EXPERIMENTAL EVOLUTION FOR LONGEVITY DIFFERENTIATION IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Laboratory natural selection was imposed to evolve ten replicate Drosophila melanogaster populations with delayed first age of reproduction. Compared to control populations with early first age of reproduction, the selected populations evolved increased longevity, fecundity, starvation resistance, desiccation resistance, and immune defense against fungal infection. The only trade-off observed with these traits was an increase in development time, which can be maladaptive in nature. The ten-fold replicated selected populations and ten controls created through this project will serve as the foundation for future genetic and phenotypic studies of aging