US-South Africa Cooperative Research: Life History Evolution of Birds in South Temperate Africa

9906030该奖项支持蒙大拿大学蒙大拿合作野生动物研究部的Thomas E.Martin和南非开普敦大学Percy Fitzpatrick非洲鸟类学研究所的Morne A.Du Plessis之间的合作研究项目。这个为期三年的合作项目以南温带非洲鸟类的生活史进化为中心。它涉及蒙大拿大学的研究生保罗·马丁和几名来自加州大学的研究生参与研究和实地研究。南非少年派还将在蒙大拿大学逗留一段时间。珀西·菲茨帕特里克研究所在鸟类学研究方面有着悠久而杰出的历史，被认为是整个非洲最顶尖的鸟类学研究所。这位美国研究人员带来了数据，对北温带鸟类的生活史特征和替代的南温带(阿根廷)系统非常熟悉，并熟悉对生活史进行广泛比较分析的统计方法。这位南非调查人员对南部非洲鸟类的生活史特征和生态非常熟悉，这使得他能够对适当的测试和测试的鸟类生态分类有重要的见解。该项目包括五个主要目标：1)对南非和北温带(北美和欧洲)鸟类的生活史特征进行广泛的比较分析，以澄清差异的模式，同时控制系统发育和生态，2)检查与巢捕食率和食物习惯差异相关的大陆间生活史特征的差异，3)对南非境内鸟类的生活史特征与巢捕食性和气候和食物的可预测性的变化进行广泛的比较分析，4)检查无处不在的物种(角麻雀)在气候和资源可预测性梯度上的窝大小，5)比较南非、南美洲和北美同一属内的物种在巢穴捕食、亲代活动和取食率方面的差异，以在四个假设中进行检验。这一联合研究项目将为南温带鸟类生活史演化研究提供新的视角，并改变一般的鸟类生活史理论基础。生活史特征是生态时期种群动态的基础，因此，了解导致生活史特征变异的因素可以更好地理解维持鸟类种群的可能的保护问题。

9906030MartinThis award supports a cooperative research project between Thomas E. Martin, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, and Morne A. du Plessis, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa. The three-year cooperative project centers on the life history evolution of birds in south temperate Africa. It involves a graduate student from the University of Montana, Paul Martin, and several graduate students from UCT in the research and field studies. The South African PI will also spend some time at the University of Montana. The Percy FitzPatrick Institute has a long and distinguished history of ornithological research and is considered the top ornithological research institute in all of Africa. The US investigator brings data and strong familiarity with life history traits of north temperate birds and an alternative south temperate (Argentina) system, as well as familiarity with statistical approaches to conducting broad comparative analyses of life history. The South African investigator brings strong familiarity with life history traits and ecology of birds in southern Africa, allowing important insight into the appropriate tests and classification of bird ecology for tests. This project includes five main objectives: 1) conduct broad comparative analyses of life history traits of South Africa birds compared with north temperate (North America and Europe) to clarify patterns of differences, while controlling for phylogeny and ecology, 2) examine among-continent differences in life history traits relative to differences in nest predation rates and food habits, 3) conduct broad comparative analyses of life history traits of birds within South Africa relative to variation in nest predation and predictability of climate and food, 4) examine clutch size of a ubiquitous species (Cape Sparrow) across a gradient of climatic and resource predictability, and 5) compare species within a single genus (Turdus) among South Africa, South America, and North America with respect to nest predation, parental activity, and feeding rates to test among the four hypotheses. The joint research project can provide significant new insight into life history evolution of south temperate birds and also change general base avian life history theory. Life history traits are the basis of population dynamics in ecological time such that an understanding of factors causing variation in life history traits can lead to greater understanding of possible conservation issues for sustaining bird population.