Incubation temperature as a source of phenotypic variation in birds

近年来的研究表明，平均孵育温度的变化在1 ℃以内，就会影响雏鸭的生长发育、体况、体温调节能力、免疫功能、应激内分泌和运动性能。许多这些影响持续到孵化后至少几周。 拟议的研究将继续探索孵化温度在定义对它们的发展很重要的孵化林鸭的特征中所起的作用。具体来说，这项研究将调查孵化温度是否驱动对鸟类早期生存至关重要的生理过程之间的权衡，它们的体温调节能力和免疫系统。拟议的研究还将探索一个潜在的潜在机制，负责冥想孵化温度对鸟类表型的影响。这项研究将把研究与教育结合起来，主要针对K-12教师和学生以及野生动物科学和生物学的本科生。 K-12教育方法旨在提高对水禽自然历史和保护以及科学过程的认识。在与弗吉尼亚理工大学科学和推广计划，12所小学，4所中学，4所高中和4个特殊教育项目将有机会获得彩色印刷卡突出弗吉尼亚州水鸟的自然历史和保护状况。学校还将获得有关鸟类孵化和生殖生态学的课程计划，其中包括弗吉尼亚州的学习标准。本科生教育涉及一个新的计划，通过将研究生与进行高级论文项目的本科生研究员配对，促进相互学习。该计划的目标是为即将过渡到研究生院的本科生做好准备，让他们在学术研究的所有主要方面进行实践培训，同时为研究生最终过渡到教师职位做好准备。

Recent research demonstrates that in wood ducks (Aix sponsa) less than 1¢ªC variation in average incubation temperatures affects duckling growth, body condition, thermoregulatory ability, immune function, stress endocrinology, and locomotor performance. Many of these effects persist until at least several weeks after hatching. The proposed research will continue to explore the role incubation temperature plays in defining characteristics of hatchling wood ducks that are important to their development. Specifically, this research will investigate whether incubation temperature drives trade-offs between physiological processes critical to early survival in birds, their thermoregulatory ability and the immune system. The proposed research will also explore a potential underlying mechanism responsible for meditating effects of incubation temperature on avian phenotype. This research will integrate research with education primarily by targeting K-12 teachers and students and undergraduates in wildlife sciences and biology. The K-12 education approach aims both to raise awareness of waterfowl natural history and conservation as well as the scientific process. In teaming with the Virginia Tech Science and Outreach Program, 12 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 4 special education programs will have access to color-printed cards highlighting the natural history and conservation status of Virginia waterfowl. The schools will also have access to lesson plans pertaining to avian incubation and reproductive ecology that incorporate Virginia standards of learning. Education of undergraduates involves a new program that facilitates reciprocal learning by pairing a graduate student with an undergraduate researcher conducting a senior thesis project. The goal of the program is to prepare undergraduates for their upcoming transition to graduate school by giving them hands-on training with all major aspects of academic research, while simultaneously preparing graduate students for their eventual transition into a faculty position.