RUI: Physiological Mechanisms of Alternative Mating Tactics of Male Mallards

RUI：雄性野鸭替代交配策略的生理机制

• 批准号: 0517656
• 负责人: Ellen Davis
• 金额: $ 32.73万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-08-01 至 2010-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0517656&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Physiological; Mechanisms; Alternative; Mating

Traditionally, it is thought that males increase the likelihood of mating and siring offspring (sexual selection) by one of two means. Males may either compete directly for access to females (male-male competition) or they may have traits that serve to entice females to mate with them (female choice). Mating success can also be a function of whether males guard their mates after mating to prevent other males from mating with them or leave their mates to search for additional females. Preliminary evidence on research with the Mallard duck suggests that levels of testosterone (T) can affect a male's mating strategy. High levels of T seem to promote mate guarding, but also the tendency for males to aggressively seek and pursue females for additional matings. The proposed research investigates the variance in male reproductive tactics, especially as they relate to levels of T. Levels of T will be manipulated in captive male Mallards in large outdoor semi-natural enclosures. The various reproductive tactics used by males will be correlated with levels of T. Additionally, this research seeks to identify regions of the brain that may be involved in various male mating tactics. These experiments will be conducted by undergraduate researchers, whose contributions have been integral and absolutely essential to the PI's research. Undergraduate research at the PI's institution (University of Wisconsin at Whitewater) as a whole is increasing steadily, and continued support is important in providing a learning environment that trains future scientists and clinicians in true scientific discovery. Moreover, UWW has a mission to provide opportunity for underrepresented students (ethnic minorities, disabled students, women, first generation college students).

传统上，人们认为，男性增加了交配和sirsing后代（性选择）的可能性（通过两种方式之一）。雄性可以直接竞争获得女性（男性竞争），或者他们的特征可能会吸引女性与她们交配（女性选择）。 交配成功也可以是男性在交配后守护自己的伴侣以防止其他男性与他们交配或离开伴侣寻找其他女性。 关于木马鸭研究的研究的初步证据表明，睾丸激素（T）的水平会影响男性的交配策略。 高水平的T似乎促进了伴侣的保护，但也倾向于男性积极寻求和追求女性以获得其他额定额的趋势。拟议的研究调查了男性生殖策略的差异，尤其是因为它们与T水平的T含量有关。在大型室外半天然围栏中，将在圈养的男性野鸭中操纵T水平。 男性使用的各种生殖策略将与T级相关。此外，该研究旨在确定可能涉及各种男性交配策略的大脑区域。 这些实验将由本科研究人员进行，他们的贡献是PI研究的组成部分，绝对必不可少的。 PI机构（威斯康星大学怀特沃特大学）的本科研究正在稳步增长，并且持续的支持对于提供学习的学习环境很重要，该学习环境培训未来的科学家和临床医生真正的科学发现。此外，UWW的使命是为代表性不足的学生（少数民族，残疾学生，女性，第一代大学生）提供机会。