Alcohol dehydrogenase polymorphism of drosophila melanogaster: Aspects of alcohol and temperature variation in the larvalenvironment

Abstract

Some natural habitats of D. melanogaster larvae were examined for short-chain alcohols by gas-liquid chromatography. All habitats contained a mixture of such alcohols, although ethanol predominated and was found at concentrations ranging from 0·02 to 4·0% (v/v). Normal propanol, propan-2-01, n-butanol and methanol were nearly always present. Larval-to-adult survival was determined at three temperatures on laboratory media supplemented with alcohol mixtures similar tothose found in nature, and using strains which differed in alcohol dehydrogenasegenotype. The basic medium was one in which strains compete for limited amountsof dead yeas.Significant genotypealcohol and genotype-temperature interactions highlighted the sensitivity of this technique for detecting larval fitness variation. The alcoholeffect on survival to the adult stage was strongly dependent on temperature-a result which may be of value in our understanding of the ecologyof this species. © 1982 ASEG.