Allocation, life history and senescence: an integrated approach

动物的生活史特征包括生存、扩散和繁殖，这些特征都随着年龄的变化而变化。这些生活史特征取决于食物摄入量和食物分配给身体维持、活动和繁殖后代。食物摄入量的变化会影响这些性状之间的营养分配，改变死亡年龄、活动模式以及后代的时间、数量和质量。同样，对分配给活动的需求增加会减少对其他特征的分配。摄食和分配方式也会影响特征衰老，或随着年龄的增长而丧失功能。一组生活史特征如何随着食物压力或活动压力的变化而变化还不是很清楚。利用昆虫测试系统，这项工作将通过实验室生理实验和田间观察来研究这种环境压力如何改变生活史特征。技术将包括稳定同位素分析、昆虫呼吸测量、鸡蛋化学成分的微量分析和身体形态的测量。这项工作将有助于理解环境变化对生物生存和繁殖的影响。为了做到这一点，这项工作将把实验室的实验结果与实地观察联系起来，以建立对生活史性状如何响应野外环境变化以及野外性状衰老的理解。这项工作还将检验作为生活史权衡基础的营养分配理论。该项目将包括对本科生、女性和少数族裔的研究进行指导。研究成果将用于教学，教学思想将发表供他人参考。这项工作建立在外勤站广泛的现场数据库基础上。与该项目相关的教育宣传活动也将面向普通公众。外展将包括继续学习课程，与公共教育计划合作，开发博物馆展览材料，为社区团体和广播节目演讲，以及在报纸上发表文章。记者将参与其中，了解该项目，并反过来教育学生和科学家如何与媒体和公众沟通。

Animal life history traits include survival, dispersal and reproduction, all of which change with age. These life history traits depend on food intake and on allocation of that food to body maintenance, activity and making offspring. Variation in the amount of food eaten can affect nutrient allocation among these traits, changing age at death, activity patterns, and timing, numbers and quality of offspring. Likewise, increased demands for allocation to activity can reduce allocation to other traits. Feeding and allocation patterns also affect trait senescence, or loss of function with age. How the set of life history traits changes with food stress or with activity stress is not well understood. Using an insect test system, this work will examine how such environmental stresses alter life history traits, using both laboratory physiological experiments and field observations. Techniques will include stable isotope analysis, insect respirometry, micro-analysis of chemical composition of eggs and measurements of body morphology. This work will contribute to understanding the impacts of environmental change on organisms' survival and reproduction. To do this, the work will connect experimental laboratory results with field observations, to build an understanding of how life history traits respond to environmental variation in the wild, and of trait senescence in the wild. The work will also test the theory of nutrient allocation as the basis for life history trade-offs. The project will include mentoring of undergraduates, women and minorities in research. Research results will be used in teaching, and teaching ideas will be published for use by others. The work builds on extensive field databases at a field station. Educational outreach associated with the project will also be directed to the general public. Outreach will include a continuing studies course, work with a public education program, development of museum exhibit materials, talks for community groups and radio shows, and newspaper articles. Journalists will participate, both to learn about the project and in turn to educate students and scientists on communication with the press and the public.