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Environmental Factors Limiting the Productivity and Size of Experimental Populations of Drosophila Serrata and D. Birchii
Author(s) -
Ayala Francisco J.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1934126
Subject(s) - biology , productivity , ecology , biomass (ecology) , population , limiting , population size , drosophila (subgenus) , sibling species , zoology , demography , mechanical engineering , biochemistry , macroeconomics , sociology , gene , economics , engineering
Laboratory populations of several geographic strains of the sibling species, Drosophila serrata and D. birchii were studied. Under the experimental conditions, the biomass produced by a population is determined by the amount of food, and it is independent of temperature and the feeding schedule. The number of flies produced is determined mainly by the amount of food, temperature having a slight effect. Living space determines the size of the population, which is independent of the amount of food and of temperature.