Activities per year
Abstract
Multiple environmental factors acting in concert can interact and strongly influence population fitness and ecosystem composition. Studies investigating interactions usually involve only two environmental factors; most frequently a chemical and another abiotic factor such as a stressful temperature. Here we investigate the effects of three environmental factors: temperature, an insecticide (dimethoate) and interspecific co-occurrence. We expose two naturally co-occurring species of Drosophila (D. hydei and D. melanogaster) to the different environments during development and examine the consequences on several performance measures. Results are highly species and trait specific with evidence of two- and three-way interactions in approximately 30% of all cases, suggesting that additive effects of combined environmental factors are most common, and that interactions are not universal. To provide more informative descriptions of complex interactions we implemented re-conceptualised definitions of synergism and antagonism. We found approximately equal proportions of synergistic and antagonistic interactions in both species, however the effects of interactions on performance differed between the two. Furthermore, we found negative impacts on performance in only 60% of interactions, thus our study also reveals a high proportion of cases with positive effects of interactions.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 40132 |
Journal | Scientific Reports |
Volume | 7 |
Number of pages | 13 |
ISSN | 2045-2322 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 6 Jan 2017 |
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Interacting environmental conditions: Fitness consequences of multiple developmental stresses in two Drosophila species
Michael Ørsted (Lecturer)
16 Nov 2015Activity: Talks and presentations › Conference presentations
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Investigating fitness consequences of single and multiple stresses experienced during development in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila hydei
Michael Ørsted (Lecturer)
3 Aug 2015Activity: Talks and presentations › Conference presentations
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Sixth International Symposium on the Environmental Physiology of Ectotherms and Plants
Michael Ørsted (Participant)
3 Aug 2015 → 7 Aug 2015Activity: Attending an event › Conference organisation or participation