Integrating life history variation into conservation of reptiles

将生活史变异纳入爬行动物保护中

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04465
• 负责人: Litzgus, Jacqueline
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: Laurentian University of Sudbury
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=745577
• 关键词: Integrating; life; history; variation; into

Across its range distribution, a species displays considerable differences in age and size at maturity, reproductive output, behaviour and habitat selection among populations, and within populations there can be extensive variation among individuals. This variation, in part, represents phenotypic adaptations to local environmental conditions and resources, and needs to be considered in the design of recovery plans for Species at Risk (SAR). The long-term objective of my research program is to examine variation in the wild at multiple levels of organization in the context of local adaptations and species recovery and conservation. I aim to better understand general ecological patterns in vertebrate ectotherms by implementing a multi-species comparative approach, with most of my work on turtles. From a conservation perspective, turtles are an extremely important group because, of the approximately 300 species world-wide, about 2/3 are declining in numbers as a result of habitat destruction and harvesting for the pet, traditional medicine, and food trades. Over the next 5 years, my long-term research objective will be supported by projects categorized into 3 short-term themes. The first theme involves examination of the relationships among body size, body condition, environmental factors, and reproductive output in turtles, and will advance knowledge in the fields of reproductive ecology and life history evolution. The second theme involves the examination of relationships among turtle nest site fidelity, nest density, and nest survival, and will provide insight into mechanisms driving the evolution of female nest site choice, in turn providing information to understand the impacts of nest site destruction on turtle populations in a conservation context. Because conservation initiatives for Canada's turtles should focus on ways to mitigate road mortality, high rates of nest failure, loss of wetland habitat, and the impact of additive adult mortality on population viability, the third theme involves applied spatial ecology research that produces deliverables that directly inform government policy and aid species recovery. I have the extremely rare privilege to access long-term mark-recapture, morphological, and reproductive data on 3 species of turtles in Canada, providing my research program unparalleled opportunities to address questions about the evolution of life histories in long-lived organisms of significant conservation concern.

在其分布范围内，一个物种在成熟时的年龄和大小、生殖产量、行为和栖息地选择方面在种群之间表现出相当大的差异，在种群内，个体之间可能存在广泛的差异。这种变化，在一定程度上，代表了表型适应当地的环境条件和资源，并需要考虑在危险物种（SAR）的恢复计划的设计。我的研究计划的长期目标是在当地适应和物种恢复和保护的背景下，在多个组织层次上研究野生动物的变化。我的目标是通过实施多物种比较方法，更好地了解脊椎动物外温动物的一般生态模式，我的大部分工作都是关于海龟的。 从保护的角度来看，海龟是一个非常重要的群体，因为在全世界大约300种海龟中，由于栖息地的破坏和宠物、传统医药和食品贸易的收获，大约三分之二的海龟数量正在减少。在接下来的5年里，我的长期研究目标将得到分为3个短期主题的项目的支持。第一个主题涉及检查海龟的身体大小，身体状况，环境因素和生殖输出之间的关系，并将推进生殖生态学和生活史进化领域的知识。 第二个主题涉及海龟巢址保真度，巢密度和巢生存之间的关系的检查，并将提供深入了解机制，推动女性巢址选择的演变，反过来提供信息，以了解巢址破坏对海龟种群的影响，在保护的背景下。由于加拿大海龟的保护措施应侧重于如何减轻道路死亡率，高利率的巢失败，湿地栖息地的损失，以及人口生存能力的影响，第三个主题涉及应用空间生态学研究，产生可交付成果，直接告知政府政策和援助物种恢复。 我有极其罕见的特权访问长期标记-再捕获，形态学和繁殖数据3种海龟在加拿大，提供我的研究计划无与伦比的机会，以解决有关生命历史的进化问题在长寿的生物体的重大保护问题。