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Article
The Effect of Selection for Desiccation Resistance on Cold Tolerance of Drosophila Melanogaster
Physiological Entomology
  • Brent J. Sinclair
  • Sean Nelson
  • Theresa L. Nilson
  • Stephen P. Roberts, Missouri Unviersity of Science and Technology
  • Allen G. Gibbs
Abstract

Low Temperature and Desiccation Stress Are Thought to Be Mechanistically Similar in Insects, and Several Studies Indicate that There is a Degree of Cross-Tolerance between Them, such that Increased Cold Tolerance Results in Greater Desiccation Tolerance and Vice Versa. This Assertion is Tested at an Evolutionary Scale by Examining Basal Cold Tolerance, Rapid Cold-Hardening (RCH) and Chill Coma Recovery in Replicate Populations of Drosophila Melanogaster Selected for Desiccation Resistance (With Controls for Both Selection and Concomitant Starvation) for over 50 Generations. All of the Populations Display a RCH Response, and There is No Effect of Selection Regime on RCH or Basal Cold Tolerance, Although There Are Differences in Basal Cold Tolerance between Sampling Dates, Apparently Related to Inter-Individual Variation in Development Time. Flies Selected for Desiccation Tolerance Recover from Chill Coma Slightly, But Significantly, Faster Than Control and Starvation-Control Flies. These Findings Provide Little Support for Cross-Tolerance between Survival of Near-Lethal Cold and Desiccation Stress in D. Melanogaster. © 2007 the Authors.

Department(s)
Biological Sciences
Keywords and Phrases
  • Chill coma,
  • Cold tolerance,
  • Cross tolerance,
  • Desiccation,
  • Laboratory selection
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2023 Wiley; Royal Entomological Society, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
12-1-2007
Publication Date
01 Dec 2007
Disciplines
Citation Information
Brent J. Sinclair, Sean Nelson, Theresa L. Nilson, Stephen P. Roberts, et al.. "The Effect of Selection for Desiccation Resistance on Cold Tolerance of Drosophila Melanogaster" Physiological Entomology Vol. 32 Iss. 4 (2007) p. 322 - 327 ISSN: 1365-3032; 0307-6962
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/stephen-roberts/44/