U.S.-Ecuador Dissertation Enhancement: Female Mate Choice and Mating Success in Pipra Pipra (Aves: Pipridae)

美洲项目下的论文增强奖将支持密苏里大学圣路易斯分校的Tori Wendy女士在Bette A. Loiselle博士的指导下进行实地研究。她在厄瓜多尔的合作者将是基多旧金山大学的凯利·斯温博士。该项目将探讨是什么让某些男性对女性如此有吸引力，并在生产上取得成功。模型系统将被使用的白冠侏儒鸟（Pipra Pipra），漏水的物种。繁殖成功将通过行为观察间接测量，也可以通过微卫星亲子分析直接测量。生态、行为和遗传因素对男性生殖成功结果的影响将根据变量之间可能的权衡或相互作用进行分析。理解是什么决定了女性的择偶和男性的繁殖成功是性选择理论的核心。配偶选择是一个复杂的问题，因为它通常是对雌性的直接（例如父亲的照顾，领土质量）和间接利益（例如良好的基因）相互作用的结果。lek交配系统为研究这些过程提供了一个独特的机会。此外，该项目将加强美国机构与主办机构之间的合作关系。

051334LoiselleThis dissertation enhancement award under the Americas Program will support the field research of Ms. Tori Wendy, University of Missouri-Saint Louis, under the supervision of Dr. Bette A. Loiselle. Her collaborator in Ecuador will be Dr. Kelly Swing at Universidad San Francisco de Quito. The project will address the question of what makes certain males so attractive to females and productively successful. The model system to be used will be the white-crowned manakin (Pipra pipra), of the lekking species. Reproductive success will be measured indirectly using behavioral observations at leks as well as directly using microsatellite paternity analysis. The influence of ecological, behavioral and genetic factors on the outcome of male reproductive success will be analyzed in light of possible tradeoffs or interaction among variables.Understanding what determines female mate choice and male reproductive success is central to sexual selection theory. Mate choice is a complex issue as it is often the result of interplay of direct (e.g. paternal care, territory quality) and indirect benefits (e.g. good genes) to females. Lek-mating systems provide a unique opportunity to study these processes. In addition, this project will strengthen the collaborative relationship between the U.S. institution and the host institution.