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

社会生态学模型提供了许多野外研究的背景，包括对灵长类动物的研究。在其基本形式中，该模型预测雌性的分布通常遵循生态资源的分布；雄性跟踪雌性的分布，从而最大限度地提高后代的产量。因此，人们普遍认为，在多雄多雌的哺乳动物群体中，雄性通过与尽可能多的雌性交配来最大化适应，从而增加后代的数量。然而，最近的证据表明，其中一些群体中的雄性也会照顾它们的后代。在这种情况下，男性对健康的看法应该包括后代的生存和质量，而不仅仅是后代的数量。关于雄性在后代生产和亲代照顾之间的投资平衡的经验证据缺乏，导致目前对雄性生活史策略的理解存在显着差距。本研究采用基于个体的方法收集行为和内分泌数据，以衡量雄性热带草原狒狒（Papio cynocephalus）的这种投资平衡。研究对象包括肯尼亚五个野生动物研究小组的全部50名雄性动物。具体来说，该研究将检验雄性的年龄和未成熟后代的数量在多大程度上预测影响(1)后代生产和亲代照顾的行为和生理，以及(2)交配强度。此外，数据将从长期的安博塞利狒狒研究项目数据库中检索(3)，以评估在群体之间转移的雄性狒狒提高后代产量的程度，同时放弃在前一群体中提供父亲照顾的适应性后果。通过阐明男性生活史策略，本研究将有助于形成更丰富的社会生态模型。向肯尼亚转让的技术将包括非侵入性激素技术。以前在肯尼亚的K-12教学经验将用于扩大传播研究成果和影响的受众。

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.