Hybridization of Darwin's Finches on the Galapagos Islands

杂交的研究在进化生物学中很重要 因为它揭示了在最后阶段的力量 物种形成 一些动物种群通常会杂交， 但通常很难确定 导致了自然界的杂交。 拟议的研究需要 调查的特别有利的情况的优势 杂交的原因和相对高的原因 混合体的适应性 在达芙妮·梅杰的小岛上， 加拉帕戈斯群岛的中型地雀， 偶尔与两个其他interbreeds; G.斯坎登斯，一个居民 species，和G. fuliginosa一个移民 系谱分析表明， 表明杂交种可以生存和繁殖，以及或更好地比 几年前的物种。 生态原因， 将通过深入研究喂养来调查适应性 效率和饮食。 加强技术合作可能带来的好处 杂合性将通过分析近亲繁殖来评估 在G. fortis和G. scandens populations. 原因 将通过交配的统计分析来鉴定杂交 模式. 这些结果将对我们的研究具有重要的理论意义。 理解物种形成和杂交在 在小型和潜在濒危物种中保持遗传变异 人口。

The study of hybridization is important in evolutionary biology because it reveals the forces at work in the final stages of speciation. Some populations of animal species commonly hybridize, but it is usually difficult if not impossible to determine the causes hybridization in nature. The proposed research takes advantage of an exceptionally favorable situation for investigating the causes of hybridization and the reasons for relatively high fitness of the hybrids. On the small island of Daphne Major in the Galapagos archipelago the medium ground finch, Geospza fortis, occasionally interbreeds with two others; G. scandens, a resident species, and G. fuliginosa, an immigrant. Pedigree analysis has shown that hybrids may survive and breed as well or better than the parental species, over several years. Ecological reasons for their fitness will be investigated by intensive study of feeding efficiencies and diets. Possible advantages arising from enhanced heterozygosity will be assessed by an analysis of inbreeding effects in the G. fortis and G. scandens populations. Causes of interbreeding will be identified by statistical analysis of mating patterns. Results will be of theoretical importance to our understanding of speciation and the role of hybridization in maintaining genetic variation in small and potentially endangered populations.