DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Development and learning of mating signals and preferences

论文研究：交配信号和偏好的发展和学习

• 批准号: 1011241
• 负责人: Jeffrey Podos
• 金额: $ 1.12万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Amherst
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-07-15 至 2012-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1011241&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Development; learning; mating

In many animals, males have evolved elaborate traits or behaviors that they use during courtship, and which are assessed by females as they choose mates. One such example is birdsong; males sing to attract mates, and females listen and seem to prefer males who sing certain kinds of songs. This project examines the development of both male singing performance and female preferences for male songs. Work with males asks how social and environmental experiences early in life influence song development. Young male swamp sparrows (Melospiza georgiana) captured from a natural population will be raised under both normal and nutritionally challenged conditions, and trained with songs in which rates of syllable repetition (trill rate) are enhanced above normal levels. These models are designed to test young males' vocal proficiency. Patterns of song learning will reveal how rearing environment shapes song structure, and thus reliably indicate male developmental history and genetic quality. Work with females asks how preferences for certain types of song develop, specifically with respect to learning as compared to inherent biases for high-performance songs. Young female swamp sparrows will be reared in the laboratory, exposed to male songs, and presented with video images of adult females giving mating displays to some of these songs. Prior work indicates that reared females learn to produce their own displays as a result this rearing methodology. Young females will then be tested for the relative roles of song quality and rearing experience in the development of their mate preferences. This project will provide new insights into the importance of experience and learning during the development of communication signals, both in their production and perception. This project includes extensive training and participation of undergraduate and high-school students.

在许多动物中，雄性进化出了在求偶过程中使用的精心设计的特征或行为，并在选择配偶时由雌性评估。 其中一个例子就是鸟鸣;雄性通过唱歌来吸引配偶，而雌性则倾听并似乎更喜欢唱某种歌曲的雄性。 本研究旨在探讨男性歌唱表演与女性对男性歌曲偏好的发展。 与男性一起工作，询问生命早期的社会和环境经历如何影响歌曲的发展。 年轻的雄性沼泽麻雀（Melospiza georgiana）捕获的自然人口将提高正常和营养挑战的条件下，并与歌曲的音节重复率（颤音率）提高高于正常水平的训练。 这些模型是为了测试年轻男性的声乐水平而设计的。 鸣唱学习模式将揭示养育环境如何塑造鸣唱结构，从而可靠地指示雄性发育历史和遗传质量。 与女性一起工作，询问对某些类型歌曲的偏好是如何发展的，特别是与高性能歌曲的固有偏见相比，学习方面。 年轻的雌性沼泽麻雀将在实验室中饲养，暴露在雄性歌曲中，并提供成年雌性交配展示其中一些歌曲的视频图像。 先前的工作表明，饲养的女性学习生产自己的显示作为这种饲养方法的结果。 年轻的女性，然后将测试的相对作用的歌曲质量和养育经验，在他们的择偶偏好的发展。 该项目将提供新的见解的重要性，经验和学习过程中的通信信号的发展，无论是在其生产和感知。 该项目包括大学生和高中生的广泛培训和参与。