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Drift in Individual Behavioral Phenotype as a Strategy for Unpredictable Worlds
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|September 24, 2024
Summary
Individual animals exhibit behavioral changes over time, termed drift, which may be adaptive. This study in fruit flies shows drift is a regulated phenomenon potentially aiding species survival in changing environments.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Genetics
Background:
- Phenotypic variability within populations is crucial for survival in unpredictable environments.
- Bet-hedging strategies explain population-level diversity but not individual-level changes over time.
- Individual phenotype drift, or spontaneous shifts in behavior, lacks evolutionary explanation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenomenon of individual phenotype drift in *Drosophila melanogaster*.
- To characterize the timescales and genetic influences on drift.
- To develop a theoretical framework for the adaptive value of drift.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a continuous circling assay to measure locomotor handedness in fruit flies.
- Compared drift and bet-hedging across different fly strains.
- Manipulated serotonin levels to assess their effect on drift.
- Developed theoretical models to assess the adaptive value of drift.
Main Results:
- Fruit fly handedness spontaneously changes over various timescales (seconds to lifespan).
- Bet-hedging and drift show independent, strain-specific differences.
- Serotonin manipulation alters the rate of drift.
- Theoretical models suggest drift can be adaptive in fluctuating environments.
Conclusions:
- Individual phenotype drift is a regulated phenomenon influenced by genetic background and neuromodulation.
- Drift may provide an adaptive advantage for populations facing environmental changes within an individual's lifespan.
- Understanding individual behavioral plasticity is vital for species survival in a changing world.
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