DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Postcopulatory Sexual Selection and Gametic Isolation in Stalk-Eyed Flies

论文研究：茎眼果蝇的交配后性选择和配子分离

• 批准号: 0710002
• 负责人: Eric Haag
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Maryland, College Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-06-01 至 2009-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0710002&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Postcopulatory; Sexual; Selection

This research addresses the intersection of two major fields in evolutionary biology: speciation and sexual selection. Speciation - the splitting of one lineage into two - is the evolutionary force responsible for creating the incredible diversity of life we see in the world. Understanding the driving forces underlying speciation has been a primary goal of evolutionary research since Darwin published his seminal book in 1859. Sexual Selection is the evolutionary force created by competition for mates and gametes. Sexual selection can act at any point during the selection of mates, the mating sequence and even after copulation. In the pre-copulatory context, males compete for access to females and females choose among males. In the post-copulatory context, female reproductive tract morphology and physiology choose among the sperm of multiple males while sperm compete within females for access to gametes. Recent work has shown that post-copulatory traits evolve extremely rapidly due to the immense evolutionary pressure focused on the fertilization event. This is true in a wide range of taxa, from insects to mammals.Only recently have researchers begun to investigate whether divergence in post-copulatory traits plays a causal role in speciation. This type of reproductive isolating barrier is termed Gametic Isolation. This project examines whether gametic isolation has evolved among recently diverged populations of stalk-eyed flies. The results will offer insight into both the patterns of gametic isolation among populations and the relative importance of gametic isolation as a mechanism of speciation. A PhD student and at least one undergraduate student will be trained. Additionally, the results of this research will be disseminated through poster and oral presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

这项研究介绍了进化生物学两个主要领域的交集：物种和性选择。物种形成 - 将一个血统分为两个 - 是负责创造我们在世界上看到的令人难以置信的生命多样性的进化力量。自从达尔文（Darwin）于1859年出版其开创性以来，了解进化研究的驱动力一直是进化研究的主要目标。性选择是竞争对伴侣和配子竞争创造的进化力量。性选择可以在选择伴侣，交配序列以及交配后的任何时刻起作用。在围场前的背景下，男性竞争获得女性和女性在男性中的选择。在调节后的背景下，女性生殖道的形态和生理学选择在多个男性的精子中选择，而精子在女性内竞争以获得配子。最近的工作表明，由于巨大的进化压力着重于受精事件，因此伪造性状的进化非常迅速。从昆虫到哺乳动物的各种分类单元，这是正确的。最近，研究人员开始研究伪造后特征的差异是否在物种物种中起因果作用。这种类型的生殖隔离屏障称为配子隔离。该项目研究了在最近分散的茎眼蝇种群中的配子隔离是否已经发展。结果将洞悉人群之间的配子隔离模式以及配子隔离作为物种机制的相对重要性。博士生和至少一名本科生将接受培训。此外，这项研究的结果将通过海报和口头演示以及同行评审的出版物进行传播。