Doctoral Dissertation Research: Learned Social and Mate Recognition in Species Pairs of Sticklebacks

博士论文研究：刺鱼物种对的学习社会和配偶识别新物种如何形成是生物学中的一个重要问题。解决这个问题的一种方法是研究为什么近亲之间不交配。这项研究将使用行为实验来观察社会互动对一对物种（底栖和limtic刺鱼）交配行为的影响，这对物种可以形成杂交，但通常不会杂交。先前的研究发现，幼年时期的社会经历（与其他物种一起抚养）改变了鱼类选择交配的物种。该项目将研究与父母或捕食者的互动是否会影响配偶选择和杂交。由其他物种的父母抚养可能会使棘鱼更有可能与它们的寄养物种交配；其他鱼类和鸟类也会出现这种情况。与捕食者的经历也会增加物种间的杂交，因为当捕食者出现时，雌性对自己物种的雄性的选择性会降低。为了测试这些影响，将进行两个实验。在其中一个实验中，棘鱼要么由自己的父母抚养，要么由其他物种抚养，然后进行测试，以确定它们更喜欢与哪个物种交配。在另一项实验中，刺鱼将在邻近的水箱中看到鳟鱼捕食者，以确定是否感知到被捕食的风险会使它们对交配对象不那么挑剔。研究社会互动如何改变杂交，将有助于深入了解社会行为在这些物种的初始进化中可能发挥的作用。此外，它将确定导致这些物种之间杂交增加的因素。这一信息可以帮助解释为什么在一些受干扰的湖泊中会发生杂交，并为保护工作提供信息。更广泛的影响：这些实验将为本科生提供研究机会。此外，收集到的数据将用于开发使用刺鱼来说明进化原理的教育材料。

Janette BoughmanIOS-0807469Doctoral Dissertation Research: Learned Social and Mate Recognition in Species Pairs of Stickleback FishHow new species form is an important question in biology. One way to approach this question is to study why mating does not occur between closely related species. This research will use behavioral experiments to look at the effect of social interactions on mating behavior in a pair of species (benthic and limnetic stickleback fish) that can form hybrids but normally do not interbreed. Previous work found that social experience as juveniles (being raised with the other species) altered which species fish chose to mate with. The project will look at whether interactions with parents or predators affect mate choice and hybridization. Being raised by a parent of another species might make sticklebacks more likely to mate with their foster species; this occurs in other fish and bird species. Experience with predators could also increase hybridization between species, since females become less selective of males of their own species when predators are present. To test for these effects, two experiments will be performed. In one, sticklebacks will be raised either by a parent of their own or the other species and then tested to determine which species they prefer to mate with. In another experiment, sticklebacks will see trout predators in an adjacent tank to determine if the perceived risk of predation makes them less particular about who they mate with. Studying how social interactions alter hybridization will give insight into the role social behavior may have had in the initial evolution of these species. Additionally, it will identify factors that lead to increased hybridization between these species. This information could help explain why hybridization occurs in some disturbed lakes and inform conservation efforts. Broader impacts: These experiments will provide research opportunities for undergraduate students. Furthermore, the data collected will be used to develop educational materials that employ sticklebacks to illustrate evolutionary principles.