L. Partridge et al., THERMAL EVOLUTION OF PRE-ADULT LIFE-HISTORY TRAITS IN DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER, Journal of evolutionary biology, 7(6), 1994, pp. 645-663
Replicated lines of Drosophila melanogaster were allowed to evolve in
population cage culture at 16.5-degrees-C or 25-degrees-C for five yea
rs. Their larval and pupal development times, larval growth rates, lar
val critical weights for pupariation and pre-adult survival rates were
then measured at both temperatures. Pre-adult survival showed evidenc
e of adaptation of the lines to their thermal selection regimes, with
each set of lines showing superior survival when tested at the tempera
ture at which they had been evolving. Pupal periods were similar for a
ll lines when growing at 16.5-degrees-C but, at 25-degrees-C, the low
temperature lines had the longer pupal periods. Irrespective of experi
mental temperature, low temperature lines grew faster and had shorter
larval development periods than the high temperature lines. Larval cri
tical weights for pupariation were higher in the low temperature lines
at the low experimental temperature, and higher in the high temperatu
re lines at the higher experimental temperature. The correlations betw
een these traits induced by thermal evolution were in general differen
t from or opposite to the genetic correlations found within a single t
emperature.