SGER: Consequences of Sexually Transmitted Bacteria in Natural Populations

疾病的传播是交换配偶的一个潜在结果。这种伴侣的转换发生在许多生物体中，但从非人类动物的自然种群中获得的关于病原体传播或接触后果的数据很少。该项目探讨了雄性红翅黑鸟精液中细菌的流行率、传播频率和可能的后果，这是一种雌性交配频繁的物种。将对雄性和雌性黑鸟进行细菌调查，记录配偶之间的相似性，并进行旨在确定性传播的实验。受试个体的繁殖成功率和存活率将在田间进行跟踪，细菌分离物将在实验室进行测试，以确定其可能影响宿主适应性的功能。拟议的工作是第一次研究疾病在自然鸟类种群中可能的性传播。几个以前未经检验的假设性传播疾病的重要性将进行评估。这些结果对于理解生殖行为的选择力以及致病生物与宿主行为之间的进化关系将具有重要意义。这项工作对交配系统的进化理论有着广泛的影响。此外，它还可以提供有关自然种群中疾病传播的重要信息，与鸣禽和其他物种的保护有关。

Westneat9812306The spread of disease is one potential outcome of switching mating partners. Such switching of partners occurs in many organisms, yet few data are available from natural populations of non-human animals on the transmission of pathogens or the consequences of being exposed. This project explores the prevalence, the frequency of transmission, and the possible consequences of bacteria in the semen of male red-winged blackbirds, a species in which females mate-switch frequently. Male and female blackbirds will be surveyed for bacteria, similarities between mates documented, and an experiment designed to identify sexual transmission performed. Reproductive success and survival of tested individuals will be tracked in the field, and bacterial isolates will be tested in the laboratory for functions potentially affecting host fitness.The proposed work is the first to study the possible sexual transmission of disease in a natural population of birds. Several previously untested hypotheses about the importance of sexually-transmitted diseases will be evaluated. The results will be important in understanding the selective forces shaping reproductive behavior and the evolutionary relationships between disease-causing organisms and host behaviors. This work has broad implications for theories regarding the evolution of mating systems. In addition it may provide important information concerning disease transmission in natural populations with relevance for conservation of songbirds and other species.