Models of Male and Mutual Mate Choice

男性和相互择偶模型

• 批准号: 0919018
• 负责人: Maria Servedio
• 金额: $ 40.12万
• 依托单位: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-01 至 2014-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0919018&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Models; Male; Mutual; Mate; Choice

Understanding the ways in which animals choose mates has applications that include determining the necessary population size and structure for conserving vulnerable species, assessing the chance of hybridization between species, and helping to predict the spread of genes throughout populations. The large majority of the mathematical models of mate choice in animals are based on the premise that males mate indiscriminately while females are choosy. A growing body of evidence across species suggests, however, that males often are not indiscriminate. This grant will develop basic mathematical models of mate choice when males, as well as females, are selective in choosing mates. It will assess under what conditions males would gain genetic benefits from mate choice and determine how this is affected by whether individuals in the species form pair bonds. These developments will render current theory of mate choice more realistic and more broadly applicable.There is wide recognition of the growing need for biologists to have mathematical training and expertise. Under the broader impacts of a previous NSF grant the PI has been developing a mathematical track in a biology core class at UNC that is dedicated to increasing this training especially for women, an under-represented group in mathematics. The track uses a variety of techniques to reduce math anxiety, a problem documented to affect women more than men. This grant will continue and broaden this training by adding a module in which students in the mathematical track participate in tutorials in mathematical biology for the broader core class.

了解动物选择配偶的方式可以应用于确定保护脆弱物种所需的种群规模和结构，评估物种间杂交的机会，以及帮助预测基因在整个种群中的传播。大多数动物择偶的数学模型都是基于这样一个前提：雄性不加选择地交配，而雌性则很挑剔。 然而，越来越多的跨物种证据表明，雄性往往不是不加选择的。 这笔赠款将开发择偶的基本数学模型，当男性和女性在择偶时都是有选择性的。 它将评估在什么条件下雄性会从配偶选择中获得遗传利益，并确定这是如何受到物种中个体是否形成配对关系的影响。 这些发展将使目前的择偶理论更加现实，适用范围更广。人们普遍认识到，生物学家越来越需要数学训练和专业知识。 在以前的NSF赠款的更广泛的影响下，PI一直在生物学核心课程中开发数学轨道，致力于增加这种培训，特别是针对女性，这是一个数学代表性不足的群体。 该赛道使用各种技术来减少数学焦虑，这是一个记录在案的影响女性多于男性的问题。该补助金将继续并扩大这种培训，增加一个模块，让数学轨道的学生参加更广泛的核心课程的数学生物学教程。