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Heritable Behavioral Resistance to Natural and Novel Ectoparasites in Drosophila melanogaster

Greene, Aaron
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1276980331

Abstract Details

2010, MS, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences : Biological Sciences.
Ectoparasites affect many different organisms, are naturally abundant, and have been shown to decrease fitness and drive host evolution. However, few studies have estimated heritable variation in resistance to ectoparasitism, and none have tested the effects of those defenses on other ectoparasites. The threat of parasitism can be so costly that potential hosts develop several lines of defense to protect themselves from parasitism. The ability to resist novel enemies, such as ectoparasites, has been shown to carry fitness costs. However, possessing traits that effectively resist or limit the threat of multiple enemies potentially could benefit the host by minimizing the costs associated with resistance. The current paper details the presence of behavioral resistance potentially utilized by Drosophila melanogaster to defend against ectoparasitic mites. This study reports the results of artificial selection for increased resistance in Drosophila melanogaster to the ectoparasitic mite, Macrocheles subbadius, which is a known enemy of some Drosophila species. My work also investigates the effectiveness of the selected resistance against the natural enemy Gamasodes queenslandicus. Selection was applied to the pre-attachment phase, thereby targeting behavioral defensive traits. Realized heritability (h2) of resistance against Macrocheles is estimated at 0.06 (SE 0.015). Results also demonstrate that flies selected for increased resistance to M. subbadius also have improved resistance to G. queenslandicus. This study demonstrates the evolutionary potential of generalized behavioral defenses against ectoparasite attack in D. melanogaster.
Michal Polak, PhD (Committee Chair)
Iain Cartwright, PhD (Committee Member)
Stephanie Rollmann, PhD (Committee Member)
50 p.
Entomology
mites; flies; Ectoparasites; melanogaster; Gamasodes; Macrocheles; control flies

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Greene, A. (2010). Heritable Behavioral Resistance to Natural and Novel Ectoparasites in Drosophila melanogaster [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1276980331

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Greene, Aaron. Heritable Behavioral Resistance to Natural and Novel Ectoparasites in Drosophila melanogaster. 2010. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1276980331.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Greene, Aaron. "Heritable Behavioral Resistance to Natural and Novel Ectoparasites in Drosophila melanogaster." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1276980331

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1276980331
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© 2010, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.