Invasion and adaptation of a warm adapted species to montane localities: effect of acclimation potential

Abstract

SUMMARYDrosophila ananassae has successfully invaded the cold and dry montane localities of the Western Himalayas in recent years. The ability of this desiccation-and cold-sensitive tropical species to evolve in response to seasonal changes in montane localities is largely unknown. Here, we investigated how this sensitive species adapt to seasonally varying environmental conditions that are lethal to its survival. We observed change in the frequency of dark and light morphs of D. ananassae in five mid-altitude localities during the last decade (2000-2010). We document invasion of D. ananassae to montane localities and increase in frequency of the dark morph. The stress tolerance of morphs (dark and light) remained unaffected of developmental acclimation. However, adult acclimation has shown significant effects on tolerance to various environmental stresses in morphs and effect of this acclimation persist for long durations. Desiccation and cold stress tolerance was increased after adult acclimation for respective stress in the dark morph; while tolerance of the light morph was not affected. Further, heat tolerance of the light morph was increased after adult heat acclimation with no influence on heat tolerance of the dark morph. Our results suggest a possible role of adult acclimation in successful invasion and adaptation of D. ananassae to montane localities. Future experiments should be carried out to determine whether the survival in adverse conditions of low versus high temperature and humidity during seasonal changes is assisted by different acclimation abilities of the two morphs of D. ananassae. Supplementary material available online at

Measuring thermal behavior in smaller insects: A case study in Drosophila melanogaster demonstrates effects of sex, geographic origin, and rearing temperature on adult behavior

“…17,46,47 Furthermore, temperature shifts associated with recent climate change have affected the shape or slope of latitudinal clines. 43,48,49 Despite the emphasis on temperature as a selective agent resulting in local adaptation. 24,26,42,47,49,50 The potential role of thermal behavior in local adaptation has not been explored.…”

“…43,48,49 Despite the emphasis on temperature as a selective agent resulting in local adaptation. 24,26,42,47,49,50 The potential role of thermal behavior in local adaptation has not been explored. Here, we develop an apparatus designed to examine thermal preference exhibited by flies collected from natural populations.…”

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“…04;57.24;56.68;54.36 and 54.08 respectively. Bandi et al, (2020), Chahal and Kataria (2010) and Shakuntala Devi and Suhasini (2016) aslo inferred same suggestion opinioned by maize growers to overcome the constraints in production and marketing of maize.…”

Eco‐genetics of desiccation resistance in Drosophila

“…Successful invasion of the tropical dimorphic species D. ananassae into the montane and dry environment of the Western Himalaya is probably partly due to the ability of the dark morph to increase its water content and to store more carbohydrates (e.g. trehalose and glycogen) than the light morph (Chahal, Kataria & Parkash, 2013;Parkash et al, 2014).…”