DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Mate choice, genetic variation and population structure in hybrid zones

论文研究：杂交区的配偶选择、遗传变异和种群结构

• 批准号: 1011613
• 负责人: Gil Rosenthal
• 金额: $ 1.5万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-07-01 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1011613&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Mate; choice; genetic

Behavioral decisions are important mechanisms that can prevent interbreeding of species, and are critical to the evolutionary fate of natural hybrids. The project seeks to understand how these behavioral decisions affect the genetics of populations. Single nucleotide differences in DNA sequences between two species of neotropical stream fish will be used to study the genetics of hybrid populations in an area of Mexico where the two species hybridize in the wild. Since hybrid fish are sometimes difficult to visually distinguish from parent species, this molecular approach will enable investigators to identify fish as hybrid or parent species. Knowing the species identity of individuals will allow the investigators to examine behavioral decisions by determining who females mate with (mate choice decisions) and who individuals spend time with (social decisions), as well as whether there are differences in post-birth survival among hybrids and pure parentals in these livebearing fish. Preliminary results suggest that behavioral decisions may be more important in shaping the genetics of populations than is selection against hybrid fish. Further molecular work will allow more in-depth analyses of behavior and genetic patterns. This work will build and expand upon understanding the contributions of both pre-mating behavior (social decisions and mate choice decisions) and post-mating behavior (differential fertilization of eggs and natural selection) to the fate of natural hybrids, reproductive isolation of species and speciation. The project and investigators will accomplish outreach through the CICHAZ field station in Mexico via electronic media and mentoring of a Mexican student in molecular techniques in addition to continuing to foster internationally collaborative projects.

行为决策是防止物种杂交的重要机制，对于自然杂交的进化命运至关重要。 该项目旨在了解这些行为决策如何影响人群的遗传学。 两种新热带溪流鱼之间 DNA 序列的单核苷酸差异将被用于研究墨西哥地区两个物种在野外杂交的杂交种群的遗传学。 由于杂交鱼有时很难在视觉上与亲本物种区分开来，这种分子方法将使研究人员能够将鱼类识别为杂交鱼或亲本物种。 了解个体的物种身份将使研究人员能够通过确定雌性与谁交配（择偶决策）以及个体与谁共度时光（社会决策）来检查行为决策，以及杂交种之间出生后生存是否存在差异这些活鱼的纯亲本。 初步结果表明，行为决策在塑造种群遗传方面可能比针对杂交鱼的选择更重要。 进一步的分子工作将有助于对行为和遗传模式进行更深入的分析。 这项工作将建立并扩展对交配前行为（社会决策和择偶决策）和交配后行为（卵的差异受精和自然选择）对自然杂交种命运、物种生殖隔离和物种形成。 除了继续促进国际合作项目外，该项目和研究人员还将通过电子媒体在墨西哥的 CICHAZ 现场站完成外展活动，并对一名墨西哥学生进行分子技术指导。