Sexual Dimorphism and UV Signaling in Birds

鸟类的性别二态性和紫外线信号

• 批准号: 0215560
• 负责人: Peter Dunn
• 金额: $ 5.96万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• 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: 2002-08-01 至 2005-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0215560&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Sexual; Dimorphism; UV; Signaling; Birds

Lay Abstract for proposal #0215560Sexual dimorphism and UV signaling in birdsThe brilliant colors of birds have played a prominent role in the study of sexual and natural selection. In many species of birds males possess bright colors, while females are cryptic. This sexual dimorphism in plumage is traditionally explained as a consequence of variation in sexual selection (i.e., mating success). However, there are several reasons why this explanation may be inadequate. First, all comparative analyses to date have relied on subjective evaluations of plumage color and brightness by human observers, and it is now clear that birds see quite differently than humans. Not only do birds see in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum to which humans are blind, they also see differently in the human visible spectrum. Unfortunately, there has not yet been a large-scale comparative analysis of UV reflectance in birds, so it is not known if UV signaling is widespread or if such signals commonly differ between the sexes. Second, recent studies of sexual differences in plumage color have found that evolutionary changes in plumage have been more common among females than males, suggesting that we have been focussing on the wrong sex. Indeed, there are many cases of bright colors in both sexes (e.g., parrots, tanagers, toucans) suggesting that selection has acted on females as well as males. Bright plumage in females may be favored by male mate choice or aggression between females over access to mates or food. In addition, natural selection may favor brightly colored females when both sexes defend a territory year-round or color patterns are involved in camouflage. Thus, other forms of selection besides sexual selection on males appear to be important in the evolution of avian plumage patterns.The three year study proposed here will examine the evolution of avian plumage patterns and sexual differences in plumage color using objective measures of color (spectrometer measurements) taken from museum specimens. We will measure spectral reflectance of both sexes of the1031 species used in our previous study of avian dimorphism. By building on our previous work, this study will lead to significantly deeper understanding of signaling in birds and the evolution of plumage patterns, a subject that has enthralled and perplexed both biologists and lay persons for over 100 years. In addition, this study will provide opportunities for training students in comparative methods, enhance research facilities at UWM and produce a web site with spectral data of birds that can be used by other researchers and teachers.

提案摘要#0215560鸟类的性二态性和紫外线信号鸟类绚丽的颜色在性选择和自然选择的研究中发挥了突出的作用。 在许多鸟类中，雄性拥有明亮的颜色，而雌性则神秘。 羽毛中的这种性别二态性传统上被解释为性选择变异（即交配成功）的结果。然而，有几个原因导致这种解释可能不充分。 首先，迄今为止所有的比较分析都依赖于人类观察者对羽毛颜色和亮度的主观评价，现在很明显鸟类的视力与人类有很大不同。 鸟类不仅能看到人类看不见的紫外线（UV）光谱，而且在人类可见光谱中也能看到不同的东西。不幸的是，尚未对鸟类的紫外线反射率进行大规模的比较分析，因此尚不清楚紫外线信号是否广泛存在，或者此类信号在性别之间是否普遍存在差异。 其次，最近对羽毛颜色性别差异的研究发现，羽毛的进化变化在雌性中比雄性更常见，这表明我们一直把注意力集中在错误的性别上。 事实上，有许多雌雄都有鲜艳颜色的例子（例如鹦鹉、唐雀、巨嘴鸟），这表明选择对雌性和雄性都有作用。 雌性明亮的羽毛可能受到雄性择偶或雌性之间在获取配偶或食物方面的攻击性的青睐。 此外，当两性常年保卫领地或颜色图案参与伪装时，自然选择可能会青睐颜色鲜艳的雌性。 因此，除了雄性的性选择之外，其他形式的选择似乎在鸟类羽毛图案的进化中也很重要。这里提出的为期三年的研究将使用从博物馆标本中获取的客观颜色测量（光谱仪测量）来研究鸟类羽毛图案的进化和羽毛颜色的性别差异。 我们将测量我们之前的鸟类二态性研究中使用的 1031 个物种的两性光谱反射率。 通过以我们之前的工作为基础，这项研究将带来对鸟类信号传导和羽毛图案进化的更深入的理解，这个课题一百多年来一直让生物学家和外行人着迷和困惑。 此外，这项研究将为学生提供比较方法培训的机会，增强 UWM 的研究设施，并制作一个包含鸟类光谱数据的网站，供其他研究人员和教师使用。