Behavioral and Ecological Factors Influencing the Mating Dynamics of a Semi-Aquatic Insect

9221697 Sih博士和Krupa博士将使用自然溪流的调查和半自然溪流的实验相结合的方法，研究重要的生态因素(如捕食风险、食物可获得性、种群密度和性别比例)和个体特征(如大小、饥饿程度)对决定繁殖成功差异的交配行为的影响。他们研究的动物是一种半水栖昆虫，非常适合解决这些问题，因为它非常容易标记、观察、普查和实验操作。这项研究应该会对生态因素的变化如何影响动物行为的进化产生重要的见解。由此产生的行为反过来又对种群的成功产生重大影响。因此，这项工作应该对从理论上理解进化、行为和生态之间的界面做出重大贡献。这项研究还应该具有实际意义，可以为环境干扰如何通过影响繁殖动力学对物种的成功产生意想不到的影响提供新的见解。

9221697 Sih Drs. Sih and Krupa will use a blend of surveys in natural streams and experiments in semi-natural streams to examine the effects of important ecological factors (e.g., predation risk, food availability, population density, and sex ratio) and individual traits (e.g., size, hunger level) on mating behaviors that determine variation in reproductive success. Their study animal is a semi-aquatic insect that is ideal for addressing these issues, because it is very easy to mark, observe, census, and experimentally manipulate. This research should yield important insights about how variation in ecological factors influences the evolution of animal behaviors. The resulting behaviors, in turn, have major impacts on population success. The work should thus contribute significantly to theoretical understanding of the interface between evolution, behavior, and ecology. This research should also have practical importance in providing new insights into how environmental disturbances might have unexpected effects on species' success through effects on reproductive dynamics.