Single and multigenerational responses of body mass to atmospheric oxygen concentrations in Drosophila melanogaster : evidence for roles of plasticity and evolution

Greater oxygen availability has been hypothesized to be important in allowing the evolution of larger invertebrates during the Earth's history, and across aquatic environments. We tested for evolutionary and developmental responses of adult body size of Drosophila melanogaster to hypoxia and hy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of evolutionary biology 2009-12, Vol.22 (12), p.2496-2504
Main Authors: KLOK, C.J, HUBB, A.J, HARRISON, J.F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Atmosphere
Biological Evolution
body size
Body Weight
Developmental biology
Drosophila melanogaster - genetics
Drosophila melanogaster - physiology
Evolutionary biology
hyperoxia
Hypoxia
Insects
laboratory natural selection
Oxygen
Oxygen - metabolism
phenotypic plasticity
Selection, Genetic
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Summary:Greater oxygen availability has been hypothesized to be important in allowing the evolution of larger invertebrates during the Earth's history, and across aquatic environments. We tested for evolutionary and developmental responses of adult body size of Drosophila melanogaster to hypoxia and hyperoxia. Individually reared flies were smaller in hypoxia, but hyperoxia had no effect. In each of three oxygen treatments (hypoxia, normoxia or hyperoxia) we reared three replicate lines of flies for seven generations, followed by four generations in normoxia. In hypoxia, responses were due primarily to developmental plasticity, as average body size fell in one generation and returned to control values after one to two generations of normoxia. In hyperoxia, flies evolved larger body sizes. Maximal fly mass was reached during the first generation of return from hyperoxia to normoxia. Our results suggest that higher oxygen levels could cause invertebrate species to evolve larger average sizes, rather than simply permitting evolution of giant species.
ISSN:1010-061X
1420-9101
DOI:10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01866.x