Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Consequences and Mechanisms of Female Competition in Wild Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi)

本项目将研究影响马达加斯加贝扎马哈法利特别保护区野生狐猴雌性竞争和幼狐猴生存的关键因素。马达加斯加可利用资源的不可预测性使狐猴成为研究雌性竞争和攻击性对繁殖成功影响的特别合适的物种。尽管攻击性是最常见的性别差异之一，但对女性攻击性的成本和收益知之甚少。本研究将探讨：1)攻击性和社会地位对资源获取的影响；2)攻击性和竞争的荷尔蒙基础；3)女性攻击性和社会地位对婴儿生存的影响。在连续两年从出生到断奶（7月至12月）的5个月野外季节中，收集16只成年雌性的行为数据和粪便样本。我们感兴趣的主要激素是睾酮和皮质醇，它们分别与攻击性和压力有关。粪便样本的激素分析提供了激素活动的综合测量，而无需捕获和限制动物。通过关注行为和生理，这项研究提供了一个独特的机会来评估雌性侵略和竞争对生殖的影响，这在以前的灵长类动物研究中被忽视了。此外，这项研究将拓宽我们对灵长类动物中雌性生殖策略进化的理解，并将阐明我们自己物种中雌性竞争行为的出现。这项研究的更广泛影响包括培训美国和马达加斯加学生以及促进国际合作。塔那那利佛大学的学生将有机会接受行为观察和粪便样本收集方面的培训。此外，这个项目的范围需要招聘实地研究助理。由于许多女性被灵长类动物学所吸引，但不一定是内分泌学，我们将以此为契机鼓励女性学生在生殖内分泌学领域学习。因此，这项研究可以提供实验室和实地方法方面的培训机会。这项研究产生的数据将输入一个数据库，这将有助于今后的研究项目和合作。最后，本研究的实际应用是更好地了解狐猴的行为和繁殖，这是继续保护这一高度濒危物种的必要步骤。贝扎马哈法利特别保护区是一个国际游客经常光顾的保护区，里面有一个现场博物馆。这提供了一个独特的机会来教育公众关于狐猴生态和保护。

This project will examine key factors that influence female competition and infant survival in wild sifaka lemurs in Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar. The unpredictable nature of resource availability in Madagascar renders sifaka a particularly appropriate species for examining female competition and the effects of aggression on reproductive success. Although aggression is one of the most commonly described sex differences, little is known about the costs and benefits of aggression for females. This study will investigate: 1) the effects of aggression and social status on access to resources; 2) the hormonal basis of aggression and competition; and 3) the effects of female aggression and social status on infant survival. Behavioral data and fecal samples will be collected on 16 adult females over five month field seasons from birth to weaning (July to December) in two successive years. The primary hormones of interest will be testosterone and cortisol, which are associated with aggression and stress, respectively. Hormonal analysis of fecal samples provides an integrated measure of hormonal activity without necessitating the capture and restraint of the animals. By focusing on both behavior and physiology, this research provides a unique opportunity to assess the effects of female aggression and competition on reproduction, which have been previously overlooked in studies of primates. Furthermore, this research will broaden our understanding of the evolution of female reproductive strategies across the primate order, and will shed light on the emergence of female competitive behavior within our own species. The broader impacts of this study include training of American and Malagasy students and furthering international collaboration. Students from the University of Antananarivo will have the opportunity to receive training in behavioral observations and fecal sample collection. In addition, the scope of this project requires recruiting field research assistants. Since many women are attracted to primatology, but not necessarily endocrinology, we will use this as an opportunity to encourage female students in the field of reproductive endocrinology. Thus, this research can provide training opportunities in laboratory as well as field methodologies. The data generated from this research will be entered into a database that will aid in accessibility for future research projects and collaborations. Finally, the practical application of this research is to better inform our understanding of sifaka behavior and reproduction, which is a necessary step in continuing conservation efforts for this highly endangered species. Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve is a protected area that is frequented by international tourists and contains an on-site museum. This provides a unique opportunity to educate the general public about lemur ecology and conservation.