POWRE: Parentage and Male Parental Effort in a Species With Alternative Reproductive Opportunities

PI: Whittingham， Linda在许多动物中，雄性和雌性都合作来养育一个家庭。然而，父母在应该为孩子提供多少抚育方面可能存在利益冲突。当男性不是他们所照顾的孩子的遗传父亲（父亲）时，就会产生冲突。这种情况经常发生在鸟类中，因为许多物种的雌性会与其他雄性交配，而不是与它们的社会伴侣交配。当雄性在抚养不属于自己的后代时，它们是否应该减少作为父母的努力？如果应该，减少多少？这项初步研究将使Whittingham能够在一个新的令人兴奋的模型系统（小鹩莺）中研究这个问题，并开发出新的分子亲子分析方法，这对扩大她的研究是必要的。该项目还将为本科生和研究生提供现代遗传技术的研究经验和培训。最近的理论表明，在某些情况下，雄性可能会根据自己的亲子关系（后代的数量）来调整自己的育儿努力，但在其他情况下则不会。鹪鹩提供了一个模型系统来研究影响父母可能合作或不合作抚养孩子的因素。这些因素包括雄性评估其父亲身份的能力以及与其他雌性交配的机会。这个项目将使人们更好地理解父母决策的基本原则。此外，它还为青年科学家提供实地和遗传方法方面的综合培训。

NONTECHNICAL ABSTRACT Proposal Number: 9805973 PI: Whittingham, Linda In many animals both the male and female cooperate to raise a family. However, parents may have conflicts of interest over how much parental care each should provide to their young. One source of conflict arises when males are not the genetic fathers (sires) of the young for which they are caring. Such cases occur often in birds because females of many species will mate with males other than their social partner. Should males decrease their parental effort when they are raising offspring that are not their own, and if so, how much? This pilot study will allow Whittingham to pursue this question in a new and exciting model system (house wrens), and to develop new molecular methods of paternity analysis that are necessary for the expansion of her research. This project also will provide research experience and training in modern genetic techniques for undergraduate and graduate students. Recent theory suggest that males may adjust their parental effort in relation to their paternity (the number of young sired) under some conditions, but not others. House wrens provide a model system to examine the factors that influence why parents may or may not cooperate to raise young. These factors include the ability of males to assess their paternity and the availability of mating opportunities with other females. This project will result in a better understanding of the basic principles underlying parental decision-making. In addition it provides integrated training in both field and genetic methods for young scientists.