The goal of this research is to understand, at both the molecular and whole-organism levels, the adaptive dynamics of diapause (reproductive quiescence) in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. This trait is central to fitness and population dynamics of insects in seasonal environments, and a candidate gene for diapause was recently identified in our previous work. The specific aims are to examine: 1) why the phenotype of diapause varies predictably with environment in wild populations; 2) the molecular basis of variation for the diapause phenotype; and 3) the historical and contemporaneous action of various evolutionary forces on the identified gene for diapause. This research would involve experimentation in the field and laboratory as well as detailed molecular and genetic analyses.
Diapause in D. melanogaster is an excellent system for investigating how organisms adapt to climatic variation. Diapause has wide-ranging effects on other traits including lifespan and aging profiles, and this research would contribute to the understanding of the genetic control of lifespan and senescence. Many agricultural pest insects diapause, and information from this model organism could be directly applied and provide insights into means for population control of pest insects. In addition, these investigations have bearing on understanding evolution in novel environments, evolutionary response to climate change, and genetic tradeoffs in other organisms.
