U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Thermal Adaptation in the Obscura Group of Drosophila

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

9981780 Huey This three-year award for U.S.-France cooperative research in evolutionary genetics involves Raymond B. Huey and a graduate student at the University of Washington, and Brigitte Moreteau and her research group at the Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics of the French National Center for Scientific Research. They will collaborate on studies of insect cold tolerance with a focus on the evolutionary physiology of fruit flies of the obscura group of Drosophila. The investigators propose to use new statistical methods combined with rapid scoring in order to facilitate quantitative analyses of effects of temperature. The U.S. investigators bring to this collaboration expertise in phylogenetic approaches in physiological evolution and considerable research experience with Drosophila. This is complemented by French experience and knowledge of Drosophila diversity. The project also takes advantage of novel methods in quantitative analysis of temperature reaction that have been developed by the French team. Their collaboration will advance understanding of the thermal sensitivity of insects and whether evolutionary patterns are predictable or are historically contingent. It will elucidate whether insects can evolve rapidly in response to climate change. This award will support the incremental costs of this international collaboration; that is, the travel to Paris, France and subsistence expenses of the U.S. investigator and graduate student.