Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Balancing Offspring Production and Care: Behavioral and Endocrine Correlates in Male Baboons

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

NSF0851980 Altmann&Onyango AbstractThe context for much field research, including that on primates, is provided by the socioecological model. In its basic form, this model predicts that the distribution of females typically follows that of ecological resources; and that males track the distribution of females, thereby maximizing offspring production. It is, therefore, generally assumed that mammalian males in multi-male multi-female groups maximize fitness by mating with as many females as possible so as to increase the number of offspring produced. However, recent evidence indicates that males in some of these groups also provide care to their offspring. In such cases, a male's perspective on fitness is expected to include the survival and quality of his offspring rather than simply the number of offspring produced. Empirical evidence on males' balance of investment between offspring production and parental care is lacking, resulting in a significant gap in current understanding of male life history strategies. This study uses an individual-based approach to collect behavioral and endocrine data to measure this investment balance in male savanna baboons (Papio cynocephalus). The subjects include all 50 males in five wild-living study groups in Kenya. Specifically, the study will examine the extent to which a male's age and number of living immature offspring predict behavior and physiology that impact on (1) offspring production and parental care, and (2) intensity of mating. In addition, data will be retrieved from the long-term Amboseli Baboon Research Project database (3) to evaluate the extent to which males transferring between groups improve offspring production while foregoing fitness consequences of providing paternal care in their prior group. By illuminating male life history strategies this study will contribute to the formulation of a more rich socioecological model. Technology transfer to Kenya will include noninvasive hormone techniques. Prior K-12 teaching experience in Kenya will be used to broaden the audience for dissemination of research results and implications.