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: 2008
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2008-01-01 至 2009-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=392720
• 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，抚养孩子的一对成员之间既存在合作，也存在冲突。  每个人都可能有机会在配偶关系之外交配（不忠），并且每个人对于给予后代的照顾类型和数量可能有不同的优先顺序。我将研究北方啄木鸟，这是一种通常实行一夫一妻制的啄木鸟，但也表现出兼性一妻多夫制。啄木鸟在晚熟鸟类中几乎是独一无二的，因为雄性在夜间孵化，并且似乎比雌性贡献更多的亲代照顾。  这些生活史特征使啄木鸟成为研究基于性别的亲代努力进化的有趣而新颖的物种。总体目标是：1）利用DNA测试来确定父母是否与巢中的雏鸟有亲缘关系（是否存在额外交配或雌性倾倒卵），并确定与这些替代繁殖策略相关的社会和环境因素，2）研究雄性和雌性父母与雏鸟年龄、性别和健康相关的食物分配模式。  我将使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，并确定外寄生是否是年复一年重复利用树洞的成本。在过去的九年里，我建立了世界上最大、最深入的啄木鸟研究之一。  巢穴的大样本量有利于实验方法，并且能够捕获近 100% 的成年人并对其进行颜色区分，这使我能够将年龄、经验、身体状况和形态等因素纳入父母努力的模型中。  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的重要物种，也是保护目标。在这项长期研究中收集的基线繁殖和生活史数据将有助于模拟种群动态并维持这些物种的景观。