RUI: A theoretical and empirical investigation of optimal mating strategies in a hermaphrodite

RUI：雌雄同体最佳交配策略的理论和实证研究

• 批准号: 1406231
• 负责人: Joshua Auld
• 金额: $ 21.39万
• 依托单位: West Chester University of Pennsylvania
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-07-01 至 2019-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1406231&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; theoretical; empirical; investigation; optimal

How and why organisms allocate resources to different functions such as growth, maintenance and reproduction is a fundamental aspect of their biology. Understanding patterns of allocation addresses fundamental questions about the evolution of a wide variety of plants and animals. The way that organisms mate with each other (their mating system) is often related to the way they allocate resources. For example, in species where a single male mates with multiple females, males may express particular traits that increase their chance of successfully obtaining a mate. In some species, such as freshwater snails, individuals are male and female at the same time, and therefore have the option to self-fertilize if no mates are available. Previous research has resulted in a predictive theory that relates the way organisms mate (with/without a partner) to how they grow and when they become mature. In this three-year interdisciplinary research project, this theory with be extended and tested using a combination of mathematical modeling and experimental tests using snails. The project will also promote cross-disciplinary education of diverse undergraduate students and high school teachers. There is a close relationship between the expression and evolution of the mating system and other life-history traits. Individuals of many species may be able to alter their allocation of resources based on the availability of mating partners, and the pattern of mating itself can affect when individuals initiate reproduction and how much they allocate to gamete production and mate attraction. A particular example of this is revealed by simultaneous hermaphrodites that can reproduce by self-fertilization or outcrossing: Individuals that prefer to outcross may delay the initiation of reproduction if mates are not available. In this project, the researchers will develop a series of mathematical models to explore the role that a variety of realistic yet complicated environmental factors play in determining life-history expression and evolution. They will explore the consequences of (1) demographic stochasticity, (2) inducible defenses, and (3) spatial structure on the expression and evolution of optimal life-history strategies. Each model will be paired with an empirical test using a well-developed experimental system (freshwater snails) that will allow a test of the model results. Collectively, the project will improve the predictive and explanatory power of how individual life-history strategies and the mating system interact.

生物如何以及为什么将资源分配给不同功能，例如增长，维护和繁殖是其生物学的基本方面。理解分配的模式解决了有关各种动植物进化的基本问题。有机体相互交配的方式（其交配系统）通常与他们分配资源的方式有关。例如，在一个具有多个女性的男性伴侣的物种中，雄性可能会表达特定的特征，从而增加了成功获得伴侣的机会。在某些物种（例如淡水蜗牛）中，个体同时是男性和女性，因此，如果没有伴侣，则可以选择自我利用。先前的研究导致了一种预测理论，该理论将生物伴侣（与伴侣/没有伴侣无关）的方式联系在一起，它们的成长方式和何时成熟。在这个为期三年的跨学科研究项目中，该理论通过使用蜗牛的数学建模和实验测试的结合进行扩展和测试。 该项目还将促进对多样化的本科生和高中教师的跨学科教育。 交配系统的表达和演变与其他生活历史特征之间存在密切的关系。许多物种的个体可能会根据交配伙伴的可用性来改变其资源分配，而交配的模式本身会影响个人启动繁殖以及他们分配给配子生产和配偶吸引力的程度。一个特定的例子是通过同时可以通过自我剥夺或脱落来繁殖的同时雌雄同体来揭示的：如果不可用的人，偏爱脱落的个体可能会延迟繁殖的启动。在这个项目中，研究人员将开发一系列数学模型，以探讨各种现实而复杂的环境因素在确定生活历史的表达和演变中的作用。他们将探讨（1）人口统计学性，（2）诱导防御和（3）空间结构对最佳生活历史策略的表达和演变的后果。每个模型都将与经验测试配对，使用良好的实验系统（淡水蜗牛），该系统将允许测试模型结果。总体而言，该项目将提高个人生活策略和交配系统如何相互作用的预测和解释能力。