The effect of relative humidity and genetic strain on the interaction between Drosophila hydei and D

Introduction Hodge and Mitchell (1998) demonstrated that atmospheric humidity and the water content of the resource could afect the interaction between D. melanogaster and D. hydei in single generation laboratory experients. Previously, Arur (1986) had shown that the interaction between these two species in continuous cultue could be affected by the amount of resource, the mechanism of this effect being lined to smaller quantities of resource having relatively greater sudace area to volume ratios and therefore being more prone to desiccation. Thus, the hydrological aspects of the environment appear to have an importt role in determining how these fles interact. The aim of this series of experiments was to furter examine the effect of relative humidity on the interaction between D. hydei and D. melanogaster under conditions of continuous culture. In order to examine how general the effect of humidity is in affecting population pedormance and interactive outcomes, two different strains of D. melanogaster have been used.