Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Ovarian activity and reproductive potential in a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster

  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The ovarian state of Drosophila melanogaster females from a wild population in the south of France was studied by immediate dissection, in the field, during two different periods in the year: early in June and at the end of September. It was compared with either the reproductive capacities of aliquot females kept in laboratory conditions or the reproductive potential of the first laboratory generation.

Among the wild flies, about 20% were young (less than 24 h). 85 to 90% of all females were inseminated and virgins were found among the youngest ones.

In the field, the vitellogenetic activity appeared to be very low and noncontinuous. Females with active vitellogenesis were fairly rare but about 60% of the females presented eggs in retention in the ovaries and 50% had a fertilized egg waiting in the uterus. All these observations showed that fecundity in the field was certainly low.

When wild females were studied in the laboratory, their daily egg production was relatively high, more than 50 eggs per day per female. This production was stimulated by insemination and decreased with adult population density.

Daughter females reared in the laboratory were bigger, had more numerous ovarian tubes than their mothers (an average of 50 instead of 32), and their daily egg production was very high. However the daily overiole production in these two groups was very similar.

The genetic reproductive potential of this natural French population seems to be very high but, under natural life conditions, this potential is not expressed. Wild flies do not seem to give priority to their reproductive effort but to individual survival and activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allemand, R., Cohet, Y., David, J.: Increase in the longevity of adult Drosophila melanogaster kept in permanent darkness. Exptl. Geront. 8, 279–283 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Anxolabehere, D., Periquet, G.: Resistance des imagos aux basses températures chez Drosophila melanogaster. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 95, 61–70 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayala, F.J.: Dynamics of populations. I. Factors controlling population growth and population size in Drosophila serrata. Am. Nat. 100, 333–344 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayala, F.J.: Dynamics of populations. II. Factors controlling population growth and population size in Drosophila pseudoobscura and in Drosophila melanogaster. Ecology (USA) 48, 67–75 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, K.: An analysis of factors which determine success in competition for food among larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. Arch. Néerl. Zool. 14, 200–281 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, K.: Selection for rate of growth and its influence on competitive ability of larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. Neth. J. Zool. 19, 541–595 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbault, R.: La notion de stratégie démographique en écologie. Bull. Ecol. 7, 373–390 (1976a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbault, R.: Contribution à la théorie des stratégies démographiques: recherches sur leur déterminisme écologique chez les lézards. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 101, 671–693 (1976b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Barker, J.S.F.: Adult population density, fecundity and productivity in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans. Oecologia (Berl.) 23, 83–92 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Begon, M.: Temporal variations in the reproductive condition of Drosophila obscura Fallen and D. subobscura Collin. Oecologia (Berl.) 23, 31–47 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Begon, M.: The effective size of a natural Drosophila subobscura population. Heredity 38, 13–18 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Boesiger, E.: Estimation globale de l'âge des femalles de Drosophila melanogaster capturées dans des populations naturelles. C.R. Soc. Biol. 162, 358–361 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Boulétreau-Merle, J.: Influence de l'accouplement sur la physiologie reproductrice des femelles de Drosophila melanogaster (Meig.). Fonctions modifiées, nature des stimulations reçues et relais physiologiques mis en jeu. Thèse Doctorat d'Etat, Lyon (1975)

  • Cohet, Y.: Epigenetic influences on the life span of the Drosophila: existence of an optimal growth temperature for adult longevity. Exptl. Geront. 10, 181–184 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • David, J.: Le nombre d'ovarioles chez Drosophila melanogaster: relation avec la fécondité et valeur adaptative. Arch. Zool. Exp. Gén. 111, 357–370 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • David, J., Clavel, M.F.: Interaction entre le génotype et le milieu d'élevage. Conséquences sur les caractéristiques du développement de la Drosophile. Bull. Biol. Fr. Belg. 99, 369–378 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • David, J., Clavel, M.F.: Influence de la température subie au cours du développement sur divers caractères biométriques des adultes de Drosophila melanogaster Meigen. J. Insect Physiol. 13, 717–729 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, R.A.: The genetical theory of natural selection. Oxford: Clarendon Press 1930

