Correlational selection on physiology and alternative male strategies

生殖和整个生物体的性能都受到内分泌系统的影响，所有这些特征都具有可遗传的遗传成分。阐明遗传、生殖功能、性能、内分泌和免疫系统之间的联系，对于理解进化如何塑造生殖策略和生理至关重要。具有离散多态性的系统为检查这些性状之间的关系提供了很好的模型，因为变体内部和变体之间的变化都可以检查。雄性侧斑蜥蜴（Uta stansburiana）有三种不同的颜色变体（橙色，蓝色或黄色喉咙），这是由一种主要影响的基因引起的。每种类型都表现出不同的生理和交配策略（与多个雌性一起保卫大片领土，保卫单个雌性，或“潜入”另一个雄性的领地）。特别是，与其他两种类型相比，有领地意识的橙喉雄性具有较高的耐力和血浆睾酮水平。然而，这些雄性的死亡率也比其他种类的高。睾酮可能会降低免疫系统应对感染因子的能力。在实验室育种研究中，将测量已知喉色基因型的亲本和后代的短跑速度、耐力和标准代谢率。在野外，将研究血浆激素（睾酮和皮质酮）的变化及其对短跑速度、耐力和野外代谢率的影响。DNA亲子鉴定将提供实地谱系，以补充实验室的遗传研究。这些实验将使研究人员能够评估激素、生理和生殖之间的联系。目前没有数据可以解决遗传、生理、性能和繁殖之间的关系；本研究完成了这一主要目标，并为今后的工作建立了数据库。我们的工作解决了形成内分泌功能，生理和免疫功能联合进化的基本力量。

Both reproduction and whole-organism performance are influenced by the endocrine system, and all of these traits have heritable, genetic components. Elucidating links among genetics, reproductive function, performance, and the endocrine and immune systems is essential to understanding how evolution has shaped reproductive strategies and physiology. Systems with discrete polymorphisms provide good models for examining the relationships among these traits since variation both within and among morphs can be examined. Male side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) have three different color morphs (orange, blue, or yellow throat), which arise from a gene of major effect. Each of the types exhibits a different physiological and mating strategy (defense of a large territory with multiple females, defense of an individual female, or "sneaking" into another male's territory). In particular, territorial orange-throated males have high stamina and high levels of plasma testosterone, relative to the other two types. However, these males also have higher mortality rates than the other morphs. Testosterone may decrease the capability of the immune system to cope with infectious agents. In laboratory breeding studies, sprint speed, endurance, and standard metabolic rate of parents and progeny with known throat color genotypes will be measured. In the field, variation in plasma hormones (testosterone and corticosterone) and their effects on sprint speed, endurance, and field metabolic rate will be studied. DNA paternity analysis will provide field pedigrees to complement genetic studies in the laboratory. These experiments will allow the investigators to evaluate the links among hormones, physiology, and reproduction. Currently no data are available to address relations between genetics, physiology, performance, and reproduction; this research accomplishes this major goal and establishes a database for future work. Our work addresses the fundamental forces that shape the joint evolution of endocrine function, physiology and immune function.