CAREER: Parasites and the Evolution of Mating Systems: Do Parasites Drive Complex Behavior in Animals?

寄生虫和传染病可以对宿主产生深远的影响，但人们对寄生虫如何影响动物行为知之甚少。这项工作将解决三个基本问题：(1)个体感染风险是否随交配状态和行为而变化？(2)寄生虫是否通过影响个体的交配决定、行为和交配成功来推动交配策略的变化？(3)交配行为和寄生虫感染之间潜在的联系机制是什么？为了回答这些问题，我们将研究非洲原羚(Gazella Granti)的行为、生理和胃肠道线虫寄生之间的关系。利用雄性瞪羚行为的自然差异，这项研究将研究寄生虫感染水平较高是否与雄性交配行为的差异有关。此外，雄性寄生虫负载的实验操作将测试寄生虫对个体交配决定和交配成功的影响。最后，这项工作将使用现场和生理学研究来调查生殖行为是否会改变男性对寄生虫的暴露和易感性。研究结果将揭示寄生虫在多大程度上塑造在宿主种群中观察到的行为策略，从而揭示复杂动物行为的进化意义。这项研究的结果也将对了解动物行为如何随着寄生虫压力的增加而改变做出及时的贡献。该项目将为本科生和研究生提供大量的教育机会。来自美国和肯尼亚的生物专业学生将获得疾病生态学和行为生态学领域的实践培训。美国学生将在肯尼亚的研究地点工作，获得国际研究经验；两国学生将有独特的学术和文化交流机会。该奖项由美国国家科学基金会国际科学与工程办公室共同资助。

Parasites and infectious diseases can have profound effects on their hosts, yet relatively little is known about how parasites influence animal behavior. The work will address three fundamental questions: (1) Does individual infection risk vary with mating status and behavior? (2) Do parasites drive variation in mating tactics by influencing individual mating decisions, behavior, and mating success? (3) What are the mechanisms underlying associations between mating behavior and parasite infection? To answer these questions, associations between behavior, physiology and gastrointestinal nematode parasitism in the African antelope, Grant's gazelle (Gazella granti), will be studied. Taking advantage of natural variation in the behavior of male gazelles, the study will examine whether higher parasite infection levels are associated with differences in male mating behavior. In addition, experimental manipulation of male parasite loads will test the effect of parasites on individual mating decisions and mating success. Finally the work will use field and physiological studies to investigate whether reproductive behavior modifies male exposure and susceptibility to parasites. The study results will reveal the extent to which parasites shape behavioral strategies observed in host populations, shedding light on the evolutionary significance of complex animal behaviors. The results of this study will also make a timely contribution to knowledge of how animal behavior may change in response to increasing parasite pressure. The project will provide numerous educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Biology students from both the U.S.A. and Kenya will gain hands-on training in the fields of disease ecology and behavioral ecology. American students will obtain international research experience working at the study site in Kenya; and students from both countries will have unique opportunities for academic and cultural exchange. This award is co-funded by NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering.