U.S.-Chile IRES: Intraspecific Variation and Genetic Mechanisms of Animal Sociality

美国-智利 IRES：动物社会性的种内变异和遗传机制

• 批准号: 1261026
• 负责人: Loren Hayes
• 金额: $ 24.98万
• 依托单位: University of Tennessee Chattanooga
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1261026&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: U.S.; Chile; IRES; Intraspecific; Variation

Technical abstractIn the proposed program, twelve U.S. students (6 undergrad, 6 graduate) will collaborate with faculty and students at two Chilean institutions (Universidad de Chile, P. Universidad Católica de Chile) to determine geographical and social conditions underlying direct fitness variation in the degu (Octodon degus), a social rodent found within a wide geographical range in Chile. Previous work in one degu population showed that direct fitness (per capita number of offspring per mother) decreases with increasing group size, suggesting that group living is costly to females. Contrary to theory, degus in this population do not live in kin groups, suggesting that direct fitness costs are not offset by enhanced indirect fitness. To what extent these trends occur in other degu populations is not known. IRES students will study how group size, kinship and local environmental conditions influence the direct fitness of females ? including an examination of the extent to which direct reproduction is equitable among females belonging to the same social groups ? in two degu populations. Students working in the field will determine social group composition and collect tissue for genetic analyses. Student-led genetic analyses will determine if females living with kin have higher inclusive fitness than females living with non-kin. Depending on the outcomes of these studies, the students may conduct research on social foraging strategies, costs of dispersal and personality assessment in different populations.The program will develop the professional skills and cultural understanding of students, increasing the likelihood for successful future projects and their capacity to compete and collaborate in the international research arena. To this end, students will be engaged in research, educational, and cultural activities for up to two years. Prior to IRES, students will participate in animal and research training, grant proposal development, and Spanish language courses. During IRES, students will develop behavioral and genetic research skills, giving them a broad research ?toolkit.? Collaborations with Chilean counterparts will enhance their international network of peers and potential collaborators. After IRES, students will prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and present their results at regional and national meetings. An important aim of the program is to broaden the impacts of the project by promoting international research and STEM education in the greater Chattanooga, Tennessee area. To this end, IRES students will consult with University of Tennessee at Chattanooga engineering students regarding the design of a new prairie dog exhibit at the Chattanooga Zoo, an organization located in inner-city Chattanooga and serving a diverse constituency. In collaboration with students from the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (a STEM-focused middle & high school serving mostly minority & economically disadvantaged girls), the IRES students will study the behavior of the prairie dogs and other social animals at the zoo. Undergraduate students in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga?s STEM teacher preparation program ? a pathway into secondary STEM classrooms for talented STEM majors ? will incorporate some of the projects into STEM educational activities for science classes at the high school. Activities will be highlighted in a documentary segment to be aired on a local Public Broadcasting Station.Non-technical abstractOver a three-year period, this award will provide 6 undergraduate and 6 graduate students from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and other institutions with the opportunity to gain international research experience in Chile. In collaboration with researchers at the Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, students will study the composition of social groups and reproductive consequences of group-living among the degu (Octodon degus), a rodent found only in Chile. The aim of the work is to determine if the reproductive consequences of group-living are habitat-dependent or depend on the extent to which degus live with close relatives. To this end, the students will study degu social groups in two populations. They will also conduct genetic analyses to determine if females live with close relatives and if the number of young that females produce is dependent on the size and composition of the groups in which they live. This research will make important contributions to the discipline of behavioral ecology. The program will develop the professional skills and cultural understanding of students, increasing the likelihood for success of projects and the international competitiveness of students. To this end, students will be engaged in research, educational, and cultural activities for up to two years. Prior to IRES, students will receive animal and research training, write grant proposals, and take Spanish courses. During IRES, students will develop research skills that will make them competitive for graduate programs and research careers. Collaborations with Chilean counterparts will enhance their international networking. After IRES, students will prepare manuscripts for publication in scientific journals and present their results at regional and national meetings. An important aim of the program is to broaden the impacts of the project by promoting international research and STEM education in the greater Chattanooga, Tennessee area. To this end, IRES students will consult with University of Tennessee at Chattanooga engineering students regarding the design of a new prairie dog exhibit at the Chattanooga Zoo, an organization located in inner-city Chattanooga and serving a diverse constituency. In collaboration with students from the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (a STEM-focused middle & high school serving mostly minority & economically disadvantaged girls), the IRES students will study the behavior of the prairie dogs and other social animals at the zoo. Undergraduate students in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga?s STEM teacher preparation program ? a pathway into secondary STEM classrooms for talented STEM majors ? will incorporate some of the projects into STEM educational activities for science classes at the high school. Activities will be highlighted in a documentary segment to be aired on a local Public Broadcasting Station.

