IMMUNE RESPONSE TO PARASITISM REDUCES RESISTANCE OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER TO DESICCATION AND STARVATION

摘要: In natural populations, organisms experience simultaneously biotic (e.g., competitors and parasites) abiotic temperature humidity) stresses. Thus, species must have the capacity to respond combinations of stressors. How does interaction between stress affect organismal performance? To address this question, I studied resistance adult Drosophila melanogaster that survived parasitic attack (as larvae) by parasitoid Asobara tabida. determine impact genotype on resistance, measured survival under desiccation starvation flies within isofemale (genetic) lines. Survivors parasitism had slightly reduced survivorship compared unparasitized relatives when both were unstressed, difference was exacerbated starvation. These results indicate multiple stressors can compound each other's individual negative effects fitness. Moreover, lines differed in their sensitivity environmental parasitism. Consequently, genotypic differences may reflect investment priorities traits promote over other life-history characters.