males are not the genetic fathers (sires) of the young for which they are caring. Such cases occur often in birds because females of many species will mate with males other than their social partner. Should males decrease their parental effort when they are raising offspring that are not their own, and if so, how much? This pilot study will allow Whittingham to pursue this question in a new and exciting model system (house wrens), and to develop new molecular methods of paternity analysis that are necessary for the expansion of her research. This project also will provide research experience and training in modern genetic techniques for undergraduate and graduate students. Recent theory suggest that males may adjust their parental effort in relation to their paternity (the number of young sired) under some conditions, but not others. House wrens provide a model system to examine the factors that influence why parents may or may not cooperate to raise young. These factors include the ability of males to assess their paternity and the availability of mating opportunities with other females. This project will result in a better understanding of the basic principles underlying parental decision-making. In addition it provides integrated training in both field and genetic methods for young scientists.