技术摘要在拟议的项目中，12 名美国学生（6 名本科生，6 名研究生）将与两所智利机构（智利大学、智利天主教大学）的教职员工和学生合作，确定八齿鼠（八齿鼠）的直接适应性变化背后的地理和社会条件，八齿鼠是一种在智利广泛地理范围内发现的社会性啮齿动物。之前对八齿鼠种群的研究表明，直接适应度（每个母亲的人均后代数量）随着群体规模的增加而减少，这表明群体生活对雌性来说成本高昂。与理论相反，该种群中的八齿鼠并不生活在亲缘群体中，这表明直接适应性成本并不能通过增强间接适应性来抵消。这些趋势在其他八齿鼠种群中发生的程度尚不清楚。 IRES 学生将研究群体规模、亲属​​关系和当地环境条件如何影响女性的直接健康？包括审查属于同一社会群体的女性之间直接生育的公平程度？在两个八齿鼠种群中。在该领域工作的学生将确定社会群体的组成并收集组织进行遗传分析。由学生主导的基因分析将确定与亲属同住的女性是否比与非亲属同住的女性具有更高的包容性适应性。根据这些研究的结果，学生可以对不同人群的社会觅食策略、分散成本和性格评估进行研究。该项目将培养学生的专业技能和文化理解，增加未来项目成功的可能性以及他们在国际研究领域竞争和合作的能力。为此，学生将从事长达两年的研究、教育和文化活动。在进入 IRES 之前，学生将参加动物和研究培训、拨款提案制定和西班牙语课程。在 IRES 期间，学生将培养行为和基因研究技能，为他们提供广泛的研究“工具包”。与智利同行的合作将增强其同行和潜在合作者的国际网络。 IRES 之后，学生将准备在同行评审期刊上发表的手稿，并在地区和国家会议上展示他们的结果。该计划的一个重要目标是通过促进田纳西州大查塔努加地区的国际研究和 STEM 教育来扩大该项目的影响。为此，IRES 学生将与田纳西大学查塔努加分校工程专业的学生就查塔努加动物园新草原土拨鼠展览的设计进行协商，该动物园位于查塔努加市中心，为多元化选区提供服务。 IRES 学生将与查塔努加女子领导学院（一所以 STEM 为重点的初中和高中，主要为少数族裔和经济弱势女孩提供服务）的学生合作，研究动物园里草原土拨鼠和其他群居动物的行为。田纳西大学查塔努加分校 STEM 教师培训项目的本科生？为有才华的 STEM 专业人士提供进入中学 STEM 课堂的途径？将把一些项目纳入高中科学课的 STEM 教育活动中。活动将在当地公共广播电台播出的纪录片片段中重点介绍。非技术摘要在三年期间，该奖项将为田纳西大学查塔努加分校和其他机构的 6 名本科生和 6 名研究生提供在智利获得国际研究经验的机会。学生们将与智利大学和智利天主教大学的研究人员合作，研究八齿鼠（八齿鼠）的社会群体组成和群体生活的生殖后果，八齿鼠是一种仅在智利发现的啮齿动物。这项工作的目的是确定群居的繁殖后果是否依赖于栖息地，或者取决于八齿鼠与近亲生活的程度。为此，学生们将研究两个种群的八齿鼠社会群体。他们还将进行遗传分析，以确定雌性是否与近亲生活在一起，以及雌性产下的幼崽数量是否取决于它们所生活的群体的规模和组成。这项研究将对行为生态学学科做出重要贡献。该计划将培养学生的专业技能和文化理解，增加项目成功的可能性和学生的国际竞争力。为此，学生将从事长达两年的研究、教育和文化活动。在进入 IRES 之前，学生将接受动物和研究培训、撰写资助提案并参加西班牙语课程。在 IRES 期间，学生将培养研究技能，使他们在研究生课程和研究职业中具有竞争力。与智利同行的合作将加强他们的国际网络。 IRES 结束后，学生将准备在科学期刊上发表的手稿，并在地区和国家会议上展示他们的结果。该计划的一个重要目标是通过促进田纳西州大查塔努加地区的国际研究和 STEM 教育来扩大该项目的影响。为此，IRES 学生将与田纳西大学查塔努加分校工程专业的学生就查塔努加动物园新草原土拨鼠展览的设计进行协商，该动物园位于查塔努加市中心，为多元化选区提供服务。 IRES 学生将与查塔努加女子领导学院（一所以 STEM 为重点的初中和高中，主要为少数族裔和经济弱势女孩提供服务）的学生合作，研究动物园里草原土拨鼠和其他群居动物的行为。田纳西大学查塔努加分校 STEM 教师培训项目的本科生？为有才华的 STEM 专业人士提供进入中学 STEM 课堂的途径？将把一些项目纳入高中科学课的 STEM 教育活动中。活动将在当地公共广播电台播出的纪录片片段中重点介绍。