    Google Scholar 

  • Girard, P., Palabost, L.: Etude du polymorphisme enzymatique de 15 populations naturelles de Drosophila melanogaster. Arch. Zool. Exp. Gén. 117, 41–55 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jong, G. De: A model of competition for food. I. Frequency dependent viabilities. Am. Nat. 110, 1013–1027 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • King, R.C., Rubinson, A.C., Smith, R.F.: Oogenesis in adult Drosophila melanogaster. Growth 20, 121–157 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lints, F.A., Lints, C.V.: Influence of preimaginal environment on fecundity and ageing in Drosophila melanogaster hybrids. II. Preimaginal temperature. Exptl. Geront. 6, 417–426 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie, J.A.: The distribution of vineyard populations of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans during vintage and non-vintage periods. Oecologia (Berl.) 15, 1–16 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie, J.A.: The influence of low temperature on survival and reproduction in populations of Drosophila melanogaster. Aust. J. Zool. 23, 237–247 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie, J.A., Parsons, P.A.: Alcohol tolerance: an ecological parameter in the relative success of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans. Oecologia (Berl.) 10, 373–388 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie, J.A., Parsons, P.A.: Microdifferentiation in a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster to alcohol in the environment. Genetics 77, 385–394 (1974a)

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie, J.A., Parsons, P.A.: Numerical changes and environmental utilization in natural populations of Drosophila. Aust. J. Zool. 22, 175–187 (1974b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Merle, J.: Influence du groupement sur la vitellogenèse et la ponte de Drosophila melanogaster: différence de réaction entre les femelles vierges et les femelles inséminées. C.R. Acad. Sc. (Paris) 271, 1015–1018 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mourad, A.M., Tantawy, A.O., Mostafa, Y.A.: Studies on natural populations of Drosophila. XX. Components of fitness as possible cause of change in the species composition of a natural population. Egypt. J. Genet. Cytol. 5, 359–386 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohnishi, S.: Effects of population density and temperature condition on fitness in Drosophila melanogaster. II. Fecundity and mortality. Jap. J. Gen. 51, 305–314 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, P.A.: A lack of positive correlation between adult density and oviposition rate in D. melanogaster. Drosophila Inform. Service 43, 152 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearl, R.: The influence of density of population upon egg production in Drosophila melanogaster. J. Exptl. Zool. 63, 57–84 (1932)

    Google Scholar 

  • Periquet, G.: Influence de quelques facteurs physiques d'un biotope sur la biologie préimaginale et imaginale d'une population naturelle de Drosophila melanogaster. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 101, 387–399 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Petit, C.: L'explosion démographique annuelle et la structure génétique des populations de Drosophila melanogaster. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 94, 641–648 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, F.W., Sang, J.H.: The ecological determinants of population growth in a Drosophila culture. I. Fecundity of adult flies. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B 132, 258–277 (1944)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sameoto, D.D., Miller, R.S.: Factors controlling the productivity of Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. Ecology 47, 695–704 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tantawy, A.O., Mallah, G.S.: Studies on natural population of Drosophila. I. Heat resistance and geographical variation in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. Evolution 15, 1–14 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas-Orillard, M.: Influence de l'alimentation sur le nombre de tubes ovariens chez la Drosophile. Ann. Génét. 15, 177–182 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, G.C.: Natural selection, the cost of reproduction, and a refinement of Lack's principle. Am. Nat. 100, 687–690 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d'Entomologie expérimentale et de Génétique (associé au C.N.R.S.), 43, Bd. du 11 novembre 1918, F-69621, Villeurbanne, France

    Josselyne Boulétreau

Authors
  1. Josselyne Boulétreau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Boulétreau, J. Ovarian activity and reproductive potential in a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster . Oecologia 35, 319–342 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345140

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345140

Keywords