Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

12 Jun, 08 AM - 19 Jun, 05 PM

For years, biologists have noticed patterns in animal reproductive biology across different latitudes and elevations. We are studying different populations of the same species, the house wren, Troglodytes aedon, at high and low elevations in California and Costa Rica to gain insight into the factors underlying these patterns. Specifically, we are banding house wrens and collecting observational data on their song behavior, territoriality, mate fidelity and parental behavior as well as collecting small blood samples from each bird to examine circulating hormone levels and genetic population structure in the Eastern Sierra, in the canyons of southern California, and at two sites in Costa Rica. Because of tremendous between season variability at these sites, we are also collecting data over a number of years. Together, these data will allow us to address some long-standing issues and controversies in life history theory (e.g. why do animals have different clutch sizes and durations of incubation and nestling development at different locations?), behavioral ecology (e.g. when and why do animals cheat on their mates?) and reproductive physiology (e.g. why do hormones exhibit less control over behavior at lower latitudes?) in vertebrates in general.

Visit #18153 @Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

Approved

Under Project # 6804 | Research

Environmental influences on avian reproductive biology

faculty - Pomona College

Reservation Members(s)

Rachel Levin Jun 12 - 19, 2009 (8 days)
Group of 3 Research Assistant (non-student/faculty/postdoc) Jun 12 - 19, 2009 (8 days)
Rachel Levin Jun 12 - 19, 2009 (8 days)

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