DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Function and Evolution of Rapid Color Change as a Social Signal

论文研究：快速颜色变化作为社交信号的功能和演变

• 批准号: 1401236
• 负责人: Kevin McGraw
• 金额: $ 1.96万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-01 至 2016-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1401236&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Function; Evolution; Rapid

To date, most studies on visual signals have focused on the fixed appearances of animals and, specifically, of their color. As a result, dynamic color signals remain poorly understood from ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary standpoints. To begin to address this discrepancy, the researchers previously conducted detailed studies of the control and function of rapid color change in male veiled chameleons, Chamaeleo calyptratus. However, a broader context is required to understand the evolutionary origins of and constraints on these unusual color change signals. In this study, the researchers will conduct a comparative study of Bradypodion dwarf chameleons to investigate how and why color change signals evolved. Dwarf chameleons exhibit marked variation in color change and display behavior among species, making them ideal for testing evolutionary hypotheses about the origin and function of this rare signal type. This study seeks to determine whether color change evolved to accentuate behavioral displays (or vice versa), or arose as a signal independent of complex behaviors and evaluate potential phylogenetic constraints on color change. In addition to communicating findings in scientific journals, the researchers will partner with outreach programs at Arizona State University and the South African National Biodiversity Institute to share major research findings via customized learning activities for middle school students in Arizona and South Africa. To better understand whether elaborate behavioral displays evolved before, after, or concurrently with complex color change signals, the researchers will measure natural suites of intraspecific behavioral (i.e. aggressive/submissive) and color signals in 12 species of dwarf chameleons using high-definition video cameras to record staged, aggressive interactions between conspecifics in each species natural habitat. Still photos of the animals, concurrently with video, will be taken during aggressive trials and colorimetric data will be collected throughout behavioral displays and bouts of rapid color change. Felsenstein's independent contrasts and phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) analysis will be used to evaluate the evolutionary relationships between multiple aspects of display colorimetrics and display behaviors, and the strength of the phylogenetic signal will be evaluated for all color and behavioral signals. Lastly, the program Mesquite will be used to reconstruct ancestral states of behavioral displays and color signals in an attempt to disentangle the order and patterns of signal elaboration.

迄今为止，大多数有关视觉信号的研究都集中在动物的固定外观上，尤其是其颜色。结果，从生态，行为和进化的角度来看，动态颜色信号仍然很糟糕。为了开始解决这一差异，研究人员先前对男性面纱变色龙（Chamaeleo calyptratus）进行了详细研究。但是，需要更广泛的背景来了解这些不寻常的色彩变化信号的进化起源和约束。在这项研究中，研究人员将对脑型矮化变色龙进行比较研究，以研究颜色变化信号如何发展。矮化变色龙在物种之间表现出明显的颜色变化和显示行为的变化，使其非常适合测试有关这种稀有信号类型的起源和功能的进化假设。这项研究旨在确定颜色变化是否演变为强调行为显示（反之亦然），还是作为信号而独立于复杂行为，并评估了对颜色变化的潜在系统发育约束。除了在科学期刊上进行调查结果外，研究人员还将与亚利桑那州立大学和南非国家生物多样性研究所与外展计划合作，通过针对亚利桑那州和南非的中学生定制学习活动来分享主要的研究结果。为了更好地理解详尽的行为表现是否在复杂的色彩变化信号之前，之后或同时演变，研究人员将使用高度定义摄像机的12种矮人矮人的自然行为（即侵略性/服从性）和颜色信号来衡量具有上述，侵略性的互动，以记录各种群体的自然互动。在积极试验期间将拍摄动物的静止照片，并将在整个行为显示和快速色彩变化的过程中收集比色数据。 Felsenstein的独立对比度和系统发育的最小二乘（PGL）分析将用于评估显示比色和显示行为的多个方面之间的进化关系，并且将评估所有颜色和行为信号的系统发育信号的强度。最后，梅斯基特将使用该程序来重建行为显示和颜色信号的祖先状态，以试图解散信号阐述的顺序和模式。