1. Proposal Writing Laboratory 3 Biol/Psych 3750

2. 2 Writing a Proposal Research proposals serve a number of purposes. Among them: Research proposals serve a number of purposes. Among them: –They convince others that your research is worth undertaking. –They enable you to demonstrate expertise and competency in your particular area of study. –They may serve as a contract between the researcher and her funders. –They serve as a planning tool for the researcher.

3. 3 Well, first you need a clear research question. Researchers get their research questions from many different places. Well, first you need a clear research question. Researchers get their research questions from many different places. –Observation of the world –Theory –Previous research –Practical concerns –Personal interest Look in many different places at the same time. Read, talk to people, and look closely at the world around you Look in many different places at the same time. Read, talk to people, and look closely at the world around you Great! So how do I start?

4. 4 Setting Limits on Your Research Having decided upon a suitable research problem it is crucial that the researcher define the research question unambiguously. This involves two closely related tasks: This involves two closely related tasks: –Provide explicit definitions for all concepts used in the research question –specify the limits of the study

5. 5 several key components which must be included in every research proposal: several key components which must be included in every research proposal: What goes into a research proposal? A description of the research problem. A description of the research problem. An argument as to why the problem is important – “rationale” including a review of literature relevant to the research problem. An argument as to why the problem is important – “rationale” including a review of literature relevant to the research problem. A description of the proposed research methodology.A description of the proposed research methodology. Predictions/InterpretationPredictions/Interpretation

6. 6 Introduction: Tells a story that is developed from the literature and leads to your hypothesis Tells a story that is developed from the literature and leads to your hypothesis Provide explicit definitions for all concepts used in the research question Provide explicit definitions for all concepts used in the research question specify the limits of the study/define concepts specify the limits of the study/define concepts Do not report everyone’s research Do not report everyone’s research Instead use their results to support your hypothesis Instead use their results to support your hypothesis

7. 7 Methods: Subjects, number, description (if appropriate) Subjects, number, description (if appropriate) Identify dependent and independent variables Identify dependent and independent variables Study design (ex: cross-sectional, longitudinal, etc.) Study design (ex: cross-sectional, longitudinal, etc.) Method of data collection (ex: scan sampling, focal animal, etc. Method of data collection (ex: scan sampling, focal animal, etc. Explain the comparisons that you will make Explain the comparisons that you will make Statistical tests to be used Statistical tests to be used

8. 8 Predictions and Interpretation: What does it mean if your statistical tests are significant/ H A is true? What does it mean if your statistical tests are significant/ H A is true? What does it mean if your tests are insignificant/ H o is true? What does it mean if your tests are insignificant/ H o is true?

9. 9 Assignment: Presentation (5 marks) Presentation (5 marks) –10 minute presentation + 3 minutes for class feedback Written Proposal (10 marks) Written Proposal (10 marks) –Maximum of 3 pages, including references –Minimum of 4 journal articles

10. The Role of Genetic Relatedness in Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) Fostering Behaviour? Research Proposal Elizabeth Perry

11. 11 Fostering behaviour in mammals is defined here as the care of young either in addition to or in place of that provided by the mother. Advantages to offspring – costly for caregiver.

12. 12 Lactation is the most energetically costly component of reproduction in mammals (Gittleman and Thompson, 1988). Provisioning young other than one’s own would: 1) result in less milk (nutrients) for biological offspring, which could lead to weaning young at insufficient weight (reduced fitness) or 2) the need to increase foraging to replenish stores which increase energetic demands during lactation.

13. 13 Fostering is common among social animals living in small groups, such as silver backed jackals (Moehlman 1983) Fostering is common among social animals living in small groups, such as silver backed jackals (Moehlman 1983) This behaviour may have evolved through kin selection or reciprocity (Reidman 1982) or may arise from maternal error or milk theft (Boness et al. 1992) This behaviour may have evolved through kin selection or reciprocity (Reidman 1982) or may arise from maternal error or milk theft (Boness et al. 1992)

14. 14 Fostering occurs in many phocid seals Fostering occurs in many phocid seals Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) (Boness 1990) Harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus) (Kovacs 1987) Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) (Boness 1990) Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina) (Boness et al. 1992) Fostering takes two forms: Fostering takes two forms: 1) females can nurse another pup after becoming separated from their own, or 1) females can nurse another pup after becoming separated from their own, or 2) females can nurse other pups simultaneously with their own (focus of this study) 2) females can nurse other pups simultaneously with their own (focus of this study)

