鸟类的父本行为及其内分泌调控机制研究进展

Paternal behavior of birds and the associated endocrine regulation mechanism

飞翔能力帮助鸟类极大地扩展了生存空间,使其能够迅速移动来应对各种局部环境的变化。然而,个体发育早期,不具备这样的能力,使其极不适应环境,需要大量的亲本照顾。不同于哺乳类动物主要依赖母本行为,雄性鸟类表现出了大量的父本行为,诸如筑巢行为、孵卵行为和育雏行为等。针对这一系列行为及其调控机制,本文进行了归纳:1)筑巢行为常常伴随着雄性的求偶行为,睾酮对两种行为均有促进作用,加压素也促进筑巢行为。2)孵卵行为可以传递热量,保护和帮助子代发育;同时会刺激泌乳素释放,而泌乳素又会进一步促进孵卵行为;此时的睾酮水平下降。3)育雏行为与雏鸟的发育速度有关,晚成鸟需要更多的父本照顾;与孵卵行为的调控相似,泌乳素升高,睾酮降低;孕酮也参与调控父本行为。4)环境压力通过影响皮质酮和泌乳素水平的变化,调节鸟类的父本行为。综上,在鸟类父本行为形成和表现过程中,睾酮和泌乳素先后发挥着主要的调控作用,并且受到环境压力的影响。然而,在神经内分泌水平上,研究非常缺乏,需要加强。

Flight ability greatly expands the distribution range of birds,allowing for a rapid response to local environmental changes.In the early stages of ontogenesis,chicks are unable to adapt to changes due to lacking flight ability,and thus require much parental care.Parental behavior of birds is different from that of mammals,which mainly relies on maternal care.Male birds have many paternal behaviors,such as nesting,brooding,and rearing fledglings.We summarized related studies on paternal behaviors and underlying mechanisms.(1)Nesting behavior is often accompanied by male courtship behavior.Testosterone promotes both nesting behavior and courtship behavior,while vasopressin promotes nesting behavior.(2)Incubation could transfer heat and thus could protect and support the development of offspring.Meanwhile,it stimulates the release of prolactin,which further promotes the incubation behavior.During this process,testosterone is reduced to a basic level.(3)The breeding behavior is related to the growth rate of young birds,with altricial birds needing more paternal care.Similar to the regulation of incubation behavior,prolactin increases and testosterone decreases.Progesterone is involved in regulating paternal behavior.(4)Environmental stress regulates the paternal behavior by changing corticosterone and prolactin levels.In conclusion,testosterone and prolactin could regulate the development and expression of paternal behavior of birds,which are affected by environmental pressure.Studies on the neuroendocrine mechanisms are limited and the mechanisms require further investigation.