ALLOZYME GENOTYPE-ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSHIPS IN NATURAL-POPULATIONS OF DROSOPHILA-BUZZATII

Allozyme frequency data from natural populations of D. buzzatii were analyzed for genotype-environment relationships. Allele frequency and heterozygosity at 6 loci polymorphic throughout eastern Australia and a number of environmental factors (both means and variabilities) were examined by a variety of multivariate techniques. Significant genotype-environment associations were found for 5 of the 6 loci, and, after correcting for geographic location, significant associations remained for Est-2 (esterase-2) and Adh-1 (alcohol dehydrogenase 1) gene frequencies and heterozygosities and for Pgm (phosphoglucomutase) gene frequencies. The results are discussed in relation to selection and gene flow, and provide the basis for laboratory studies to disentangle the confounded effects of environmental means and environmental variabilities and allele frequency and heterozygosity. This will allow further determination of the nature of any natural selection at particular allozyme loci.