Selection for adult desiccation resistance in Drosophila melanogaster: fitness components, larval resistance and stress correlations

Abstract

In previous experiments we found that Drosophila melanogaster lines selected for increased adult desiccation resistance had increased resistance to other environmental stresses at the adult stage including starvation, intense 60 Co-γ radiation and a toxic ethanol level. In further studies on these lines, we now show that selection did not alter resistance to desiccation and ethanol at the larval stage. As well as having a lower early fecundity, selected lines showed increased adult male longevity and increased viability at high larval densities compared with control lines. There were no changes in development time or mating success. The increased male longevity is consistent with the reduced..