DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Proximate Causes and Adaptive Significance of Individual Variation in the Behavior of Kangaroo Rats

论文研究：袋鼠行为个体差异的直接原因和适应性意义

• 批准号: 0206068
• 负责人: Stephen Jenkins
• 金额: $ 0.94万
• 依托单位: Board of Regents, NSHE, obo University of Nevada, Reno
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-06-01 至 2004-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0206068&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Proximate; Causes; Adaptive

PROXIMATE CAUSES AND ADAPTIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF INDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN THE BEHAVIOR OF KANGAROO RATSDr. Stephen H. JenkinsAmy M. BarberComparative studies of closely related species or different populations of the same species have contributed greatly to our understanding of the evolutionary significance of various kinds of behavior. More recently, researchers have begun to focus on variation among individuals in the same population, especially individuals belonging to the same age and sex class. Study of this kind of variation holds as much promise for advancing understanding of the evolution of behavior in the future as study of interspecific variation and geographic variation within species has contributed to such understanding in the past. There are several recent reports of intraspecific variation in diverse behavioral traits. Some of this variation is organized into syndromes that are correlated with differences in hormone levels; these syndromes have been described as different strategies that may be important for how individuals interact with one another or their environment. However, most of this work has been done in the laboratory and so is unable to address how these different behaviors function under natural conditions.This study of Merriam's kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami) builds upon the current evidence by using an experimental approach in the field. Corticosterone is a major stress hormone in kangaroo rats and other animals and is an important basis, or proximate mechanism, for a variety of behaviors. Levels of corticosterone will be altered within the natural range for kangaroo rats using hormone implants of corticosterone to increase levels and metyrapone implants to decrease the natural production of corticosterone. These manipulations will be used to examine how individual differences in behavior change in response to changes in hormone levels. A newly developed technique for sampling hormones in the feces of rodents will be used to non-invasively measure differences in hormone profiles among individuals. The foraging behavior, spatial memory ability, and response of focal individuals to novel situations will be measured to quantify behavioral differences both before and after manipulation of hormone levels. In addition, the consistency of behavior will be characterized for focal animals. Modification of typical laboratory methods for use in the field will allow focal animals to remain in their natural habitat for a longer-term study; most importantly, the survival of individuals will be monitored in relation to their corticosterone levels and behavior over the course of the study. Survival is one key measure of the adaptive significance of behavior for kangaroo rats.This study, using a population of kangaroo rats in the field as a model system, provides a unique opportunity to understand in detail how individual variation in hormones influences the survival of individuals through its effects on a suite of interrelated behaviors. The study will also provide both graduate and undergraduate training.

袋鼠行为个体变异的近因及其适应意义斯蒂芬⋅JenkinsAmy M.巴伯对密切相关的物种或同一物种的不同种群的比较研究极大地促进了我们对各种行为的进化意义的理解。最近，研究人员开始关注同一群体中个体之间的差异，特别是属于同一年龄和性别类别的个体。对这种变异的研究，在未来推进对行为进化的理解方面，与过去对种间变异和种内地理变异的研究对这种理解的贡献一样有希望。有几个最近的报告，在不同的行为特征的种内变异。其中一些变异被组织成与激素水平差异相关的综合征;这些综合征被描述为不同的策略，可能对个体如何相互作用或与环境相互作用很重要。然而，大多数这项工作已经在实验室中完成，因此无法解决这些不同的行为功能在自然条件下。这项研究梅里亚姆的袋鼠大鼠（Dipodomys merriami）建立在目前的证据，通过使用在该领域的实验方法。皮质酮是袋鼠和其他动物体内的一种主要应激激素，是多种行为的重要基础或近似机制。使用皮质酮的激素植入物以增加皮质酮的水平，使用甲吡酮植入物以减少皮质酮的自然产生，将在袋鼠大鼠的自然范围内改变皮质酮的水平。 这些操作将用于研究个体行为差异如何响应激素水平的变化。一种新开发的啮齿动物粪便中激素采样技术将用于非侵入性地测量个体之间激素谱的差异。将测量焦点个体对新情况的觅食行为、空间记忆能力和反应，以量化激素水平操纵前后的行为差异。此外，还将对焦点动物的行为一致性进行表征。修改用于现场的典型实验室方法将允许重点动物留在其自然栖息地进行长期研究;最重要的是，在研究过程中，将监测个体的存活率与其皮质酮水平和行为的关系。生存是一个关键措施的适应意义的行为袋鼠rates.This研究，使用人口的袋鼠大鼠在外地作为一个模型系统，提供了一个独特的机会，详细了解个体的激素变化如何影响个体的生存，通过其对一套相互关联的行为。这项研究还将提供研究生和本科生培训。