Dissertation Research: Indirect genetic effects on social behavior

个体的行为可能不仅是由其自身的基因和所处的环境决定的，也可能反映了其社会伙伴携带的基因（以及这些基因所决定的行为）。一个社会伙伴身上携带的基因对另一个个体行为的影响被称为“间接遗传效应”。据预测，间接遗传效应在社会行为的进化中尤为重要，因为它们可能改变自然选择对个体的作用方式。然而，间接的遗传影响很难分离和测量，因为社会环境的遗传成分，特别是与个体互动的社会伙伴的基因，必须保持不变。孔雀鱼，Poecilia reticulata，为探索间接遗传效应对社会行为表达和进化的影响提供了一套独特的工具：允许控制社会环境遗传成分的近交系和已知的野生种群在不同程度的捕食反应中有不同的社会行为。这个项目将提供行为系统中间接遗传效应的第一个测试。然后，它将探索家庭之间对社会环境的反应能力的差异，表明对社会群体的反应能力可能会进化。最后，该项目将调查不同种群对社会环境的反应差异，与捕食制度相关，这可能为间接遗传效应的进化提供证据。四名本科生，包括2004年夏季的一名NSF-REU学生参加了这个项目，其中一名在REU研讨会和全国会议上发表了她关于男性和女性检查行为差异的研究。该研究项目的pi共指导了印第安纳大学的8名本科生，其中1名通过女性参与科学项目，4名通过NSF-REU行为项目。其中一半以上是女性和/或少数族裔。除了一名学生外，所有学生都已经或将用这笔资金完成一项研究项目，从开始到结束，包括实验设计和数据收集，分析和演示。两名学生已经在Sigma Xi等全国性会议上展示了他们的研究成果。除一人外，其余八人都在或正在申请研究生院或兽医学院。这个项目也被用于在印第安纳大学和马里昂学院的几门本科课程中介绍动物行为和行为进化的主题。

The behavior performed by an individual may result not only from its own genes and the environment in which it resides, but may also reflect genes (and the behaviors these genes underlie) carried in the individual's social partners. The effects of genes carried in a social partner on the behavior of another individual are termed "indirect genetic effects." Indirect genetic effects are predicted to be particularly important in the evolution of social behavior, because they may alter the way natural selection operates on individuals. However, indirect genetic effects are difficult to isolate and measure because the genetic component of the social environment, specifically the genes in social partners with which individuals interact, must be held constant. Guppies, Poecilia reticulata, provide a unique set of tools for exploring the impacts of indirect genetic effects on the expression and evolution of social behavior: inbred lines that allow for the control of the genetic component of the social environment and wild populations that are known to vary in social behavior in response to different levels of predation. This project will provide the first test of indirect genetic effects in a behavioral system. It will then explore variation between families in responsiveness to social environment, indicating that responsiveness to social groups may evolve. Finally, the project will investigate variation across populations in responsiveness to social environment, correlated with predation regime, which may provide evidence for the evolution of indirect genetic effects.Broader ImpactsFour undergraduate students, including one NSF-REU student from summer 2004 have participated in this project, one of which presented her study on differences in male and female inspection behavior at both an REU symposium and a national meeting. PIs in this research program have mentored a total of eight undergraduates at Indiana University, one through the Women in Science Program and four through the NSF-REU behavior program. More than half have been women and/or minorities. All but one of the students have or will complete a research project with this funding, from start to finish, including experimental design and data collection, analysis and presentation. Two students have gone on to present their results at national meetings such as Sigma Xi. All but one of the eight are in or are applying for graduate school or veterinary school. This project has also been used to introduce the topics of animal behavior and behavioral evolution to several undergraduate courses, at both Indiana University and Marion College.