Oh, Behave! Behavior as an Interaction between Genes & the Environment

This lesson is designed to teach students that behavior is a trait shaped by both genes and the environment. Students will read a scientific paper, discuss and generate predictions based on the ideas and data therein, and model the relationships between genes, the environment, and behavior. The lesson is targeted to meet the educational goals of undergraduate introductory biology, evolution, and animal behavior courses, but it is also suitable for advanced high school biology students. This lesson meets the criteria for the Next Generation Science Standard HS-LS4, Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity (NGSS Lead States, 2013)

Images from a Drosophila melanogaster Wing loading experiment from populations experimentally evolved with mantid predators

Images from an unpublished experiment to examine whether wing loading (using thorax size as a proxy for overall size) had evolved as a result of experimental evolution of <i>Drosophila melanogaster </i>in the presence of juvenile Chinese mantids (<i>Tenodera aridifolia sinensis</i>). Experimental Evolution was conducted by Dr. Michael DeNieu while a graduate student, while this experiment and measuring was conducted by Dr. Alycia Kowalski while a technician in the lab. This work was done in the lab of Ian Dworkin while at Michigan State University.<br><br>All images were taken on a Leica M125 Microscope, with a Leica DFC400 Digital camera using the Leica Application Software V 3.4.0.<br><br>Naming conventions for file<br>Sel/Con - selection (with predator) or control (no predator) lineages used.<br><br>R1/R2 - replicate lineage used. For each treatment, there were two independently evolved lineages with and without the predators.<br><br>HD/LD - Flies were reared under high density or low density conditions. <br><br>M/F - Sex of individual<br><br>legs/wings/thorax - which part of the individual was imaged.<br><br>The second set of images were from the same experiment, just redone to check scale.<br><br>While this work was not used in any study, see<br>https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2014/05/19/005322 for more details on the experimental design for experimental evolution.<br><br> <br><br> <br

Data from: Does increased heat resistance result in higher susceptibility to predation? A test using (Drosophila melanogaster) selection and hardening

Heat resistance of ectotherms can be increased both by plasticity and evolution, but these effects may have trade-offs resulting from biotic interactions. Here we test for predation costs in Drosophila melanogaster populations with altered heat resistance produced by adult hardening and directional selection for increased heat resistance. In addition, we also tested for genetic trade-offs by testing heat resistance in lines that have evolved under increased predation risk. We show that while 35/37°C hardening increases heat resistance as expected, it does not increase predation risk from jumping spiders or mantids; in fact there was an indication that survival may have increased under predation following a triple 37°C compared to a single 35°C hardening treatment. Flies that survived a 39°C selection cycle showed lower survival under predation, suggesting a predation cost of exposure to a more severe heat stress. There was however no correlated response to selection because survival did not differ between control and selected lines after selection was relaxed for one or two generations. In addition, lines selected for increased predation risk did not differ in heat resistance. Our findings suggest independent evolutionary responses to predation and heat as measured in laboratory assays, and no costs of heat hardening on susceptibility to predation

Drosophila melanogaster images thorax and abdomen from experimentally evolved (with predator) lineages

These images were from an experiment performed by Cody Porter using experimentally evolved lineages of <i>Drosophila melanogaster.</i> In particular these lineages (Experimental evolution performed by Dr. Michael DeNieu while a graduate student) were evolved either with a predator (juvenile Chinese mantids, <i>Tenodera aridifolia sinensis</i>) or no predator control lineages. <br><br>Dr. DeNieu speculated based on preliminary observations that the selected lineages may have evolved darker pigmentation. Cody Porter (while an undergraduate researcher in the lab) took standardized images of the Drosophila from the evolved lineages (control and predator) to measure any changes in pigmentation.<br><br>While our initial analysis did not show anything, images are provided in case they are useful for other researchers.<br><br>This work was conducted in the lab of Ian Dworkin while at Michigan State University.<br><br><br>All images were taken on a LeicaM125 Microscope with a Leica DFC400 digital camera, using Leica Application Suite (LAS) v3.4.0.<br><br>Image resolution of 1892 x 1040 px<br><br>scale was either 32X or 25X total magnification.<br><br><br>File Naming convention:<br><br>SEX (M/F)<br>treatment (control = con , selection = sel). selection lineages were the ones evolved with <br><br>predators. Controls evolved without predators.<br>1/2 - replicate evolved lineage (2 independently evolved lineages for control and treatment)<br>four - seven age of the fly being imaged in days<br>abdomen or thorax - which structure was being imaged<br>final number is individual<br><br>So<br><br><br>F_sel1_seven_abdomen_04.tif<br><br>means<br><br>Female selection lineage 1 imaged at seven days old for the abdomen, individual 4.<br><br

Predation experiment with mantids

This data set contains survival (yes or no) of female and male D. melanogaster under predation by juvenile mantids). Survival of control lines (Control1-5) and lines selected for increased heat resistance (Heat1-5) was scored after 0, 1 and 2 generations of relaxation. Six different colors were used to mark the selection lines (blue, green, orange, yellow, pink and violet) and 30 replicate vials containing 12 flies from 3 control and 3 selected lines were used

Heat experiment with predation lines

This data set contains heat knockdown time (min) of female and male D. melanogaster originating from two experiments: episodic and continuous predation. The episodic experiment contained two replicate lines of predation by juvenile mantids (Pred1 and Pred2) and controls (Cont1 and Cont2). The continuous experiment contained four replicate lines of predation by juvenile mantids (PR1-4), predation by jumping spiders (SR1-4) and controls (CR1-4). Heat knockdown time was scored in two experimental blocks (A and B)

Predation experiment with spiders

This data set contains survival (yes or no) of female and male D. melanogaster under predation by jumping spiders. Survival of control lines (Control1-5) and lines selected for increased heat resistance (Heat1-5) was scored after 0, 1 and 2 generations of relaxation. Six different colors were used to mark the selection lines (blue, green, orange, yellow, pink and violet) and 50 replicate vials containing 6 flies from 3 control and 3 selected lines were used

Heat experiment with hardening treatments

This data set contains heat knockdown time (min) of female and male D. melanogaster after a control treatment (Cont), a single 35°C (35-1) and 37°C (37-1) hardening treatment and a triple 35°C (35-3) and 37°C (37-3) hardening treatment, scored in two experimental blocks (A and B)

Predation experiment with hardending treatment

This data set contains survival (yes or no) of female and male D. melanogaster after different heat hardening treatments when exposed to two predators (jumping spiders and juvenile mantids). Hardening treatments included a control treatment (Cont), a single 35°C (35-1) and 37°C (37-1) hardening treatment and a triple 35°C (35-3) and 37°C (37-3) hardening treatment. Five different colors were used to mark the treatments (blue, orange, yellow, pink and violet) and 40/20 replicate vials containing 1/2 flies per treatment were used for the spider/mantids predation respectively

The fullfilling of seniors in long-stay social sevice needs

List of primer sequences for dsRNA synthesis. (XLS 18 kb