Dissertation Research: Indirect genetic effects on social behavior

一个人的行为可能不仅是由他自己的基因和所处的环境造成的，还可能反映出这个人的社会伴侣携带的基因(以及这些基因所承载的行为)。社会伴侣携带的基因对另一个个体行为的影响被称为“间接遗传效应”。间接遗传效应被预测在社会行为的进化中特别重要，因为它们可能改变自然选择对个体的作用方式。然而，间接遗传效应很难分离和衡量，因为社会环境的遗传成分，特别是个人与之互动的社会伙伴中的基因，必须保持不变。孔雀鱼提供了一套独特的工具来探索间接遗传效应对社会行为表达和进化的影响：近交系允许控制社会环境的遗传成分和野生种群，已知这些种群的社会行为因捕食水平的不同而有所不同。这个项目将在行为系统中提供第一个间接遗传效应的测试。然后，它将探索不同家庭对社会环境的反应差异，表明对社会群体的反应可能会演变。最后，该项目将调查与捕食制度相关的不同群体对社会环境的反应，这可能为间接遗传效应的进化提供证据。广泛影响四名本科生，包括一名来自2004年夏季的NSF-REU学生参与了这一项目，其中一人在REU研讨会和全国会议上展示了她对男性和女性检查行为差异的研究。在这项研究项目中，PIS总共指导了印第安纳大学的8名本科生，其中1人通过女性参与科学计划，4人通过NSF-REU行为计划。超过一半的人是妇女和/或少数民族。除了一名学生之外，所有的学生都已经或将要用这笔资金从头到尾完成一个研究项目，包括实验设计和数据收集、分析和演示。两名学生随后在西格玛·习等全国性会议上展示了他们的成果。除了一人之外，所有人都在或正在申请研究生院或兽医学院。这个项目还被用于在印第安纳大学和马里恩学院的几个本科生课程中介绍动物行为和行为进化的主题。

The behavior performed by an individual may result not only from its own genes and the environment in which it resides, but may also reflect genes (and the behaviors these genes underlie) carried in the individual's social partners. The effects of genes carried in a social partner on the behavior of another individual are termed "indirect genetic effects." Indirect genetic effects are predicted to be particularly important in the evolution of social behavior, because they may alter the way natural selection operates on individuals. However, indirect genetic effects are difficult to isolate and measure because the genetic component of the social environment, specifically the genes in social partners with which individuals interact, must be held constant. Guppies, Poecilia reticulata, provide a unique set of tools for exploring the impacts of indirect genetic effects on the expression and evolution of social behavior: inbred lines that allow for the control of the genetic component of the social environment and wild populations that are known to vary in social behavior in response to different levels of predation. This project will provide the first test of indirect genetic effects in a behavioral system. It will then explore variation between families in responsiveness to social environment, indicating that responsiveness to social groups may evolve. Finally, the project will investigate variation across populations in responsiveness to social environment, correlated with predation regime, which may provide evidence for the evolution of indirect genetic effects.Broader ImpactsFour undergraduate students, including one NSF-REU student from summer 2004 have participated in this project, one of which presented her study on differences in male and female inspection behavior at both an REU symposium and a national meeting. PIs in this research program have mentored a total of eight undergraduates at Indiana University, one through the Women in Science Program and four through the NSF-REU behavior program. More than half have been women and/or minorities. All but one of the students have or will complete a research project with this funding, from start to finish, including experimental design and data collection, analysis and presentation. Two students have gone on to present their results at national meetings such as Sigma Xi. All but one of the eight are in or are applying for graduate school or veterinary school. This project has also been used to introduce the topics of animal behavior and behavioral evolution to several undergraduate courses, at both Indiana University and Marion College.