DISSERTATION REASEARCH: Mating patterns and female preferences in a bimodal population of Darwin's finches

达尔文的鸟类是一个研究生态、形态和进化相互作用的有用系统。PI和他的合作者描述了一个中型地雀(Geospiza Fortis)的种群，该种群具有喙大小的双峰分布，即种群由大喙“形态”和小喙“形态”组成，中间喙形态很少。在大的和小的变形鸟之间，咬合力能力和歌唱特征都不同，这些差异是由模型预测的喙在进食和歌唱中如何发挥作用的方向。这项拟议研究的主要目的是确定大喙和小喙的变种是否只与自己的同类交配，而不是其他的变种。如果是这样的话，这种交配模式可能代表了正在进行的共域物种形成的一个例子。将在野外观察带状鸟类的交配行为和配对，并进行亲子鉴定，以确定类似喙的鸟类是否相互交配，而不是与另一种形态的鸟类交配。这项提议的最终目标将是通过实验测试雌性对喙大小相似的雄性的歌曲的偏好，以确定特定的求偶仪式是否对每一种变种都是独一无二的。更广泛的影响拟议的研究将为Co-Pi提供进化生物学方面的培训，并帮助她完成论文研究。所有论文章节将在同行评议的期刊上发表，所有工作的结果将向公众传播。Co-PI和一名外勤助理都将接受野外观察、鸟类捆绑和一般野外采样技术方面的培训。此外，Co-Pi还将学习DNA分析和亲子鉴定的技术。工作将通过查尔斯·达尔文研究站和加拉帕戈斯国家公园管理局在许可下进行，所有研究成果将提供给这些来源用于教育目的。此外，我们的研究结果将提供有关受保护物种繁殖生物学的信息，可供加拉帕戈斯国家公园管理局在起草保护政策时使用。

Intellectual MeritDarwin's finches are a useful system in which to examine the interplay of ecology, morphology, and evolution. The PI and collaborators have described a population of the medium ground finch, Geospiza fortis, that possesses a bimodal distribution of beak size, i.e., the population consists of large beaked "morphs" and small beaked "morphs" with very few intermediate beak morphs. Both bite force abilities and song features differ between large and small morphs, and these differences are in the direction predicted by models of how the beak functions in feeding and song production. The main goal of the proposed research is to determine if large beaked morphs and small beaked morphs mate only with their own kind to the exclusion of the other morph. If so, this mating pattern may represent an example of sympatric speciation in progress. Banded birds will be observed for mating behavior and pair formation in the field and paternity tests will be conducted to determine if like-beaked birds are mating with each other and not with the other morph. The final goal of this proposal will be to experimentally test female preferences for the songs of males with similar beak size to determine if specific courtship rituals are unique for each morph. Broader ImpactsThe proposed research will provide training in evolutionary biology for the Co-PI and aid in the completion of her dissertation research. All dissertation chapters will be submitted for publication in peer reviewed journals, and the results of all work will be disseminated to the public. Both the Co-PI and one field assistant will be trained in field observation, bird banding, and general field sampling techniques. In addition, the Co-PI will also learn techniques for DNA analysis and paternity assignment. Work will be conducted under permits through the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park Service, and all research results will be provided to those sources for educational purposes. In addition, our results will provide information on the breeding biology of a protected species that can be used by the Galapagos National Park Service when drafting conservation policies.