Phenotypic plasticity en Drosophila cactophilic species: the effect of competition, density and breeding sites.

FANARA, JJ; WERENKRAUT, V

INSECT SCIENCE

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2016

1672-9609

Changes in the environmental conditions experienced by naturally occurringpopulations are frequently accompanied by changes in adaptive traits allowing the organismto cope with environmental unpredictability. Phenotypic plasticity is a major aspectof adaptation and it has been involved in population dynamics of interacting species. Inthis study, phenotypic plasticity (i.e., environmental sensitivity) of morphological adaptivetraits were analyzed in the cactophilic species Drosophila buzzatii and Drosophilakoepferae (Diptera: Drosophilidae) considering the effect of crowding conditions (low andhigh density), type of competition (intraspecific and interspecific competition) and cactihosts (Opuntia and Columnar cacti). All traits (wing length, wing width, thorax length,wing loading and wing aspect) showed significant variation for each environmental factorconsidered in both Drosophila species. The phenotypic plasticity pattern observed for eachtrait was different within and between these cactophilic Drosophila species depending onthe environmental factor analyzed suggesting that body size-related traits respond almostindependently to environmental heterogeneity. The effects of ecological factors analyzedin this study are discussed in order to elucidate the causal factors investigated (type of competition,crowding conditions and alternative host) affecting the election of the breedingsite and/or the range of distribution of these cactophilic species.