Meeting Abstract

P1.87  Tuesday, Jan. 4  Physiological and Life History Consequences of Starvation Selection in Drosophila REYNOLDS, Lauren A.*; GIBBS, Allen; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; University of Nevada, Las Vegas reyno172@unlv.nevada.edu

In nature, animals may endure periods of famine to complete their life cycles. At the organismal level, these periods can be survived by increasing energy storage or reducing metabolism. We selected for starvation resistance in replicated populations of Drosophila melanogaster. After 45+ generations of starvation selection, populations survive starvation significantly longer (>10 days) than control populations (~3 days), with females surviving longer than males. Selected populations contain much higher amounts of lipid and carbohydrate than controls. These resources are acquired during an extended larval feeding period, so that newly eclosed adults immediately contain greater energy stores. Thus, selection for starvation resistance in adult D. melanogaster has significant effects on larval physiology. Metabolic rates of adults are lower in starvation-selected populations, despite their larger body size. In addition to decreased metabolism, activity levels of adults appear lower in selected populations. Increased starvation resistance has come at a life history cost, selected populations eclose ~24 hr later, have reduced egg-to-adult survival, and lower fecundity.