DISSERTATION RESEARCH:Evolutionary flexibility of hormone systems and behavior

论文研究：激素系统和行为的进化灵活性

• 批准号: 1311680
• 负责人: Kim Hoke
• 金额: $ 1.93万
• 依托单位: Colorado State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-08-01 至 2015-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1311680&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Evolutionary; flexibility; hormone

Biologists still don't understand the mechanisms by which genetic and environmental influences interact to produce well-functioning organisms. This project takes advantage of the wealth of research on stress hormones in the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) to ask how differences in stress hormones coordinate favorable changes in traits influenced by these hormones such as behavior, color, and body size. To address these questions, the project measures hormone levels and various behaviors in fish reared in the laboratory using a breeding design that distinguishes the effects of genetic background and rearing environment. The project will reveal how long- and short-term environmental differences alter hormone levels and the consequences of changes in hormone levels on traits that influence guppy survival. The results will reveal the hormonal mechanisms by which genes and the environment interact to shape multiple traits. In addition, hormone levels - in particular stress hormone levels - are often used to predict health and fitness in wild and domestic animals, and understanding how genetics and environment interact to modify levels in natural populations will improve predictions of how animals respond to novel or changing environments, such as habitat degradation, invasive species, and climate change. This dissertation improvement grant will support the training of a graduate student and research involvement of multiple undergraduate students. The project will also reach out to local middle and high schools using guppies as a model for inquiry-based science in the classroom.

生物学家仍然不了解遗传和环境影响与产生功能良好的生物相互作用的机制。该项目利用了特立尼达鸟孔（Poecilia eticulata）中对应激激素的丰富研究，以询问压力激素的差异如何协调受这些激素影响（例如行为，颜色和体型）影响的特征的有利变化。为了解决这些问题，该项目使用育种设计来测量在实验室饲养的鱼类中的激素水平和各种行为，从而区分遗传背景和饲养环境的影响。该项目将揭示长期和短期环境差异如何改变激素水平，以及激素水平变化对影响孔雀生存的性状的影响。结果将揭示基因和环境相互作用以塑造多种性状的激素机制。此外，激素水平（尤其是应激激素水平）通常用于预测野生动物和家畜的健康和适应性，并了解遗传学和环境如何相互作用以改变自然种群的水平将改善动物对新颖或变化环境的反应，例如栖息地降解，侵入性物种以及气候变化。这项论文改进赠款将支持培训研究生，并支持多个本科生的研究参与。该项目还将使用孔雀厂作为教室中基于询问的科学的典范来接触当地的中学和高中。