International Research Fellowship Program: Population Sex Ratio Bias: Influences of Climate and Consequences for Extinction Risk

国际研究奖学金计划：人口性别比偏差：气候的影响和灭绝风险的后果

• 批准号: 0965096
• 负责人: Kristine Grayson
• 金额: $ 14.54万
• 依托单位: Grayson Kristine L
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-03-01 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0965096&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: International; Research; Fellowship; Program; Population

0965096GraysonThe International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad.This award will support a sixteen-month research fellowship by Dr. Kristine L. Grayson to work with Dr. Nicola J. Nelson at Victoria University in New Zealand. Understanding the ecological impacts of climate change is an urgent research priority. The ability of temperature to dramatically impact population dynamics is particularly apparent in species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Even small shifts in climate have the potential to alter nest temperatures and bias the sex ratio of an entire population. This research project measures the influence of climate on population structure in a reptile species with TSD, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), and determines if a biased sex ratio amplifies the risk of extinction. First, they are using small island populations of tuatara across northern New Zealand to measure current population sex ratios across a natural latitudinal gradient. The variation in population structure across islands is being examined in relation to 1) past temperature regimes, 2) available thermal nesting microhabitats, and 3) female condition and fecundity. Second, they are using an experimental approach to determine the interactions and behavior altered by a male-biased sex ratio over the short-term and the impact on female morphology and condition over the long-term. Finally, they are combining their data with long-term population data from the tuatara research group to inform a projection matrix model. This model will allow them to explore theoretical questions about the links between a biased sex ratio and population processes, as well as generate realistic estimations of tuatara population viability. Their research tests hypotheses about the influence of rising air temperatures and available thermal nesting habitats on the degree of adult sex ratio bias across natural populations. They use a species with Type Ib TSD, where warmer nests produce male offspring, to test theoretical predictions about the role of population sex ratio in linking individual interactions and the social system to the growth, decline, or extinction of a population. In addition, their population data will provide much needed information to guide the conservation of important remnant populations of tuatara, a threatened species of evolutionary, cultural, and international significance. This fellowship also includes opportunities to support local primary science education through the Spinyback Trust and work with the northern island tribes of the Mâori.

国际研究奖学金计划使美国科学家和工程师能够在国外进行9到24个月的研究。 该计划的奖项提供了联合研究的机会，以及使用独特或互补的设施，专业知识和国外的实验条件。格雷森将与新西兰维多利亚大学的尼古拉·J·纳尔逊博士合作。了解气候变化的生态影响是一个紧迫的研究重点。温度显著影响种群动态的能力在具有温度依赖性性别决定（TSD）的物种中特别明显。即使是微小的气候变化也有可能改变巢穴的温度，并使整个种群的性别比例发生偏差。该研究项目测量了气候对TSD爬行动物物种（楔齿蜥）种群结构的影响，并确定了性别比例是否会放大灭绝的风险。首先，他们正在使用新西兰北方的小岛屿鳄蜥种群来测量目前自然纬度梯度上的人口性别比例。正在研究各岛屿之间种群结构的变化与以下因素的关系：1）过去的温度制度，2）可用的热筑巢微生境，3）雌性状况和繁殖力。其次，他们正在使用实验方法来确定男性偏见的性别比例在短期内改变的相互作用和行为，以及对女性形态和状况的长期影响。最后，他们将他们的数据与来自大蜥蜴研究小组的长期人口数据相结合，为投影矩阵模型提供信息。这个模型将使他们能够探索关于性别比例偏差和人口过程之间联系的理论问题，并对鳄蜥种群生存能力进行现实的估计。他们的研究测试了关于气温上升和可用的热筑巢栖息地对自然种群中成年性别比例偏差程度的影响的假设。他们使用了一个Ib型TSD的物种，其中温暖的巢穴产生雄性后代，以测试关于人口性别比在将个体相互作用和社会系统与人口的增长，衰退或灭绝联系起来方面的作用的理论预测。此外，他们的人口数据将提供急需的信息，以指导保护重要的残余种群的鳄蜥，一个受威胁的物种的进化，文化和国际意义。该奖学金还包括通过Spinyback信托基金支持当地小学科学教育的机会，以及与毛利人的北方岛屿部落合作的机会。