Evolution of mating systems and parental care strategies

交配系统和父母照顾策略的演变

• 批准号: 203177-2006
• 负责人: Wiebe, Karen
• 金额: $ 2.56万
• 依托单位: University of Saskatchewan
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2007-01-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=363386
• 关键词: Evolution; mating; systems; parental; care

My research addresses the evolution of reproductive strategies: how individuals choose social and breeding partners, and how each invests into parental care. Theory suggests there will be both co-operation and conflict between members of a pair raising young.  Each may have opportunities for mating outside the pair bond (infidelity) and each may have different priorities for the type and quantity of care given to the offspring. I will study the northern flicker, a woodpecker that is usually socially monogamous but which shows facultative polyandry. Woodpeckers are nearly unique among altricial birds because males incubate at night and seem to contribute more parental care than females.  These life history traits make woodpeckers an interesting and novel species in which to study the evolution of gender-based parental effort. The general objectives are: 1) to use DNA tests to determine whether parents are related to the young in their nest (whether there are extra-pair copulations or egg-dumping by females) and to determine the social and environmental factors correlated with these alternate reproductive strategies, 2) to study food allocation patterns of male and female parents in relation to nestling age, sex and health.  I will use small cameras to video-tape begging and food transfer within tree cavities, 3) to study mate selection and reproductive success in the hybrid zone and to determine whether ectoparasitism is a cost of reusing tree cavities year after year. Over the past 9 years, I have established one of the largest and most intensive studies of woodpeckers in the world.  The large sample size of nests facilitates an experimental approach and the ability to capture and colour-band nearly 100% of adults allows me to incorporate factors such as age, experience, body condition, and morphology into models of parental effort.  Data on woodpecker reproduction also has practical uses.  Woodpeckers are important as keystone species in forest ecosystems and are targets for conservation. The baseline reproductive and life history data collected during this long-term study will be useful for modelling population dynamics and maintaining these species on the landscape.

我的研究涉及生殖策略的演变：个人如何选择社会和繁殖伙伴，以及每个人如何投资于父母的照顾。理论表明，在抚养后代的过程中，夫妻双方既有合作也有冲突，每个人都有机会在夫妻关系之外进行交配（不忠），每个人都有不同的优先权，对后代的照顾类型和数量也有不同的优先权。我将研究北方的闪烁，一种啄木鸟，通常是社会一夫一妻制，但它显示了兼性一妻多夫制。啄木鸟是一种独特的鸟类，因为雄性在夜间孵化，似乎比雌性提供更多的父母照顾。这些生活史特征使啄木鸟成为一个有趣的和新的物种，以研究基于性别的父母努力的进化。总的目标是：1）使用DNA测试来确定父母是否与巢中的年轻人有关（是否存在额外配对交配或雌鸟弃卵），并确定与这些交替生殖策略相关的社会和环境因素; 2）研究雏鸟年龄与雌雄亲本食物分配模式的关系，性与健康。我将用小型摄像机拍摄树洞内的乞讨和食物转移，3）研究杂交区的配偶选择和繁殖成功率，并确定体外寄生是否是年复一年重复使用树洞的代价。在过去的9年里，我建立了世界上最大和最深入的啄木鸟研究之一。大样本的巢穴有利于实验方法，捕捉和色带近100%的成年人的能力使我能够将年龄，经验，身体状况，啄木鸟繁殖的数据也有实际用途。啄木鸟是森林生态系统中重要的关键物种，也是保护的目标。在这项长期研究中收集的基线生殖和生活史数据将有助于模拟种群动态和维持这些物种的景观。