Using Physiological Structure to Model Individual Production: Determinants of Female Reproductive Effort

目前预测的环境变化情景提出了关于动物种群对当地气候和食物供应变化的预期反应的基本问题。 动物对环境的反应是通过生理功能如新陈代谢、消化、生长和繁殖来调节的。 利用平行模拟模型和实验室和自然界的实验研究，PI将调查食物供应对阿肯色州西北部木材响尾蛇（Crotalushorridus）繁殖的影响。 响尾蛇是这些研究的优秀对象，因为它们的丰富和大尺寸，允许使用无线电发射器（用于位置和体温信息）。模拟模型是基于以前的资助（IBN 9728470）下发现的木材响尾蛇的能量流信息。 新的研究将建立和补充以前的工作。 一个实验室的蛇类种群将在三种喂养方案下维持，旨在产生繁殖的变化。 在自然界中，一项实验性的食物操作将通过比较放射性标记的雌性响尾蛇的人工喂养组和对照组之间的繁殖来测试模型预测。 从这些实验中收集到的信息将被用来测试模拟模型先前做出的预测，然后改进和改进模拟。 本研究的结果将有助于预测动物种群对环境变化的反应。 所描述的研究也将提供多种机会来提高科学素养，并使学生（从小学到研究生院）参与科学过程。

Current scenarios of predicted environmental change raise fundamentalquestions about the expected responses of animal populations to changes inlocal climate and food availability. Animal responses to environment aremediated by physiological functions such as metabolism, digestion, growthand reproduction. Using parallel simulation modeling and experimentalstudies in the laboratory and in nature, the PI will investigate the effectof food availability on reproduction in the timber rattlesnake (Crotalushorridus) in northwest Arkansas. Rattlesnakes are excellent subjects forthese studies because of their abundance and large size which allows theuse of radio-transmitters (for location and body temperature information).The simulation model is based on information about energy flow throughtimber rattlesnakes discovered under a previous grant (IBN 9728470). Newstudies will build upon and complement previous work. A laboratorypopulation of snakes will be maintained under three feeding regimesdesigned to produce variation in reproduction. In nature, an experimentalfood manipulation will test model predictions by comparing reproductionbetween supplementally fed and control groups of radio-tagged femalerattlesnakes. Information gathered from these experiments will be used totest previous predictions made by the simulation model, and then to refineand improve the simulation. The results of this study will enhance ourability to predict the responses of animal populations to environmentalchange. The described studies will also provide multiple opportunities toenhance science literacy and involve students (from grade school tograduate school) in the process of science.