NSF Award
2216595
In conservation genetics, the use of assisted reproduction is becoming widespread as a tool for preservation of genetic diversity among species whose natural populations or biodiversity are dwindling. However, the success of this practice is variable, due in part to poor understanding of the natural morphological features of females that contribute to productive fertilization. This project seeks to develop new fundamental knowledge and practical technologies that can improve reproduction through assistive methods. The research will focus on bottlenose dolphins in managed care facilities, where they are routinely reared and trained. The charismatic nature of these animals provides the project with an outstanding platform for public engagement to increase scientific literacy. The research will also contribute to the education and mentoring of students historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines, who will be trained as members of the future scientific workforce. Finally, the research has the potential to revolutionize the multi-billion-dollar livestock breeding industry, which depends heavily on assisted reproduction. <br/> <br/>The significance of female reproductive organ morphology in evolution has been overlooked. Most research has focused on males. Addressing the evolutionary function of female reproductive morphology has the potential to improve understanding of how males and females control paternity. Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) have unusual reproductive morphology, with apparent coevolution between males and females. Certain aspects of female reproductive morphology, found only in cetaceans, may be under selective pressure to serve as physical barriers during reproduction. This project will use multiple approaches, including the use of in vivo dolphins in managed care facilities, to explore questions about the functional significance of and evolutionary pressures behind multiple components of female reproductive organs.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
