Masters Student

Email: eopperman@sun.ac.za

Project title:

Mechanisms of population establishment in insect invasions: Drosophilidae as a model system.

Project aims:

• What is the a) basal climate stress resistance and life history values of six Drosophila species and the b) phenotypic plasticity (acclimation responses) thereof?
• Do these traits (either basal and/or plastic components) change over time under stable laboratory conditions (between the F2 and F10 generation)?
• Would conclusions about invasion mechanisms (or traits) be altered by these changes, if variation in key traits is detected?
• In a broader sense, would traits estimated from lab cultures bias inferences about geographic distributions and population dynamics?