Phenotypic and genetic effects of contrasting ethanol environments on physiological and developmental traits in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: A central problem in evolutionary physiology is to understand the relationship between energy metabolism and fitness-related traits. Most attempts to do so have been based on phenotypic correlations that are not informative for the evolutionary potential of natural populations. Here, we explored the effect of contrasting ethanol environments on physiological and developmental traits, their genetic (co)variances and genetic architecture in Drosophila melanogaster. Phenotypic and genetic parameters were estimated in two populations (San Fernando and Valdivia, Chile), using a half-sib family design where broods were split into ethanol-free and ethanol-supplemented conditions. Our findings show that metabolic rate, body mass and development times were sensitive (i.e., phenotypic plasticity) to

SUBMITTER: Castaneda LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3591359 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature