Collaborative Research: Monitoring Stress and Survival in Galapagos Marine Iguanas

合作研究：监测加拉帕戈斯海鬣蜥的压力和生存

• 批准号: 0545744
• 负责人: Martin Wikelski
• 金额: $ 22.67万
• 依托单位: Princeton University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-04-01 至 2012-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0545744&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Monitoring; Stress; Survival

Many animal populations experience catastrophic population declines which are often caused by natural or human-induced changes in environmental conditions such as climate change or habitat alteration. In response to environment disasters, all vertebrate animals show a stress response that involves the secretion of the stress hormone (corticosterone/cortisol) into the blood. It is so far unclear whether and how a stress response helps individuals to survive, and whether a low or a high stress response is better. The main problem is that it is very hard to study dying animals in the wild. Here professors Wikelski and Romero make use of the fact that Galapagos marine iguanas repeatedly experience natural catastrophes (El Nino weather events) but at the same time are tame and can easily be observed as they die. The researchers will assess the stress response of individuals before a catastrophe and test what kind of a stress response helps individuals most to survive. This research will be put into the context of a 25-year data set that will be made public.The results of this study will significantly advance the understanding of how vertebrates physiologically deal with catastrophic events in their environment. This project will also educate the public via TV shows and publications, foster scientific exchange between Latin American and US researchers and provide advanced training for undergraduate and graduate students.

许多动物种群经历灾难性的种群下降，这通常是由自然或人为引起的环境条件变化，如气候变化或栖息地改变造成的。在应对环境灾难时，所有脊椎动物都表现出应激反应，包括将应激激素（皮质酮/皮质醇）分泌到血液中。目前尚不清楚压力反应是否以及如何帮助个体生存，以及低或高压力反应是否更好。主要的问题是，在野外研究垂死的动物非常困难。在这里，Wikelski和Romero教授利用了这样一个事实，即加拉帕戈斯海鬣蜥反复经历自然灾害（厄尔尼诺天气事件），但同时是驯服的，可以很容易地观察到它们的死亡。研究人员将评估个人在灾难发生前的压力反应，并测试什么样的压力反应最有助于个人生存。这项研究将被纳入一个25年的数据集，该数据集将被公开。这项研究的结果将大大推进对脊椎动物如何在生理上处理其环境中的灾难性事件的理解。该项目还将通过电视节目和出版物教育公众，促进拉丁美洲和美国研究人员之间的科学交流，并为本科生和研究生提供高级培训。