Phenotypic plasticity facilitates initial colonization of a novel environment

• DOI: 10.1111/evo.13676
• Publication Date: 2019-01-09T04:40:57Z
• Authors: Sheng Pei Wang; David M. Althoff
• Keywords: Developmental plasticity

Phenotypic plasticity can allow organisms to respond environmental changes by producing better matching phenotypes without any genetic change. Because of this, is predicted be a major mechanism which population survive the initial stage colonizing novel environment. We tested this prediction challenging wild Drosophila melanogaster with increasingly extreme larval environments and then examining expression alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) its relationship survival in first generation encountering found that most families responded adaptive direction increased ADH activity higher were also more likely highest Thus, was positively selected environment key trait influencing fitness. Furthermore, there significant heritability evolve subsequent generations after colonization. The value plasticity, however, only evident had little impact on fitness less environments. results provide one direct tests role phenotypic