Collaborative Research: Life history, kinship and the evolution of alternative female reproductive strategies

University Of California-Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Abstract

Females in a wide variety of animals pursue a remarkable reproductive behavior - they lay eggs in the nests of other individuals in the population and thereby parasitize the parental care of those females. Despite its widespread occurrence in birds (> 200 species), the factors that promote this behavior remain poorly understood. The recent discovery that parasites and their hosts may be genetically related also raises the intriguing possibility that kinship plays some role, blurring the distinction between evolutionary parasitism and cooperation. This project undertakes one of the most comprehensive analyses of this breeding system ever done, focusing on the wood duck (Aix sponsa), a species of management concern, as a model system. The study employs population-wide DNA genotyping, detailed observational and experimental field studies, and RFID (radio frequency identification) technology to follow all nesting behaviors and social interactions among all breeding females. These data enable comprehensive tests of numerous but rarely tested hypotheses for parasitic reproductive behavior. The novel application of RFID tagging, where all individuals will be tagged and all nestboxes installed with readers, represents the first population-wide use of a technology that could revolutionize studies of animal social systems and demography in the wild. The project provides a continuing undergraduate training program, which will engage 20-30 student interns each year in their first research experience. A collaborative partnership has also been formed with the California Waterfowl Association to provide hands-on education for K-12 school groups through the "Wood Duck Wonders" and "Youth Leadership" programs. These programs will bring urban school groups to the study site to participate directly in scientific research. Over 50% of the students in these programs are Title 1 low-income status. This project offers a huge potential to engage young people who have fewer opportunities to learn about science, the natural world and their own potential.