ABR/LTREB Renewal: Reproduction, social networks, and socio-ecology of wild bottlenose dolphins

研究了短吻海豚（Tursiops sp.）显示出与灵长类动物惊人的相似之处，为研究大大脑、广泛的母亲护理、行为灵活性和延长的发育期是如何进化的提供了一种强有力的方法。在这个项目中，研究人员利用计算机建模和生物采样的创新技术，研究与海豚雌性生殖和发育相关的社会和生态因素。研究人员将研究哪些因素有助于雌性产犊成功，为什么海豚有这么长的幼年期，以及种群中什么样的信息（文化）传播模式有利于这种行为可塑性。他们还发起了一项研究，包括收集吹出的样本（从气孔呼出的液体），并已经从吹出的空气中提取了DNA。 这些样本还将用于激素和脂肪酸分析，为生殖，压力，成熟和饮食的非侵入性研究开辟了令人兴奋的新途径。该项目的属性包括：（1）25年纵向数据集的规模和前所未有的细节;（2）创建一个具有网络平台的广泛集成关系数据库;（3）在大型社会网络的背景下分析复杂多维关联的计算建模;（4）社会，生态和生殖参数的自然变化;（5）社会，生态和生殖参数的自然变化。（5）发展非侵入性生物取样技术的新方向;及（6）研究与灵长类动物同等的物种的科学价值。 这种合作的跨学科性质将促进跨学科的创新和智力交流，促进我们对复杂动物社会的理解。该项目支持来自生物学和计算机科学的5名研究生和约22名本科生。 该数据库将可通过我们的网站广泛访问，并将作为一种教育工具和设计类似长期数据仓库的基础。 因此，下一代生物学家将更好地整合计算机科学方法和数据库技术。

The social, demographic and cognitive features of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) show remarkable parallels with primates, offering a powerful method for examining how large brains, extensive maternal care, behavioral flexibility and prolonged developmental periods evolved. In this project the investigators examine the social and ecological factors related to dolphin female reproduction and development using innovative techniques in both computer modeling and biological sampling. The investigators will examine what factors contribute to female calving success, why dolphins have such a long juvenile period, and what patterns of information (cultural) transmission in the population favor such behavioral plasticity. They have also initiated a study that involves collecting blow samples (fluid exhaled from the blowhole) and have already extracted DNA from blow. These samples will also be used for hormone and fatty acid assays, opening up exciting new avenues for the non-invasive study of reproduction, stress, maturation and diet. The attributes of the project include: (1) the size and unprecedented detail of the 25-year longitudinal dataset; (2) the creation of an extensive integrated relational database with a web platform; (3) the computational modeling for analyzing complex multi-dimensional associations in the context of a large social network; (4) the natural variation in social, ecological, and reproductive parameters; (5) the new direction in developing non-invasive biological sampling techniques; and (6) the scientific value of studying a species on par with primates. The inter-disciplinary nature of this collaboration will foster innovation and intellectual exchange across multiple disciplines, advancing our understanding of complex animal societies. The project supports five graduate and approximately 22 undergraduate students from Biology and Computer Science. The database will be broadly accessible through our website and will serve as an educational tool and as a foundation for design of similar long-term data warehouses. Thus, the next generation biologists will be better equipped to integrate computer science approaches and database technology.