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Laboratory evolution of population stability in Drosophila: constancy and persistence do not necessarily coevolve
Article first published online: 9 MAY 2008
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01401.x
© 2008 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2008 British Ecological Society
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How to Cite
Dey, S., Prasad, N. G., Shakarad, M. and Joshi, A. (2008), Laboratory evolution of population stability in Drosophila: constancy and persistence do not necessarily coevolve. Journal of Animal Ecology, 77: 670–677. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01401.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 9 MAY 2008
- Article first published online: 9 MAY 2008
- Received 18 November 2007; accepted 20 February 2008Handling Editor: Tim Benton
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Keywords:
- demography;
- Drosophila melanogaster;
- extinction;
- fluctuation index;
- life-history evolution;
- population dynamics
Summary
- 1Despite considerable theoretical work, the evolution of population stability has rarely been investigated empirically. Moreover, it is not clear whether different stability properties of a population evolve together, or independently.
- 2We investigate the evolution of two aspects of population stability using laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster selected for faster preadult development and early reproduction, and their matched controls.
- 3We show that the constancy stability of the selected populations is significantly higher than their controls, confirming a previous observation that population stability can evolve as a by-product of life-history evolution. This enhanced constancy stability is due to a reduced maximal per capita growth rate, brought about by a reduction in fecundity of the selected populations as a result of the trade-off between developmental rate and fecundity.
- 4Persistence stability, as reflected by the probability of extinction, does not differ significantly between selected and control populations.
- 5We also show how seemingly trivial experimental details, such as the protocol for restarting extinct populations, can interact with life-history traits to alter the manifestation of the stability properties of a population.