DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Comparative Analysis of the Costs of Sexually Selected Traits within Swordtails and Platyfish

论文研究：剑尾鱼和鸭嘴鱼性选择性状成本的比较分析

• 批准号: 0709788
• 负责人: Theodore Garland
• 金额: $ 1.14万
• 依托单位: University of California-Riverside
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-05-01 至 2010-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0709788&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Comparative; Analysis; Costs

Theodore Garland, Jr. and Christopher E. OufieroProposal # 0709788Comparative analysis of the costs of sexually selected traits within swordtails and platyfish.Through natural selection, organisms generally become better adapted to their environmental circumstances with each passing generation. However, some traits are difficult to explain as a result of natural selection. For example, the long and gaudy tails of male peacocks would seem likely to hinder their flying abilities and to attract the attention of predators. Moreover, such elaborate tails are probably expensive to grow and maintain, diverting scarce energetic resources away from other needs. Therefore, Charles Darwin proposed the theory of sexual selection, the idea that such traits as male peacock tails might evolve because they helped their bearers to obtain mates, even if they also compromised, to some extent, other things they had to do. This research will examine costs and potential compensatory mechanisms related to a well-described sexually selected trait, the "sword" exhibited by males in several species of swordtail and platyfish (genus Xiphophorus). The sword has the potential to reduce locomotor abilities through an increase in drag or physiological burden. Several locomotor performances will be examined, including sprint speed and swimming endurance. Additionally, potential compensatory traits, such as heart mass and maximum oxygen consumption, will be examined. When not taken into account, these traits may mask the negative effect of the sexually selected trait on locomotor performance. This research will significantly advance our understanding of the costs of sexual selection. It will be the first multi-species comparative study to examine both costs and possible compensatory mechanisms. It will also further elucidate the relations between structure and performance in a novel vertebrate system. This will enable biomedically oriented undergraduate assistants to gain a broader understanding of, and appreciation for, animal behavior and organismal biology, and how these integrate with anatomy and physiology.

Theodore Garland, Jr. 和 Christopher E. Oufiero 提案 # 0709788 剑尾鱼和鲽鱼性选择特征成本的比较分析。通过自然选择，生物体通常会随着一代又一代地变得更好地适应其环境条件。 然而，由于自然选择的结果，某些特征很难解释。 例如，雄性孔雀长而华丽的尾巴似乎可能会阻碍它们的飞行能力并吸引捕食者的注意。 此外，这种精致的尾巴的生长和维护成本可能很高，将稀缺的能源资源从其他需求中转移出来。 因此，查尔斯·达尔文提出了性选择理论，即雄性孔雀尾巴等特征可能会进化，因为它们帮助其携带者获得配偶，即使它们在某种程度上也妥协了它们必须做的其他事情。 这项研究将研究与一种明确描述的性选择特征相关的成本和潜在的补偿机制，即几种剑尾鱼和比目鱼（剑尾鱼属）的雄性表现出的“剑”。 剑有可能通过增加阻力或生理负担来降低运动能力。 将检查多项运动性能，包括冲刺速度和游泳耐力。 此外，还将检查潜在的代偿性状，例如心脏质量和最大耗氧量。 如果不考虑在内，这些特征可能会掩盖性选择特征对运动能力的负面影响。 这项研究将极大地增进我们对性选择成本的理解。 这将是第一个考察成本和可能的补偿机制的多物种比较研究。 它还将进一步阐明新型脊椎动物系统的结构和性能之间的关系。 这将使生物医学本科生助理能够对动物行为和有机生物学，以及它们如何与解剖学和生理学相结合，获得更广泛的理解和欣赏。