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Resistance to thermal stress in desert Drosophila
Article first published online: 28 MAR 2002
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.1998.00270.x
1998 British Ecological Society
1365-2435/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=571713c051a4c9b4843f1aa4a484de7ca8661854 "Functional Ecology")
Additional Information
How to Cite
Stratman, R. and Markow, T. A. (1998), Resistance to thermal stress in desert Drosophila. Functional Ecology, 12: 965–970. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.1998.00270.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 28 MAR 2002
- Article first published online: 28 MAR 2002
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- Heat;
- thermotolerance;
- stress resistance;
- survival
1. Four species of Drosophila are endemic to the Sonoran Desert of North America where daily and seasonal high temperatures exceed those experienced by other species in this genus. The close association between these species and their cactus hosts means that they reside only in the desert and raises the question as to whether they are better able to survive heat stress than are non-desert species of Drosophila. The tolerance of adult flies of the four desert species D. mojavensis, D. nigrospiracula, D. pachea and D. mettleri and the cosmopolitan D. simulans to acute heat stress was tested.
2. There was considerable variability among the desert endemic species with respect to survival following heat exposure. Two species, D. mojavensis and D. pachea, were more resistant at 44 °C and 46 °C than the others, with D. mettleri exhibiting similar heat stress resistance to D. simulans.
3. While there was no consistent influence of gender on heat resistance, younger flies (1-day-old) showed significantly greater survival than did older flies (7- or 14-days old).