Evol Ecol Res 13: 637-646 (2011)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Using Drosophila melanogaster to test the effect of multiple introductions on the ability of a non-native population to adapt to novel environments

Frank A. Bouchard, Suzanna L. Lewis, Chelsea B. Marcus, Gabriela M. McBride and Marta L. Wayne

University of Florida Genetics Institute and Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

Correspondence: F.A. Bouchard, University of Florida, 420 Bartram Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
e-mail: fab22@ufl.edu

ABSTRACT

Question: How do multiple introductions, versus a single introduction, of the same species, and the number of source populations of those introductions, affect the fitness of a population in a novel environment?

Hypothesis: Multiple introductions will increase fitness by introducing additional additive variance on which selection may act, by creating new combinations of alleles, or by reducing inbreeding depression. Multiple introductions from multiple source populations will further increase this effect.

Methods: Using Drosophila melanogaster in a controlled laboratory setting, genetically divergent lines were introduced to a novel environment of high ethanol content medium using either single or multiple introductions from a single source or multiple sources and then fitness was measured for 14 generations.

Conclusions: Multiple introductions, particularly from multiple sources, have higher fitness in the introduced environment than do single introductions or multiple introductions from a single source.

Keywords: adaptation, effective population size, inbreeding depression, invasive species, multiple introductions, recombination, transgressive segregation.

DOWNLOAD A FREE, FULL PDF COPY
IF you are connected using the IP of a subscribing institution (library, laboratory, etc.)
or through its VPN.

 

        © 2011 Frank A. Bouchard. All EER articles are copyrighted by their authors. All authors endorse, permit and license Evolutionary Ecology Ltd. to grant its subscribing institutions/libraries the copying privileges specified below without additional consideration or payment to them or to Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. These endorsements, in writing, are on file in the office of Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. Consult authors for permission to use any portion of their work in derivative works, compilations or to distribute their work in any commercial manner.

       Subscribing institutions/libraries may grant individuals the privilege of making a single copy of an EER article for non-commercial educational or non-commercial research purposes. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also use articles for non-commercial educational purposes by making any number of copies for course packs or course reserve collections. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also loan single copies of articles to non-commercial libraries for educational purposes.

       All copies of abstracts and articles must preserve their copyright notice without modification.