Maternal homozygosity and egg production
Mating between closely-related individuals negatively affects individual fitness, a phenomenon known as inbreeding depression. This has attracted attention in a wide range of fields such as ecology, conservation biology, animal breeding and medicine. Egg hatchability in birds is one of the most commonly reported fitness traits affected by inbreeding, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Reduced egg hatchability can be affected by parental genetic similarity affecting genetic quality of the embryo and maternal homozygosity affecting the quality of parental care. Both factors could be involved but they could influence the outcome through different mechanisms.
Most studies have focused on how parental genetic similarity affects egg hatchability where the zygote accumulates deleterious alleles. Several studies have also demonstrated an effect of maternal homozygosity on egg hatchability independent of the accumulation of deleterious alleles in the zygote. Parental provisioning and care is affected by many genes and can be costly and, therefore is an excellent candidate for revealing negative effects of inbreeding on fitness. The aim is to experimentally tease apart the effects of maternal inbreeding on egg hatchability in zebra finches. Zebra finches readily accept closely related breeding partners and their female offspring can produce viable eggs. They provide an excellent opportunity for experimental studies on the effect of maternal homozygosity on egg hatchability.
Applications are invited from students who either hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second class Honours degree in a relevant subject or who hold a relevant Masters degree. No previous experience in the techniques to be used is necessary, although an interest and aptitude in combining behavioural and laboratory analytical methods would be advantageous. The student will join an active research group at the Division of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology (http://www.gla.ac.uk/departments/eeb/) at the Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences.
Please send a copy of your CV together with a covering letter and the names and contact details of two academic referees to Ruedi Nager (r.nager@bio.gla.ac.uk), Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ. Application deadline is the 15 February 2008.
Funding Notes
NERC – Funded PhD Studentship
Supervisors: Dr Ruedi Nager and Prof Malcolm Kennedy, Division of Environmental & Evolutionary Biology
Starting Date: October 2008
http://www.findaphd.com/search/showproject.asp?projectid=15970
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