DISSERTATION REASEARCH: Mating patterns and female preferences in a bimodal population of Darwin's finches

智力价值达尔文的雀类是一个有用的系统，用来研究生态学、形态学和进化之间的相互作用。PI和合作者描述了一个中等地雀种群，Geospiza fortis，具有喙大小的双峰分布，即该种群由大喙“变种”和小喙“变种”组成，很少有中间喙变种。大型和小型变种鸟的咬合力能力和鸣叫特征都不同，这些差异与喙在进食和鸣叫中如何发挥作用的模型所预测的方向一致。这项研究的主要目的是确定大喙鸟和小喙鸟是否只与自己的同类交配，而不与其他种类交配。如果是这样，这种交配模式可能代表了同域物种形成过程中的一个例子。将在野外观察带喙鸟的交配行为和配对情况，并进行亲子鉴定，以确定类喙鸟是否与彼此交配，而不是与其他形态交配。这项提议的最终目标是通过实验测试雌性对喙型相似的雄性鸣叫的偏好，以确定每种形态的特定求爱仪式是否都是独特的。更广泛的影响拟议的研究将为Co-PI提供进化生物学方面的培训，并帮助她完成论文研究。所有论文章节将提交发表在同行评审的期刊上，所有工作的结果将向公众传播。副主任和一名实地助理将接受实地观察、鸟类带带和一般实地抽样技术方面的培训。此外，联合调查官还将学习DNA分析和亲子鉴定技术。工作将通过查尔斯·达尔文研究站和加拉帕戈斯国家公园管理局获得许可，所有研究成果将提供给这些来源用于教育目的。此外，我们的研究结果将为加拉帕戈斯国家公园管理局在制定保护政策时提供受保护物种的繁殖生物学信息。

Intellectual MeritDarwin's finches are a useful system in which to examine the interplay of ecology, morphology, and evolution. The PI and collaborators have described a population of the medium ground finch, Geospiza fortis, that possesses a bimodal distribution of beak size, i.e., the population consists of large beaked "morphs" and small beaked "morphs" with very few intermediate beak morphs. Both bite force abilities and song features differ between large and small morphs, and these differences are in the direction predicted by models of how the beak functions in feeding and song production. The main goal of the proposed research is to determine if large beaked morphs and small beaked morphs mate only with their own kind to the exclusion of the other morph. If so, this mating pattern may represent an example of sympatric speciation in progress. Banded birds will be observed for mating behavior and pair formation in the field and paternity tests will be conducted to determine if like-beaked birds are mating with each other and not with the other morph. The final goal of this proposal will be to experimentally test female preferences for the songs of males with similar beak size to determine if specific courtship rituals are unique for each morph. Broader ImpactsThe proposed research will provide training in evolutionary biology for the Co-PI and aid in the completion of her dissertation research. All dissertation chapters will be submitted for publication in peer reviewed journals, and the results of all work will be disseminated to the public. Both the Co-PI and one field assistant will be trained in field observation, bird banding, and general field sampling techniques. In addition, the Co-PI will also learn techniques for DNA analysis and paternity assignment. Work will be conducted under permits through the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park Service, and all research results will be provided to those sources for educational purposes. In addition, our results will provide information on the breeding biology of a protected species that can be used by the Galapagos National Park Service when drafting conservation policies.