Selection across the annual cycle: examining movement, colour, and behaviour

跨年度周期的选择：检查运动、颜色和行为

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-04603
• 负责人: Reudink, Matthew
• 金额: $ 3.23万
• 依托单位: Thompson Rivers University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=711010
• 关键词: Selection; across; annual; cycle; examining

Each year, billions of migratory birds travel thousands of kilometers between breeding and wintering grounds, spending most of their lives far from their Canadian breeding grounds. Despite this, most research has focused on the relatively short breeding season. Yet, to understand the evolutionary pressures shaping the lives of these birds, we need approaches that encompass research across the annual cycle. My research focuses on understanding how events occurring throughout the year interact to shape the ecology, life history, and evolution of birds. Specifically, my aim is to understand 1) the evolution of moult (feather replacement) strategies when, where, and how birds moult with respect to breeding and migration, 2) migration and moult strategies employed by several species of western North American migratory birds that stopover to moult in the Mexican monsoon region before completing their southward journey, and 3) how events occurring throughout the year influence the evolution of ornamental plumage colouration. Migratory birds must balance three energetically intensive events each year: breeding, migration, and moult. While many birds separate these events in time, completing moult just after breeding and before migration, others have evolved unique strategies that vary extensively across species yet, we have a limited understanding of the ecological or environmental conditions that may have shaped these strategies. For instance, in the arid West, food resources are quite limited in late summer and, likely as a result, many species begin migration just after the completion of breeding, but stop in Northwest Mexico/Southwest United States for several weeks to moult prior to completing their migration. This timing corresponds with the monsoon season, which transforms parched forests into a lush oasis with abundant fruit and insects perfect conditions for moult. The feathers that birds grow during this period will be critical not just for efficient flight, but for communicating information to rivals or potential mates. Yet, even within this region, conditions can vary extensively and by tracking birds throughout migration and moult, we can ask how moult location and conditions influence feather colouration. Indeed, the brilliant colours of birds capture the imagination of scientists and the public alike. Variation in the colour of individual birds can convey important information on health and condition and is used by both males and females to ascertain the quality of potential mates or rivals. The final goal of my research program is to use an innovative technique (radio frequency identification enabled bird feeders distributed across a city) to track individual birds throughout the entire annual cycle to explore the connections between colouration, movement across an urban landscape, social networks, behavioural dominance, and ultimately reproduction.

每年，数十亿只候鸟在繁殖地和越冬地之间飞行数千公里，大部分时间都远离加拿大的繁殖地。尽管如此，大多数研究都集中在相对较短的繁殖季节。然而，为了了解塑造这些鸟类生活的进化压力，我们需要包括跨年度周期研究的方法。我的研究重点是了解全年发生的事件如何相互作用，以塑造鸟类的生态，生活史和进化。具体来说，我的目标是了解1）换羽的进化（羽毛替换）策略鸟类何时、何地、如何换羽与繁殖和迁徙有关，2）北美西部几种候鸟在完成向南迁徙之前在墨西哥季风区停留换羽的迁徙和换羽策略，以及3）全年发生的事件如何影响观赏羽毛颜色的演变。 候鸟每年必须平衡三个能量密集的事件：繁殖、迁徙和换羽。虽然许多鸟类在时间上分开这些事件，在繁殖后和迁徙前完成换羽，但其他鸟类已经进化出独特的策略，这些策略在物种之间差异很大，但我们对可能塑造这些策略的生态或环境条件的了解有限。例如，在干旱的西部，夏末的食物资源非常有限，可能因此，许多物种在繁殖完成后开始迁移，但在墨西哥西北部/美国西南部停留数周，在完成迁移之前进行蜕皮。这个时间与季风季节相对应，季风季节将干燥的森林转变为郁郁葱葱的绿洲，有丰富的水果和昆虫完美的蜕皮条件。鸟类在此期间长出的羽毛不仅对有效飞行至关重要，而且对与竞争对手或潜在配偶交流信息至关重要。然而，即使在这个区域内，条件也会有很大的不同，通过跟踪鸟类的迁徙和换羽，我们可以问换羽的位置和条件如何影响羽毛的颜色。 的确，鸟类的绚丽色彩吸引了科学家和公众的想象力。鸟类个体颜色的变化可以传达有关健康和状况的重要信息，雄性和雌性都可以利用这种变化来确定潜在配偶或竞争对手的质量。我的研究计划的最终目标是使用一种创新的技术（无线电频率识别使鸟类喂食器分布在整个城市），以跟踪个别鸟类在整个年度周期，探索色彩之间的联系，运动在城市景观，社交网络，行为优势，并最终繁殖。