Doctoral Dissertation Research: The energetics of male reproductive strategies in geladas

博士论文研究：狒狒雄性生殖策略的能量学

• 批准号: 1732231
• 负责人: Amy Lu
• 金额: $ 2.64万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Stony Brook
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-08-01 至 2021-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1732231&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; energetics; male; Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; energetics; male

In primate reproductive ecology, the role of energy as a constraint on reproduction has often focused on females. Yet across mammals, including humans, male reproductive effort can often entail substantial metabolic costs. This doctoral dissertation project will examine how energy constrains male behavior and reproduction in a wild primate, the gelada monkey. The project will provide insight into how animal physiology and reproductive efforts adjust to natural ecological change, and examine how testosterone, a regulatory mechanism for male reproductive behavior, may be directly limited by energy. By examining the effects of energetics on the allocation of testosterone-mediated reproductive effort in a nonhuman primate, this project will shed light on the selective pressures and potential influence of energetics in shaping non-human primate and hominin species. Through the course of this research, the Co-PI will provide training in lab-based behavioral endocrinology techniques for undergraduate students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. In addition, the Co-PI will conduct science education and conservation outreach at various domestic and international venues.This project will study wild gelada monkeys as a model to examine the relationship between male energetic condition, physiology, and male quality as assessed from vocal and visual signals used in male-male competition. Towards this end, this project will combine classic behavioral observations with innovative methods in (1) digital photogrammetry to assess male chest patch coloration, and (2) endocrinology to determine energetic condition from non-invasively collected urine and fecal samples. The polygynous mating system of gelada monkeys provides an ideal model to investigate contrasts in male reproductive energetics: harem-holding gelada leader males sire the vast majority of offspring while bachelor males in all-male groups lack reproductive opportunities. Reproductive success is therefore heavily skewed towards gelada leader males, and bachelors must overthrow a leader during energetically challenging "takeover" events to gain reproductive access to females. This research will evaluate the underlying seasonal variation in male energetic condition, how this variation relates to male social status, and whether energetic condition ultimately constrains testosterone-dependent signaling and male reproductive strategies. Although ample evidence suggests that lower food availability and energy may constrain male reproductive physiology, a comprehensive picture of the interrelationship between testosterone, energy, and reproduction in male primates is needed. This research will be one of the first to assess how energy may be a limiting factor for male reproductive success in wild primates.

在灵长类动物的生态学中，能量作为繁殖的限制的作用通常集中在女性上。然而，在包括人类在内的整个哺乳动物中，男性生殖努力通常可能需要大量代谢成本。该博士学位论文项目将研究能量如何限制野生灵长类动物胶质猴子中的男性行为和繁殖。该项目将提供有关动物生理和生殖努力如何适应自然生态变化的洞察力，并研究睾丸激素是如何直接受到能量限制的男性生殖行为的调节机制。通过研究能量学对睾丸激素介导的生殖努力分配在非人类灵长类动物中的影响，该项目将阐明能量学在塑造非人类灵长类动物和人本性物种中的选择性压力和潜在影响。通过这项研究的过程，COPI将为基于实验室的行为内分泌技术提供培训，为来自STEM领域中代表性不足的小组的本科生提供培训。此外，Co-Pi将在各种国内和国际场所进行科学教育和保护外展。该项目将研究野生胶质猴子，以研究男性竞争中使用的人声和视觉信号所评估的男性能量状况，生理学和男性质量之间的关系。为此，该项目将在（1）数字摄影测量法中结合经典的行为观察，以评估男性胸部斑块着色，以及（2）内分泌学，以确定来自非侵入性收集的尿液和粪便样品的能量状况。凝胶猴的一夫多妻制成系统提供了一个理想的模型来研究男性生殖能量学的对比：持有后宫的凝胶领导者男性父亲是绝大多数后代，而在所有男子群体中的单身汉都缺乏生殖机会。因此，生殖成功倾向于Gelada领导者男性，单身汉必须在充满活力的“接管”事件中推翻领导者，以获得与女性的生殖通道。这项研究将评估男性能量状况下的潜在季节变化，这种变异与男性社会地位有关，以及能量状况是否最终会限制睾丸激素依赖性信号传导和男性生殖策略。尽管有足够的证据表明，较低的食物可用性和能量可能会限制男性生殖生理学，但需要全面地了解男性灵长类动物的睾丸激素，能量和繁殖之间的相互关系。这项研究将是最早评估能量如何成为野生灵长类动物繁殖成功的限制因素之一。