How does habitat complexity drive motor ageing and fitness in wild mammals?

该项目旨在展示栖息地复杂性如何影响野生蝙蝠类有袋类动物的运动衰老，并通过行为和生理变化来改善这些动物的运动功能，减缓其衰退并增加生殖产量。运动能力下降会对动物的生长、生存和繁殖产生重大影响，因为它会影响它们在觅食、寻找配偶或躲避捕食者时如何在栖息地中移动。然而，人们对野生动物运动老化的环境驱动因素知之甚少。我们的项目解决了进化生态学领域的一个重要空白。由于肌肉功能的下降影响到澳大利亚人的生活质量，我们的工作可能会带来重要的经济和健康影响。

This project aims to demonstrate how habitat complexity shapes motor ageing in wild dasyurid marsupials, and to improve these animals’ motor function, slow its decline and increase reproductive output via behavioural and physiological changes. Motor decline should dramatically impact an animal growth, survival and reproduction by affecting how it moves through habitats when foraging, seeking mates, or escaping from predators. However, little is known about the environmental drivers of motor ageing in wild animals. Our project addresses an important gap in the field of evolutionary ecology. Since decline in muscle function affects the quality of Australian's life, our work could lead to important economic and health implications.