REU: Fitness Consequences of Avian Coloniality

这项研究旨在确定为什么一些鸟类物种生活在 在殖民地。 这个长期项目的独特之处在于， 为了追踪成千上万只崖燕， 他们的生命周期。 这些鸟以 许多不同的尺寸。 生活在殖民地的鸟类， 从非常小到非常大的尺寸将被监测， 数年，计算寿命。 多少 每一个个体在其一生中所产生的后代， 测定 年轻人一生产量的差异将是 与每个个体占据的殖民地大小有关。 这将 揭示了个体进化的成本和收益 可以在不同大小的殖民地中看到。 许多被认为 人们认为集体生活的成本和收益是普遍的 包括人类在内的所有社会性物种。 这项研究将 使用了一个非人类的模型物种来了解 集体生活的后果。

This research seeks to determine why some avian species live in colonies. This long-term project is unique in that it is designed to follow thousands of individual cliff swallows for the duration of their lifetimes. These birds nest in colonies of many different sizes. Birds living in colonies which range in size from very small to extremely large will be monitored for several years and their lifespans calculated. How many offspring each individual produces during its lifetime will be determined. Differences in lifetime output of young will be related to the colony size each individual occupied. This will reveal what sorts of evolutionary costs and benefits individuals can expect in different size colonies. Many of the presumed costs and benefits of group living are believed to be universal for all social species, including humans. This research will used a nonhuman model species to gain an understanding of the consequences of group living.