CAREER: Investigating Fitness Trade-offs In A Southern Ocean Predator, The Leopard Seal

第1部分：非技术概述：雄性和雌性之间的特征差异在整个动物界都很普遍。因为这些特征通常会导致影响繁殖成功和生存的权衡，所以理解它们是生物学中的一个基本问题。豹海豹是南大洋的大型捕食者，也是哺乳动物中偏向雌性的两面性的极端例子，在哺乳动物中，雌性比雄性更大。然而，这些规模差异的影响尚不清楚。这个项目将调查豹海豹中雌性偏向二态的原因和后果，并将产生关于这种重要而神秘的极地捕食者的生活史、生殖生理和繁殖生物学的新数据。这些信息对于理解豹海豹的过去、现在和未来--从该物种如何进化到预测它们在前所未有的环境变化时代的适应能力--至关重要。该项目还具有很强的教育成分。它旨在通过培训、指导和支持两名博士后、两名研究生和25名以上的本科生，增加历史上被排除在外的群体对极地生物学的参与。它还将通过在地方、国家和国际范围内的外展活动让学生和公众参与科学研究。第2部分：技术概述从种内适应能力的差异到物种水平的生活史策略，列车差异可能导致重要的权衡，影响多个规模的生物过程。豹海豹表现出一种极端的雌性偏向体型二型性。然而，对于像豹海豹这样独居的、分布广泛的极地物种来说，很难研究它们的生活史和生殖生物学。因此，目前还不清楚豹海豹的体型二型性与它们生物学的其他方面有什么关系。这个项目的目标是研究与豹海豹中雌性偏向的二形性有关的健康权衡。具体地说，这项研究将(1)评估雄性和雌性在形态和生活史上的差异，(2)比较雄性和雌性的生殖生理，(3)调查它们的繁殖行为和生殖活动，以及(4)对哺乳动物中偏向雌性的二态进行交叉合成。该团队将分析生物收集中的现有标本，并进行实地工作，以产生新的、补充的数据。这些信息对于了解豹海豹是如何进化到在南大洋生存和生存至关重要的。这项研究与NSF的南极和南大洋研究投资战略愿景相一致，并支持为创建和利用开放的极地研究软件以及在极地研究中重复使用数据和样本而进行的持续努力。这项工作依赖于世界各地学术界、非营利组织和政府机构的强有力的合作，其结果将与全球受众广泛分享。该项目还旨在增加来自历史上被排斥群体的人在极地研究中的参与和保留。具体地说，目标是(1)招募和培训一支多样化、包容性和支持性的研究团队，(2)领导一门研究密集型本科生课程(海豹实验室)，以及(3)为研究生和博士后提供实践领导和指导经验。该项目将吸引学生和公众参与极地研究，因为学生将在博物馆、田野和基于实验室的环境中进行研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Part 1: Non-technical summary Trait differences between males and females are widespread across the animal kingdom. Because these traits often lead to trade-offs that affect reproductive success and survival, understanding them is a fundamental question in biology. Leopard seals are large predators in the Southern Ocean and an extreme example of female-biased dimorphism in mammals, where females are the larger than males. Yet, the effects of these size differences are unknown. This project will investigate the causes and consequences of female-biased dimorphism in leopard seals and will generate new data on the life history, reproductive physiology, and breeding biology of this important and enigmatic polar predator. This information is critical for understanding leopard seals' past, present, and future—from how the species evolved to predicting their resilience in an era of unprecedented environmental change. The project also has a strong education component. It aims to increase the participation of people from historically excluded groups in polar biology by training, mentoring, and supporting two postdocs, two grad students, and 25+ undergraduates. It will also engage students and the public in scientific research through outreach activities at local, national, and international scales.Part 2: Technical summaryTrait differences can lead to important trade-offs that affect biological processes at multiple scales, from intraspecific differences in fitness to species-level life history strategies. Leopard seals exhibit an extreme form of female-biased size dimorphism. However, for solitary, wide-ranging polar species like leopard seals, it is difficult to study their life history and reproductive biology. As a result, it is unknown how leopard seals' size dimorphism relates to other aspects of their biology. The goal of this project is to examine fitness trade-offs associated with female-biased dimorphism in leopard seals. Specifically, this study will (1) assess differences in male and female morphology and life history, (2) compare reproductive physiology between males and females, (3) investigate their breeding behavior and reproductive activities, and (4) conduct a cross-clade synthesis of female-biased dimorphism in mammals. The team will analyze existing specimens from biological collections and conduct field efforts to generate novel, complementary data. This information is critical for understanding how leopard seals evolved to survive and persist in the Southern Ocean. The research aligns with NSF's Strategic Vision for Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research and supports ongoing efforts to create and utilize open polar research software, as well as data and sample reuse in polar research. This work relies on strong collaborations across academia, non-profits, and government institutions worldwide, and the results will be broadly shared with global audiences. This project also aims to increase the participation and retention of people from historically excluded groups in polar research. Specifically, the goals are to (1) recruit and train a diverse, inclusive, and supportive research team, (2) lead a research-intensive undergrad course (SEAL Lab), and (3) provide grad students and postdocs with hands-on leadership and mentoring experiences. The project will engage students and the public in polar research, as students will conduct research in museum, field, and lab-based settings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.