| 1972 — 1977 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Polymorphism and Aggression @ University of California-Berkeley |
1 |
| 1976 — 1977 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Aggression and Territorialism in Ecology @ University of California-Berkeley |
1 |
| 1976 — 1979 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Chemical Communication @ University of California-Berkeley |
1 |
| 1976 — 1978 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Doctoral Dissertation Research in Psycholbiology @ University of California-Berkeley |
1 |
| 1976 — 1979 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Reproductive Strategies in Cyprinodont Fish @ University of California-Berkeley |
1 |
| 1977 — 1980 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Behavioral Consequences of Color Polymorphism @ University of California-Berkeley |
1 |
| 1979 — 1982 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
A Test of Parental Investment Theory @ University of California-Berkeley |
1 |
| 1980 — 1983 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Integration of Agonistic Behavior @ University of California-Berkeley |
1 |
| 1985 — 1987 |
Barlow, George W |
R01Activity Code Description:
To support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project to be performed by the named investigator(s) in an area representing his or her specific interest and competencies. |
Foster Parents Affect Young's Color and Mate Choice @ University of California Berkeley
The long-term objective is to understand the effects of parental care, during an early phase of development, on the adult behavior of the offspring. Most such studies have been conducted on mammals and birds, and almost all investigations of sexual imprinting have been on birds, though the conclusions are too freely extended to human beings in the popular literature. Cichlid fishes provide an excellent alternative for testing the generality of such concepts because the monogamous species have well developed bi-parental care of their young. The Midas cichlid offers the further advantage of striking color polymorphism (some fish are gold - G, others normal - N), providing a natural experiment to exploit. In this project, young of G parents are divided into two groups and fostered by parents who are all four possible combinations of two colors and two sexes, as well as no parents. When mature, individual males and females from those five groups are tested to determine the color of mate they prefer. Other experiments will be done on the effects of genetic differences, whether a sensitive period exists, and so on. Cross-fostering has produced the remarkable discovery that the color of the foster parents has a strong effect on the color of the young. N foster parents provide genetically G young with some stimulation that inhibits the loss of melanophores, the process by which N fish become G. Identifying the stimulus, most likely the mucus or skin the young normally eat from the surface of the parents, and the mode of action of the stimulus, may afford a new insight into the metabolism of melanophores, hence a better understanding of the physiology of melanomas. G aggressively dominate N, which enables them to compete more effectively for limiting resources, but enhanced dominance also interferes with G males mating with N females. Demonstrating that early experience with foster parents, which happens through kidnapping in nature, can alter coloration that has such profound social consequences will be a striking example of the indirect effect that early experience can have on behavior through altered morphology.
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0.958 |
| 1991 — 1995 |
Barlow, George |
N/AActivity Code Description:
No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Monogamy and Aggression @ University of California-Berkeley
This project explores the relationship between a male and a female in a monogamous pair of fish, the Midas cichlid of Nicaragua. As is typical of monogamous species, males and females look alike and have the same behavior patterns. Pair formation is accompanied by high levels of threat display as each sex probes to determine that the other has the wherewithal to obtain and protect a breeding territory, and to defend the eggs and young against predators. When arbitrarily selected, only about 50% of pairs put together successfully mate; aggression gets out of control in the others. Some fish lose their dark pigments and become strikingly gold in color. The gold-colored fish inhibit aggression in their opponents; thus nature has provided a unique experimental tool for exploring pair relationships. The experiments are of two types. In the first, Dr. Barlow will test three alternative hypotheses in aquaria. Each makes different predictions about the success of pairing depending on the aggressiveness of the individuals. In the second experiment, Dr. Barlow will explore the relationship between color, aggressiveness, and sex, using a large pool situation. In the field, the fish mate predominantly with those of the same color, but experiments have proved that they have no preferences by color that would predict such an outcome. The effect of gold color on aggression probably produces assortative mating in the field; if so, this can tell us something important about mate compatibility. Dr. Barlow will also make a field trip to Nicaragua to test conclusions and predictions. This project departs from the prevailing vogue. Current theory on mating has led to an emphasis on polygynous species, in which the sexes look strikingly different from one another, mate quickly, then separate. Mates in monogamous species remain together and have a greater need to adjust aggressiveness. The Midas cichlid offers the possibility of being a model species for understanding intersexual aggression in monogamous species in general. Note that spousal abuse is exceedingly common in humans; in the USA, a spouse is abused on average every 15 seconds. Finally, the Midas cichlid is the most important food fish in Nicaragua; information about its reproductive behavior is useful in managing and culturing this species.
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