LTREB: Lifetime Fitness Consequences of Reproductive Strategies

该项目对阿拉斯加个体标记的黑斑雁进行了长期研究，以了解在特定年份繁殖后代对个体未来繁殖后代的能力有何影响。母鹅花费大量的营养来生产和孵化一窝蛋，并照顾它们的幼崽。由于鹅在几个月的时间尺度上储存和消耗营养物质，一次繁殖尝试使用营养物质可能会减少它们对未来繁殖努力的可获得性。在生殖过程中使用营养物质也可能会降低未来成年动物的存活率。对衰老的研究表明，在生殖过程中使用营养物质会抑制细胞水平的维持，并导致更早的衰老。这项研究依赖于年龄超过20岁的大量个体来研究早期生育努力对衰老衰退的影响。在过去的40年里，阿拉斯加繁殖的黑布兰特鹅的数量有所下降。这项研究提供了主要数据，供管理者用来了解影响人口规模和动态的因素。该项目的数据对育空三角洲国家野生动物保护区及其整个范围内该物种的管理产生了影响。调查人员还与阿拉斯加西部的当地尤皮克原住民密切合作，并雇用最近村庄切瓦克的年轻人。

This project uses a long-term study of individually-marked Black Brant Geese in Alaska to understand how producing young in a given year affects an individual's future ability to produce young. Female geese expend substantial nutrients to produce and incubate a clutch of eggs and to care for their broods. Because geese store and deplete nutrients on time scales of several months, use of nutrients for one reproductive attempt may reduce their availability for future reproductive efforts. Nutrient use during reproduction may also reduce future adult survival. Studies of senescence suggest that use of nutrients during reproduction inhibits maintenance at the cellular level and results in earlier senescence. This study relies on substantial numbers of individuals older than 20 years to study impacts of reproductive effort early in life on senescent decline. The number of Black Brant Geese breeding in Alaska has declined over the past four decades. This study provides principal data used by managers to understand factors influencing population size and dynamics. Data from this project have been influential in management of this species on the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge and throughout their range. Investigators also work closely with local Yupik native residents of western Alaska and employ young people from Chevak, the nearest village.