Genetics of parent-offspring communication: a reaction norm approach using inbred lines of Nicrophorus vespilloides

亲子交流的遗传学：使用 Nicrophorus vespilloides 近交系的反应规范方法

• 批准号: NE/C002024/2
• 负责人: Per Smiseth
• 金额: $ 8.69万
• 依托单位: University of Edinburgh
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2008 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FC002024%2F2
• 关键词: Genetics; parent; offspring; communication; reaction

The offspring of many species of animals obtain food by begging from their parents. Although offspring begging and parental responses to begging have been studied intensively over the last decade, little is known about the genetic basis of offspring begging and parental responses to begging. In this project, I investigate the genetic basis of offspring begging as an honest signal of need and adjustments in the parents' care to variation in offspring begging. I will conduct experiments on inbred lines of the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, an insect in which the parents provide food for their offspring and the offspring beg for food from the parents. Inbred lines are ideal for studying the genetics of behaviours expressed in social interactions between close relatives because members of the same line can be exposed experimentally to individuals from a range of different inbred lines. In this project, I focus on the following five objectives: (1) I will test for genetic variation between the inbred lines in the honesty of begging as a signal of need. (2) I will test for genetic variation between the inbred lines in the parents' responses to offspring begging. (3) I will test for a genetic correlation among the inbred lines between the honesty of begging as a signal of need and the parents' responses to offspring begging. (4) I will test for effects of competition among siblings on the honesty of begging as a signal of need. (5) I will test for effects of conflicts between caring parents on the parents' responses to offspring begging.

许多动物的后代靠向父母乞讨获得食物。虽然在过去的十年里，人们对后代乞讨和父母对乞讨的反应进行了深入的研究，但对后代乞讨和父母对乞讨的反应的遗传基础知之甚少。在这个项目中，我研究了后代乞讨的遗传基础，作为一种诚实的需要信号，以及父母对后代乞讨变化的照顾的调整。我将对埋甲虫的近交系进行实验，埋甲虫是一种亲代为后代提供食物，后代向父母乞讨食物的昆虫。自交系是研究近亲之间社会互动中表达行为的遗传学的理想选择，因为同一系的成员可以在实验中接触到来自一系列不同自交系的个体。在这个项目中，我主要关注以下五个目标：(1)我将测试自交系之间的遗传变异，以诚实地将乞讨作为需要的信号。(2)我将测试亲本对后代乞讨反应的遗传变异。(3)我将在自交系中测试作为需要信号的乞讨诚实与父母对后代乞讨的反应之间的遗传相关性。(4)我将测试兄弟姐妹之间的竞争对作为需要信号的乞讨的诚实度的影响。(5)我将测试关爱父母之间的冲突对父母对子女乞讨反应的影响。