Ontogeny and Evolution of Avian Locomotion: Forelimb and Hindlimb Mechanics

鸟类运动的个体发育和进化：前肢和后肢力学

• 批准号: 0417176
• 负责人: Kenneth Dial
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Montana
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-08-01 至 2010-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0417176&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Ontogeny; Evolution; Avian; Locomotion; Forelimb

Ontogeny and evolution of avian locomotion: Forelimb and hindlimb mechanics Kenneth Paul Dial, University of MontanaWhat use is half a wing? This question was posed to Charles Darwin nearly 150 years ago and remains a potent challenge to those striving to explain how transitional animal forms may have functioned and behaved. Providing insight into the evolutionary history of birds as they emerged from their dinosaur ancestors remains a challenge. And despite flight being the most common form of animal locomotion, only recently have we begun to understand how specific avian internal structures (e.g., skeletal, muscular, neural) function during locomotion (e.g., flight, walking, flap-running). Wing-assisted incline running (WAIR) represents locomotor strategy involving morphological and behavioral traits that permit partially- and fully-developed wings of ground birds to assist their powerful hindlimbs as they retreat to an elevated refuge. Apparently common among living ground birds, WAIR is argued to represent the most straight-forward explanation elucidating the origin and evolution of avian flight. In this study, the developmental anatomy and locomotor performance of various avian species is explored in order to better understand how legs and wings work in concert to move the animal. It is suggested that dinosaur ancestors may have used their proto-wings (half a wing) and legs simultaneously to help them search for food, escape predators, and traverse complex 3-D environments. Using high-speed video, force plates, accelerometers, and laser imaging, the important biophysical parameters during the locomotion of young and adult birds will be quantified. The project will provide for interdisciplinary training of students and the PI will continue public outreach activities, particularly those aspects featuring his work in the mass media.

鸟类运动的个体发生和进化：前肢和后肢力学肯尼斯·保罗·戴尔，蒙大拿大学半只翅膀有什么用？这个问题在近150年前就被提出给查尔斯·达尔文（Charles Darwin），对于那些努力解释过渡性动物形态如何运作和行为的人来说，这仍然是一个强有力的挑战。深入了解鸟类从恐龙祖先进化而来的进化史仍然是一个挑战。尽管飞行是最常见的动物运动形式，但直到最近我们才开始了解鸟类的特定内部结构（例如，骨骼，肌肉，神经）在运动（例如，飞行，行走，襟翼奔跑）中的功能。翼辅助倾斜奔跑（WAIR）是一种运动策略，涉及形态和行为特征，允许部分和完全发育的翅膀在地面鸟类撤退到高处避难时帮助它们强大的后肢。WAIR显然在现存的地面鸟类中很常见，被认为是解释鸟类飞行起源和进化的最直接的解释。在这项研究中，为了更好地理解腿和翅膀如何协同工作来移动动物，我们探索了各种鸟类的发育解剖学和运动表现。有人认为恐龙的祖先可能同时使用它们的原始翅膀（半翅膀）和腿来帮助它们寻找食物、躲避捕食者和穿越复杂的三维环境。利用高速视频、测力板、加速度计和激光成像技术，对幼鸟和成年鸟运动过程中的重要生物物理参数进行了量化。该项目将为学生提供跨学科培训，私家侦探将继续进行公共宣传活动，特别是在大众传播媒介中突出其工作的那些方面。