PRF/J: The Adaptive Significance of Kin Association Behavior in Anuran Tadpoles

像植物和灵长类动物这样多样的生物 根据它们的遗传特性， 相关性 对亲属的区别对待对于 利他主义和择偶的进化理论 然而，令人惊讶的是，在少数系统中， 进化的选择因素 保持亲属偏见的行为。 对于无尾目蝌蚪来说， 主流观点认为，与亲戚交往是亲属关系， 选择，因为这些亲属从而积累利益， 增加生长或避免捕食。 然而，最近的工作， 这表明亲属关系可能反映了人们选择将 与纳塔尔地点（philopatry），也许不是与亲属每 se. 将进行一系列现场和实验室实验， 提出，旨在阐明适应性的意义 蝌蚪的聚集行为 具体来说，这项研究 建议确定1）DNA指纹是否揭示了 philopatry的证据，2）聚集形成是有利的， 以及3）聚集体的形成依赖于上下文。 后者 将通过进行实地试验来解决两个问题， 天然池塘 本研究将阐明选择性因素 有利于蝌蚪的亲属联合行为， 在某些其他的群居生物中。 考试 提供了一个机会来评估 评估在进化生物学中的作用。

Organisms as diverse as plants and primates respond differentially toward conspecifics according to their genetic relatedness. Differential treatment of kin is critical to current theories of the evolution of altruism and mate choice. Yet, in surprisingly few systems have investigators identified the selective factors responsible for the evolutionary maintenance of kin-biased behavior. For anuran tadpoles, the predominant view is that associating with relatives is kin- selected because these relatives thereby accrue benefits through increased growth or predation avoidance. Recent work, however, suggests that kin associations may reflect selection to associate with the natal site (philopatry), and perhaps not with kin per se. A series of field and laboratory experiments will be proposed, aimed at elucidating the adaptive significance of aggregation behavior in tadpoles. Specifically, this study proposes to determine whether 1) DNA fingerprinting reveals evidence of philopatry, 2) aggregation formation is advantageous, and 3) aggregation formation is context-dependent. The latter two issues will be addressed by conducting field experiments in natural ponds. This study will clarify the selective factors favoring kin association behavior in tadpoles and, by implication, in certain other gregarious organisms. Examination of context-dependent behavior provides opportunity to evaluate the role of assessment in evolutionary biology.