SGER: Consequences of Sexually Transmitted Bacteria in Natural Populations

SGER：自然群体中性传播细菌的后果

• 批准号: 9812306
• 负责人: David Westneat
• 金额: $ 3万
• 依托单位: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-09-15 至 2000-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9812306&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SGER; Consequences; Sexually; Transmitted; Bacteria

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.

疾病的传播是转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暴露后果的数据很少。该项目探讨了雄性红翼黑鹂精液中细菌的流行程度、传播频率和可能的后果，这是一种雌性频繁更换配偶的物种。研究人员将对雄性和雌性黑鹂进行细菌调查，记录配偶之间的相似之处，并进行一项旨在确定性传播的实验。将在野外跟踪被测试个体的繁殖成功率和存活率，并在实验室测试细菌分离物的潜在影响宿主适应性的功能。这项提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。将评估关于性传播疾病重要性的几个先前未经检验的假设。这些结果对于理解形成生殖行为的选择性力量以及致病生物和宿主行为之间的进化关系将是重要的。这项工作对有关交配系统进化的理论具有广泛的意义。此外，它可能提供有关自然种群中疾病传播的重要信息，与保护鸣禽和其他物种有关。