15. 15 Only two studies have looked at fostering behaviour in seals directly: Only two studies have looked at fostering behaviour in seals directly: Hawaiian monk seals (Boness 1990) Hawaiian monk seals (Boness 1990) Harbour seals (Boness et al. 1992) Harbour seals (Boness et al. 1992) Proximate explanations: Proximate explanations: Confusion following aggressive encounters (Boness 1990) Confusion following aggressive encounters (Boness 1990) Storm-induced separations (Boness et al. 1992) Storm-induced separations (Boness et al. 1992) Large colonies, difficulty locating pup (Reidman and LeBoeuf 1982) Large colonies, difficulty locating pup (Reidman and LeBoeuf 1982) Poor offspring recognition systems (Fogden 1971) Poor offspring recognition systems (Fogden 1971) Reproductive errors (Reidman 1982) Reproductive errors (Reidman 1982)

16. 16 Ultimate explanations: Ultimate explanations: Additional maternal experience (good for future offspring) (Reidman 1982) Additional maternal experience (good for future offspring) (Reidman 1982) Care is given to relatives, thereby increasing care-giver’s inclusive fitness (Boness 1990) = kin selection Care is given to relatives, thereby increasing care-giver’s inclusive fitness (Boness 1990) = kin selection The theory of kin selection states that an individual is selected to behave altruistically provided that the benefit to kin is greater than the cost to the altruist (rb > c) The theory of kin selection states that an individual is selected to behave altruistically provided that the benefit to kin is greater than the cost to the altruist (rb > c) Possible role of kin selection in the evolution of phocid fostering behaviour has not been investigated Possible role of kin selection in the evolution of phocid fostering behaviour has not been investigated

17. 17 The objective of this study is to determine if kin selection could contribute to fostering in colonially breeding grey seals The objective of this study is to determine if kin selection could contribute to fostering in colonially breeding grey seals

18. 18 Methods Grey seal mothers and pups (focal animal) will be observed daily (8 am to 3pm) throughout the lactation period (birth to weaning) on Sable Island, Canada Grey seal mothers and pups (focal animal) will be observed daily (8 am to 3pm) throughout the lactation period (birth to weaning) on Sable Island, Canada Two breeding seasons Two breeding seasons Blinds in haul-out sites Blinds in haul-out sites The number of pairs included in study will depend on number of females that give birth in the haulout area (minimum 20 pairs per season). The number of pairs included in study will depend on number of females that give birth in the haulout area (minimum 20 pairs per season).

19. 19 Pair inclusion in this study will be based on observing the birth of the pup or certainty that the pup was born between observation days. Pair inclusion in this study will be based on observing the birth of the pup or certainty that the pup was born between observation days. Mothers and their pups will be uniquely marked with paint (3 days post-partum, to reduce likelihood of separation) and a small piece of tissue from the hind flipper will be collected using a pig ear notcher (stored in DMSO at ambient temp) Mothers and their pups will be uniquely marked with paint (3 days post-partum, to reduce likelihood of separation) and a small piece of tissue from the hind flipper will be collected using a pig ear notcher (stored in DMSO at ambient temp)

20. 20 All paint-marked pairs will be observed daily and the following variables will be recorded: All paint-marked pairs will be observed daily and the following variables will be recorded: Participant IDs Participant IDs Duration of all incidences of nursing (ID pairs only – foster and biological) Duration of all incidences of nursing (ID pairs only – foster and biological)

21. 21 Tissue samples will be prepared for DNA fingerprinting analysis (Jeffreys et al. 1985) and analysed on the basis of band sharing coefficients (Lynch 1990) to determine relatedness Tissue samples will be prepared for DNA fingerprinting analysis (Jeffreys et al. 1985) and analysed on the basis of band sharing coefficients (Lynch 1990) to determine relatedness Relatedness comparisons (ANOVA): Relatedness comparisons (ANOVA): females to non-biological pups females to non-biological pups Females to biological pups Females to biological pups Females to fostered pups Females to fostered pups

22. 22 Predictions 1) If kin selection does contribute to the evolution of fostering behaviour, then I expect to find that the relatedness of females to fostered pups will be greater than relatedness between females and non-biological pups but not as great as relatedness between mothers and their own pups.

23. 23 Predictions 2) If kin selection does not contribute to the evolution of fostering behaviour, then I expect to find that the relatedness of females to fostered pups will be the same as the relatedness between females and non-biological pups.

24. 24 Predictions 2) If #2 is true (kin selection does not contribute to the evolution of fostering behaviour), then either Fostering behaviour does not have a cost associated with it and ultimate explanation incorrect), or There is a proximate explanation for fostering behaviour (maternal error, poor pup recognition, etc.)

25. 25 Questions/Comments?