An experimental study of ecological constraints in the cooperatively breeding acorn woodpecker

橡果啄木鸟合作繁育生态约束的实验研究

• 批准号: 0516851
• 负责人: Walter Koenig
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of California-Berkeley
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-01-01 至 2009-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0516851&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: experimental; study; ecological; constraints; cooperatively

The mating system of the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is among the most complex of any vertebrate, with groups consisting of a breeding core of up to seven cobreeding males and three joint-nesting females mating together (cooperative polyyamy or polygynandry) in combination with a variable number of nonbreeding helpers that are offspring from prior years and that have delayed dispersal to remain on their natal territory. Cobreeders of the same sex are almost always close relatives, either siblings or parents and offspring. The project will experimentally test the role of roosting and nesting cavities and of storage facilities in which groups store acorns as ecological constraints leading to delayed dispersal by offspring and cooperative polygamy by same-sex coalitions of relatives. The project will involve a thorough survey of cavities and storage facilities of existing groups and an experiment in which artificial cavities and storage facilities will be provided in previously unused areas. The incidence and rate of colonization of experimental sites compared to control sites, together with the origin and identity of colonists, will be used to accept or reject these hypotheses. The project will provide new insights into the role of ecological constraints to the evolution of cooperative breeding, including not only delayed dispersal and helping at the nest but also cooperative polygamy. The project will focus specifically on the interactions between ecological constraints, social factors such as group size and composition, and variation in territory quality as factors influencing these social phenomena.The project encompasses significant public outreach, particularly with respect to informal talks and demonstrations regarding acorn woodpeckers made to visitors and students at the field site, Hastings Reservation. The latter include minority, underrepresented, and urban students spending time at Hastings Reservation as part of a major NSF-funded GK-12 program. The project includes a significant educational component in the form of postdoctoral training and the training of up to five undergraduate students per year who will directly participate in the research. The study involves work in California oak woodland, a threatened habitat known for its biodiversity, and continues a long-term project that contributes to our knowledge of how ecosystems are affected by human-induced changes.

橡子啄木鸟（Melanerpes formicivorus）的交配系统是所有脊椎动物中最复杂的，其群体由多达7个共同繁殖的雄性和3个联合筑巢的雌性组成的繁殖核心一起交配（合作一夫多妻制或一夫多妻制），以及数量不等的非繁殖助手，这些助手是前几年的后代，并且推迟了分散以留在它们的纳塔尔领土上。同性别的同性恋者几乎总是近亲，要么是兄弟姐妹，要么是父母和后代。该项目将通过实验测试栖息和筑巢洞穴以及储存设施的作用，在这些设施中，群体储存橡子作为生态限制，导致后代延迟扩散和同性亲属联盟的合作一夫多妻制。该项目将涉及对现有群体的洞穴和储存设施进行彻底调查，并进行一项试验，在以前未使用的地区提供人工洞穴和储存设施。实验地点与对照地点相比的定植发生率和速率，以及定植者的来源和身份，将用于接受或拒绝这些假设。该项目将为生态限制对合作繁殖进化的作用提供新的见解，不仅包括延迟传播和帮助筑巢，还包括合作性一夫多妻制。该项目将特别关注生态限制、群体规模和组成等社会因素以及领土质量变化等影响这些社会现象的因素之间的相互作用。该项目包括重要的公众宣传，特别是在黑斯廷斯保留地向游客和学生进行关于橡子啄木鸟的非正式会谈和演示。后者包括少数民族，代表性不足，和城市学生花时间在黑斯廷斯保留作为一个主要的NSF资助的GK-12计划的一部分。该项目包括博士后培训形式的重要教育部分，以及每年培训最多五名直接参与研究的本科生。这项研究涉及在加州橡树林地的工作，这是一个以生物多样性而闻名的受威胁的栖息地，并继续进行一个长期项目，有助于我们了解生态系统如何受到人类引起的变化的影响。