REU: Dispersal, Individuality, and Lifetime Fitness

种群动态由个体生殖成功的人口统计总和决定。繁殖成功(即适合度)是通过后代在下一代的代表性来衡量的。许多后代分散；因此，在不确定其分散后代的存活率和生殖产量的情况下，无法知道一个个体的繁殖成功。研究人员将继续一项为期28年的研究，研究来自四个黄腹旱獭群体的雄性和雌性旱獭的年龄、性别、社会行为、生殖产出、空间利用模式、社会组织和一生的存活率。除了收集这项纵向研究持续进行所需的基本人口统计数据外，阿米蒂奇博士还将分析在整个研究过程中收集的数据。许多啮齿动物种群需要控制。如果那些被杀死或移走的动物很快被移民取代，控制措施就会无效。由于黄腹土拨鼠往往是农业害虫，了解散布者的命运将有助于制定有效的控制措施。

Population dynamics are determined by the demographic summation of individual reproductive success. Reproductive success (that is, fitness) is measured by the representation of descendants in the next generation. Many offspring disperse; therefore, the reproductive success of an individual cannot be known without determining the survivorship and reproductive output of their dispersing offspring. The investigator will continue a 28-year study of age, sex, social behavior, reproductive output, pattern of space-use, social organization, and survivorship over the lifetime of males and females from four colonies of yellow bellied marmots. In addition to collecting the basic demographic data necessary for continuity of this longitudinal study, Dr. Armitage will be analyzing data collected over the lifetime of the research. Many rodent populations require control. Control measures are ineffective if those animals that are killed or removed are quickly replaced by immigrants. Because yellow-bellied marmots frequently are agricultural pests, knowledge of the fate of dispersers will contribute to the preparation of effective control measures.