Collaborative Research: The Evolution of Pheromone Signals and Their Role in Behavioral Isolation

合作研究：信息素信号的演变及其在行为隔离中的作用

• 批准号: 0416834
• 负责人: Richard Feldhoff
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Louisville Research Foundation Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-08-01 至 2009-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0416834&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Evolution; Pheromone; Signals

Collaborative Research: The Evolution of Pheromone Signals and their Role in Behavioral IsolationPI: Lynne D. Houck & Stevan Arnold and Richard C. Feldhoff & Pamela Feldhoff For millions of years, male terrestrial salamanders have executed a bizarre courtship that involves injecting females with pheromones. These courtship pheromones are protein signals that enhance the sexual receptivity of females. This example of reproductive communication has long been viewed as being shaped by sexual selection (via female mate choice) on the male signal. More recent evidence, however, implicates courtship pheromones as signals used by the female -not for mate choice- but for species identification. Thus, the evolution of this signaling system may be guided by mate recognition and behavioral isolation. We will use a well-developed study system to investigate whether male courtship pheromone signals affect behavioral isolation and hence speciation. We address two specific questions: (1) Do male courtship pheromone signals promote behavioral isolation? (2) What processes best explain the observed evolution of behavioral isolation? In the proposed work, we will focus on six population pairs showing different levels of behavioral isolation. We will experimentally manipulate chemical signals to test the hypothesis that male chemical signaling contributes to behavioral isolation. Secondly, we will use mathematical models to simulate the joint evolution of the male pheromone signal and female mating preferences across a group of related species. We will compare simulated data from each model with actual measures of behavioral isolation to determine which model gives the best fit. Our simulation methods will apply generally to any communication systems for which there are species of known relatedness and a survey of behavioral isolation between pairs of these species. In combination, our research will constitute a compelling case study of behavioral isolating mechanisms and how they evolve.

合作研究：信息素信号的演变及其在行为隔离中的作用。Houck Stevan Arnold和Richard C.数百万年来，雄性陆地蝾螈一直在进行一种奇怪的求偶，这种求偶包括给雌性蝾螈注射信息素。 这些求偶信息素是增强雌性性接受性的蛋白质信号。 这种生殖交流的例子一直被认为是由雄性信号的性选择（通过雌性配偶选择）形成的。 然而，最近的证据表明，求偶信息素是雌性使用的信号--不是用于配偶选择--而是用于物种识别。因此，这种信号系统的进化可能是由配偶识别和行为隔离引导的。 我们将使用一个发达的研究系统，以调查男性求偶信息素信号是否影响行为隔离，从而物种形成。 我们解决两个具体的问题：（1）男性求偶信息素信号促进行为隔离？(2)什么过程能最好地解释观察到的行为孤立的演变？ 在拟议的工作中，我们将集中在六个人口对表现出不同程度的行为隔离。 我们将通过实验来操纵化学信号，以验证男性化学信号有助于行为隔离的假设。 其次，我们将使用数学模型来模拟一组相关物种的雄性信息素信号和雌性交配偏好的联合进化。我们将比较每个模型的模拟数据与行为隔离的实际测量，以确定哪个模型最适合。 我们的模拟方法将普遍适用于任何通信系统，其中有已知的相关性和这些物种对之间的行为隔离的调查物种。 结合起来，我们的研究将构成一个令人信服的案例研究行为隔离机制及其如何演变。