LTREB: Evolutionary Ecology of Seabird Reproductive Life Histories

这项研究继续对生活在Galápagos群岛的一种长寿海鸟进行研究。在对人口成员进行24年的标记之后，所有年龄段的人都可以用来测试关于衰老的原因和后果的假设。先前的研究表明，人口中某些成员的生育成功率在达到中年（大约16岁）后会下降。年生存率在20岁以上的老年人中迅速下降。这项新研究将使用几种不同的方法来研究这种长寿动物的衰老过程；这些方法包括对早逝和老年早逝的个体进行基因组调查，以及通过系谱分析来估计遗传对衰老速度的影响。衰老和衰老衰退在生物医学界受到了相当大的关注，包括对果蝇、老鼠和蠕虫等短命模型的实验室研究。我们的研究提供了一个难得的机会，在一个原始的自然环境中，研究一种长寿动物的衰老，就人口统计学而言，这与我们人类非常相似。这些鸟有一些机制，比如强大的免疫系统，可以延缓衰老和性能下降。即将进行的研究将试图揭示其中的一些机制。研究结果对长寿海鸟的保护具有重要意义；厄瓜多尔政府依靠PI收集必要的信息，以影响厄瓜多尔海鸟政策的制定。作为这项研究的一部分，拉丁美洲和美国的学生将接受培训，为这两个群体提供宝贵的国际经验。

This research continues a study of a long-lived seabird that lives in the Galápagos Islands. After 24 years of marking members of the population, individuals are available from all age classes to test hypotheses regarding the causes and consequences of aging. Previous work has shown that the reproductive success of members of the population declines after they reach middle age, around 16 years old. Annual survival declines rapidly in elderly members over 20 years old. The new research will use several different methods to examine aging processes in this long-lived animal; the approaches include a genomic survey of individuals that die at young versus old ages, and pedigree analysis to estimate the genetic effect on rate of aging.Aging and senescent decline have received considerable attention in the biomedical community, including laboratory research on short-lived models like fruit flies, mice, and worms. Our study gives a rare opportunity to study aging in a long-lived animal much like ourselves in terms of demography, in a pristine, natural environment. These birds have mechanisms, like a robust immune system, that delay senescent decline in performance. The research to be conducted will attempt to reveal some of those mechanisms. Results will contribute significantly to conservation of long-lived seabirds; the Ecuadorian government relies on the PI to collect information necessary to influence policy development for seabirds in Ecuador. Latin American and US students will be trained as part of this research, providing both groups with a valuable international experience.