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

达尔文的雀类是一个有用的系统，可以用来研究生态学、形态学和进化的相互作用。PI和合作者描述了一个种群的中型地面雀，Geospiza fortis，具有双峰分布的喙大小，即，种群由大喙“变体”和小喙“变体”组成，中间喙变体很少。咬合力的能力和歌曲的功能之间的大和小的变形不同，这些差异是在预测的方向模型的喙功能如何在喂养和歌曲生产。这项研究的主要目的是确定大喙变种和小喙变种是否只与自己的同类交配，而不与其他变种交配。 如果是这样的话，这种交配模式可能代表了同域物种形成的一个例子。 将观察带纹鸟的交配行为和田间配对，并进行亲子鉴定，以确定喙相似的鸟是否相互交配，而不是与其他变体交配。这项提议的最终目标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种变体都是独特的。 更广泛的影响拟议的研究将提供进化生物学的培训，为合作PI和援助，在她的论文研究完成。所有论文章节将提交同行评审期刊出版，所有工作的结果将向公众传播。共同主要研究员和一名实地助理将接受实地观察、鸟类环志和一般实地取样技术方面的培训。此外，Co-PI还将学习DNA分析和亲子鉴定技术。工作将在查尔斯达尔文研究站和加拉帕戈斯国家公园服务处的许可下进行，所有研究结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一个受保护物种的繁殖生物学的信息，可以使用的加拉帕戈斯国家公园服务时起草保护政策。

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.