The Evolution of Ethological and Post-Mating Isolation

阿巴拉契亚蝾螈（Desmognathus） Ochrophaeus和相关物种），其生物学 特点，PI的：（1）开发和应用新的 测量性不相容性的实验程序，（2） 确定了地理上隔离的 Ochrophaeus已经进化出实质性的不相容性，（3）发现 不相容性的大小与 地理分离的人群，但只有弱相关 遗传分化;（4）确定了关键求偶行为 阶段的基础不兼容性，（5）发现一些 在相关区域存在更强不相容性的证据 物种在一起。 这些结果奠定了基础， 性和发育不相容的详细研究， PI在此提案中的计划。 首先私家侦探的计划 来确定性行为的行为机制， 在地理上孤立的 Ochrophaeus的种群。 因为很少有 脊椎动物性不相容性的观察研究 和其他动物，拟议的行为研究将大大 进一步了解这种不相容性是如何演变的。 第二、 PI计划调查 Ochrophaeus种群。 这项调查将使 调查以确定性和发育 不兼容性是平行发展的，这是一个从来没有 在脊椎动物中得到解决。 第三，PI的计划， 用统计学方法来研究 在相关物种出现的地区，不相容性增强 一起 这种增强一直是教科书的核心内容 关于生殖不相容性进化的讨论， 对这一进程的经验支持有好有坏。 私家侦探计划 几个样带中增强的性不亲和性试验 通过共存的领域，并确定行为 性不相容的基础。

Focusing on Appalachian salamanders (Desmognathus ochrophaeus and related species) whose biology is well characterized, the PI's: (1) developed and applied new experimental procedures for measuring sexual incompatibility, (2) established that geographically isolated populations of ochrophaeus have evolved substantial incompatibility, (3) found that the magnitude of incompatibility is related to the geographic separation of populations but only weakly related to genetic differentiation, (4) identified the critical courtship stages which underlie incompatibility, and (5) found some evidence for stronger incompatibility in areas where related species occur together. These results lay the groundwork for the detailed studies of sexual and developmental incompatibility that the PI's plan to pursue in this proposal. First, the PI's plan to identify the behavioral mechanisms responsible for the sexual incompatibility observed between geographically isolated populations of ochrophaeus. Because there are very few observational studies of sexual incompatibility in vertebrates and other animals, the proposed behavioral studies will greatly increase understanding how such incompatibility evolves. Second, the PI's plan to survey developmental incompatibility among ochrophaeus populations. This survey will enable the investigations to determine whether sexual and developmental incompatibility evolve in parallel, an issue that has never been resolved in vertebrates. Third, the PI's plan to take a statistical approach to the question of whether sexual incompatibility is enhanced in areas where related species occur together. Such enhancement has been the centerpiece in textbook discussions of the evolution of reproductive incompatibility, yet empirical support for the process is mixed. The PI's plan to test for enhanced sexual incompatibility in several transects through areas of co- existence, and to identify the behavioral basis of enhanced sexual incompatibility.