Mechanisms of sex-specific reproductive timing and migratory movements in seasonal environments

来自地球周围的证据表明，气候状况正在发生变化，社会现在面临着这样一个问题：动物能跟上环境变化的速度吗？在像加拿大这样的季节性环境中，迁徙和繁殖的时间对动物的生殖适应性有很大影响。然而，最佳时机可以是性别特异性的，并且在多个空间和时间尺度上变化的环境中难以实现。为了准确地预测种群的反应，我们需要加强对个体如何预测季节变化和对环境变化的反应的理解。我们也不能再忽视迁移和繁殖时间上的性别差异，因为个体对非生物和生物因素的反应可能是性别特异性的。我的研究计划是揭示影响男性和女性如何应对环境因素的迁移和生殖事件的关键机制。我提议的研究将集中在两个脊椎动物群体，这是迁徙，高度季节性，并表现出性别特异性的时间：太平洋鲑鱼和北美莺。 我的研究项目揭示了鲑鱼和鸟类季节性时间个体差异的新见解，并出现了一个广泛的主题。我的数据表明，个体动物可以灵活地调整它们的迁徙和繁殖时间，以最大限度地提高适应性，这可能会加速适应气候变化。然而，我们仍然没有接近预测人口反应。我的下一步将是通过关注潜在的机制来了解更多关于适应性的、性别特异性的时间安排。 我提出的新研究计划有三个目标。(1)我将进行一项明确的研究，行为和生理机制的基础性别特异性迁移时间在莺，通过使用一个国家的最先进的，大规模的遥测阵列（75自动接收器），以跟踪迁移运动超过40,000平方米。在安大略。(2)我将进行实地实验，以揭示kokanee鲑鱼性别特异性迁移时间的机制。(3)我将评估社会行为如何影响迁徙行为和到达科卡尼鲑鱼产卵区的时间。来自这些研究的数据将解决关于时间的重要假设，并将为理论发展提供支持。 我的研究计划将推进鲑鱼和候鸟的性别特异性时间的知识，这两个群体对加拿大具有特殊的生态，经济和文化重要性。我将培训16名学生和9名其他学员。这些学员将成为生态学，进化和行为基础方面的专家，并将获得研究和建模迁移，繁殖，能源使用和运动的技能。他们将成为在学术界，工业界，政府和非政府组织工作的高素质科学家，以确定自然资源管理的最佳实践。

Evidence from around the Earth indicates that climate regimes are shifting, and society now faces the question: can animals keep pace with the rate of environmental change? In seasonal environments like those of Canada, the timing of migration and reproduction strongly influences reproductive fitness in animals. Yet optimal timing can be sex-specific and difficult to achieve in environments that vary at multiple spatial and temporal scales. To predict responses of populations accurately, we need to strengthen our understanding of how individuals anticipate seasonal change and respond to environmental variability. We also can no longer ignore sex differences in the timing of migration and reproduction, because the way individuals respond to abiotic and biotic factors likely will be sex-specific. My research program is uncovering key mechanisms that influence how males and females time their migratory and reproductive events in response to environmental factors. My proposed research will focus on two vertebrate groups that are migratory, highly seasonal, and exhibit sex-specific timing: Pacific salmon and North American warblers.       My research program has revealed new insights about individual variation in seasonal timing in salmon and birds, and a broad theme has emerged. My data suggest that individual animals may flexibly adjust their timing of migration and reproduction to maximize fitness, which may hasten adaptation to climate change. However, we are still not close to predicting population responses. My next step will be to learn more about adaptive, sex-specific timing by focusing on underlying mechanisms.       My proposed new research program has three objectives. (1) I will undertake a definitive study of the behavioural and physiological mechanisms underlying sex-specific migration timing in warblers, by using a state-of-the-art, large-scale telemetry array (75 automated receivers) to track migratory movements over 40,000 sq. km in Ontario. (2) I will conduct field experiments to uncover the mechanisms underlying sex-specific migration timing in kokanee salmon. (3) I will evaluate how social behaviour influences migration behaviour and arrival timing to spawning areas in kokanee salmon. Data from these studies will address important hypotheses about timing and will feed into theory development.       My research program will advance knowledge of sex-specific timing in salmon and migratory birds, two groups that are of exceptional ecological, economic, and cultural importance to Canada. I will train 16 students and 9 other trainees. These trainees will become experts in the fundamentals of ecology, evolution, and behaviour, and will gain skills to study and model migration, reproduction, energy use, and movement. They will become highly competent scientists working in academia, industry, government, and NGOs to determine best practices for natural resource management.