DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Character displacement in the morphology and song of two closely-related African barbets

论文研究：两种密切相关的非洲拟啄木鸟的形态和鸣叫中的字符位移

• 批准号: 0808597
• 负责人: Daniel Blumstein
• 金额: $ 0.92万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-06-01 至 2009-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0808597&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Character; displacement; morphology

Tinkerbirds are tiny tropical African birds that sing very simple songs. Genetic variation is thought to parallel song variation among populations of birds that do not learn their songs culturally, such as tinkerbirds. The aim of this project is to examine the genetic basis of a pattern of divergence in song between populations of two related species, as well as divergence in body size and beak shape. Such divergence is predicted to occur in order to facilitate coexistence of two species that are so similar in ecology and behavior that individuals of each species could compete with each other as they would with individuals of their own species. If two species fail to recognize each other as different species, they could even mate with each other and produce infertile hybrids. The process of divergence in ecological or behavioral traits that facilitates recognition and coexistence of related species is known as character displacement. Analyses will also account for the possibility that song, body size, and beak shape are adapted to differences in the environment, or vary randomly over geographic distances.While character displacement is a well-established theory in ecology and evolution, few examples have been found in nature. This study will provide the first unambiguous demonstration of character displacement in bird song, and provide support for it with parallel shifts in body size and beak shape. The project involves working with conservation organizations in Uganda and Cameroon, employing their staff as well as Ugandan university undergraduates as field assistants, thus helping the development of scientists in developing countries.

小鸟是唱着非常简单的歌曲的微小的热带非洲鸟。遗传变异被认为是鸟类种群平行的歌曲变异，这些鸟类没有在文化上学习他们的歌曲，例如小鸟。该项目的目的是检查两个相关物种种群之间的歌曲差异模式的遗传基础，以及身体大小和喙形的差异。预计这种差异是为了促进两个物种的共存，这些物种在生态和行为上是如此相似，以至于每个物种的个体可以像与自己物种的个人一样彼此竞争。如果两个物种无法彼此识别为不同的物种，它们甚至可以彼此交配并产生不育杂种。促进相关物种识别和共存的生态或行为特征中差异的过程被称为角色位移。分析还可以解释歌曲，体型和喙形适应环境差异的可能性，或者在地理距离上随机变化。虽然角色位移是生态学和进化的一个完善的理论，但在自然界中很少有例子。这项研究将提供第一个明确的鸟类歌曲中字符位移的证明，并为其提供支持，并在体型和喙形中平行移动。该项目涉及与乌干达和喀麦隆的保护组织合作，雇用其员工以及乌干达大学的本科生作为现场助理，从而帮助发展国家科学家的发展。