Genetic correlations of life historical parameters and certain fitness indices in Drosophila melanogaster: r m, rs, diet breadth

Abstract

Using fifteen strains of Drosophila melanogaster which were derived from a collection made at Palm Beach, Florida we found the following: Partial genetic correlations between pairs of life history indices which define early reproduction, late reproduction and duration of reproduction are all positive. Associations of peak fecundity and first third of life fecundity with age of last fecundity are curvilinear, suggesting that very high values of early fecundity reduce length of reproductive life. Intrinsic rate of increase is positively correlated with ability to reproduce under near starvation conditions and with ability to develop on a variety of fruit based media.