Field Study of Mammalian Behavioral Development

9309805 Holekamp博士Holekamp和斯梅尔将继续他们对自由生活的斑点鬣狗行为发育的实地研究。他们的目标是(1)启动对该物种攻击性行为和性行为的激素相关性的研究，因为这些行为在青春期和成年繁殖周期中发生变化，以及(2)评估社会地位对生殖的影响。被研究的动物是肯尼亚马赛马拉国家保护区一个大鬣狗家族的成员。所有氏族成员都知道年龄、性别、亲属关系和社会地位，目前种群中存在的所有幼崽和亚成体都知道详细的社会史。通过观察性研究、无线电遥测和对研究动物产生的各种生物液中激素水平的实验室分析，霍勒坎普和斯梅尔博士将收集青春期和成年动物的纵向行为和荷尔蒙数据。内分泌和行为数据将一起用来检验关于社会等级影响生殖表现的机制的假说。虽然生殖研究正在启动，但观测和遥测数据收集也将继续与了解男性在两性中的扩散和生殖成功密切相关。这项研究项目将通过至少四种方式产生有用的信息：(1)对阐明食肉动物生殖生物学有重要贡献；(2)提供经历自然栖息地完全复杂的动物的行为发育和生殖内分泌学的详细数据；(3)加强对雌性哺乳动物荷尔蒙和攻击行为之间关系的理解；(4)产生有价值的比较数据，揭示生理、发育、功能和系统发育因素如何相互作用来塑造哺乳动物的社会行为。

9309805 Holekamp Drs. Holekamp and Smale will continue their field study of behavioral development in free- living spotted hyenas. Their goals are (1) to initiate study of the hormonal correlates of aggressive and sexual behaviors in this species as these change at puberty and during adult breeding cycles, and (2) to evaluate effects of social rank on reproduction. The animals being studied are members of one large hyena clan in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Age, sex, kin relations, and social status are known for all clan members, and detailed social histories are known for all cubs and subadults currently present in the population. Using observational study, radio telemetry, and laboratory analyses of hormone levels in various biological fluids produced by the study animals, Drs. Holekamp and Smale will collect longitudinal behavioral and hormonal data from both pubertal and adult animals. Endocrine and behavioral data will be used together to test hypotheses about mechanisms by which social rank influences reproductive performance. While the study of reproduction is being initiated, observational and telemetric data-collection will also continue germane to understanding both male dispersal and reproductive success in both sexes. This research project will generate useful information in at least four ways: It will (1) contribute importantly to elucidation of carnivore reproductive biology, (2) provide detailed data on behavioral development and reproductive endocrinology of animals experiencing the full complexity of their natural habitat, (3) enhance understanding of the relationship between hormones and aggressive behavior in female mammals, and (4) yield valuable comparative data revealing how physiological, developmental, functional, and phylogenetic factors interact to shape mammalian social behavior.