Dissertation Research: Multiple Paternity in P. antipodarum, a New Zealand Snail Species

遗传多样性是有助于维持人口健康的一个重要因素。 交配行为可能是生物体增加种群遗传多样性的一种方式。 例如，如果一个雌性与多个雄性交配，她的后代将比只与一个雄性交配的雌性拥有更大的遗传多样性。 该项目旨在测试多次交配，并确定它是否有助于提高新西兰淡水蜗牛的抗病能力。 包括PCR和微卫星分析在内的分子技术将用于评估亲子关系。 一项实验室实验将用于建立单父亲和多父亲家庭，然后将测试抗病性。 由于在一个群体中已经发现了多个父亲，我们希望在第二个群体中找到多个父亲。 我们还预测，多父性将增加一些后代抗病的机会。 这项研究将有助于科学研究的许多不同领域，包括遗传学如何影响疾病传播，生殖行为的演变，以及通过交配决定产生遗传多样性。 所产生的研究旨在通过出版和展示成果为科学界做出贡献，并通过将成果整合到本科课程工作中来为教育做出贡献。

Genetic diversity is an important factor that assists in maintaining the health of a population. Mating behaviors may be one way for organisms to increase the genetic diversity of a population. For example, if a female mates with multiple males, her offspring will have greater genetic diversity than a female that mates with only one male. This project aims to test for multiple mating, and determine if it assists in increasing disease resistance in a freshwater snail from New Zealand. Molecular techniques including PCR and microsatellite analysis will be used to assess paternity. A laboratory experiment will be used to create single-father and multiple-father families, which will then be tested for disease resistance. Since multiple paternity has been found in one population, we expect to find multiple paternity in a second population. We also predict that multiple paternity will increase the chance that some offspring will be disease resistant. This research will contribute to many different areas of scientific research, including how genetics affect disease transmission, the evolution of reproductive behaviors, and generation of genetic diversity through mating decisions. Resulting research is intended to contribute to the scientific community through publishing and presenting results and also to education through integration of outcomes in undergraduate course work.