CAREER: The flight-fecundity tradeoff - functional physiology and fitness

生物体有有限的能量用于生长、维持、生存和繁殖。将能量分配给这些功能中的任何一个都会减少其他功能的可用量。这种能量分配的权衡是任何生物体生态和进化成功的基础，因为它直接影响生物体产生后代的能力。权衡是流动的，随着遇到的生态条件不断变化。知识的生理优先权，支配这些分配决定在一个人是必不可少的，以实现更深层次的理解的约束或限制的权衡。个人层面的理解能源分配策略是非常罕见的。本研究将探讨功能生理学，优先考虑飞行和繁殖力，两个高能量需求的特性之间的能量分配权衡，在天蛾天蛾（天蛾科）。一种创新的方法，结合了最先进的呼吸测量和激光碳稳定同位素分析仪系统的状态，将首次解决功能生理学的这一重大权衡在个人的水平，在以前是不可能的。该项目将在现实的生态背景下，将养分获取和分配、代谢和稳定同位素的联合收割机实验结合成一个生态生理学的综合研究。这项研究的概念广度将产生一个博士后，研究生和本科生的综合研究培训。此外，该项目还将支持和加强昆虫发现，这是一个现有的外展计划，每年为2000多名小学生提供符合亚利桑那州科学标准的动手、调查、STEM外展服务。

Organisms have finite amounts of energy to use for growth, maintenance, survival and reproduction. Allocation of energy to any one of these functions reduces the amount available for any of the other functions. Such tradeoffs in energy allocation lie at the foundation of any organism's ecological and evolutionary success as it directly affects an organism's ability to produce offspring. Tradeoffs are fluid, constantly changing with the ecological conditions encountered. Knowledge of the physiological priorities that govern these allocation decisions within an individual is essential for achieving a deeper understanding of constraints or limits on tradeoffs. An individual-level understanding of energy allocation strategies is remarkably rare. This study will examine the functional physiology that prioritizes the energy allocation tradeoff between flight and fecundity, two traits with high-energy demand, in the hawkmoth Manduca sexta (Sphingidae). An innovative approach that combines state of the art respirometry and laser carbon stable isotope analyzer systems will, for the first time, address the functional physiology of this significant tradeoff at the level of the individual in a way that has not previously been possible. This project will combine experiments in nutrient acquisition and allocation, metabolism and stable isotopes into one integrative study in ecological physiology, all in a realistic ecological context. The conceptual breadth of this study will generate integrative research training for a postdoc, and graduate and undergraduate students. In addition, this project will support and enhance Insect Discovery, an existing outreach program that reaches over 2000 elementary school children annually with hands-on, inquiry-based, STEM outreach that meets Arizona State Science Standards.