2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Sibling competitions affect the decisions and adaptive evolution in mammals
Project/Area Number |
19K16202
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Review Section |
Basic Section 45020:Evolutionary biology-related
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Research Institution | University of Miyazaki |
Principal Investigator |
Nagura-Kato Goro 宮崎大学, フロンティア科学総合研究センター, 助教 (50823423)
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Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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Keywords | 休眠 / 兄妹関係 / 兄妹の競争 / 巣立ち / 分散 / 個体差 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
In the present study, we examined the effect of sibling relationships on the variation in the expression of torpor after maturity in laboratory mouse. As a result, individuals with a lighter birth mass within siblings were more likely to exhibit torpor. This result is consistent with our previous study. In addition, these individuals tended to be weaning their nest earlier than other siblings and showed a preference for novel environments. This suggests that individuals with higher torpor utilization within siblings may disperse to new habitats where they are forced to adapt more to the environment. On the other hand, individuals with lower torpor utilization, i.e., heavier individuals with a higher birth mass, are thought to reach sexual maturity earlier and thus join the reproductive activity earlier in familiar habitat. The adaptive strategy of torpor may therefore have evolved in close association with family relationships.
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Free Research Field |
動物生理学、動物行動学
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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
多胎生の小型哺乳類では、離乳を迎えた仔獣が次々と巣立っていく。そのなかには住み慣れた生活圏を離れない保守的な個体や、それとは逆に新天地へと進出していく積極的な個体とが存在する。これらの分散様式に関わる各個体の特徴や性格は、近年少しずつ明らかにされている。本研究では、ひと腹兄妹にみられる休眠利用性の違いが各個体の分散様式にも影響する可能性が示唆された。つまり、分散様式は個々の能力に応じて決まっている可能性があり、少なくとも休眠能力は家族関係の影響を受けている可能性が高い。本研究で得た成果は、休眠という適応戦略の進化が家族関係にどのように影響を受けてきたのかを探る学術的意義の高い内容である。
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