Research

The lab is primarily interested in the evolution of sexually selected and life-history traits. We use laboratory adapted populations of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) as model system to investigate various questions.

There are a number of lines of investigation currently being pursued by the group. In a long-term investigation, we are investigating how sexually selected traits – such as male fertility and competitive ability, sexually antagonistic male and female traits, etc. evolve in relation to the evolution of aging and lifespan. To this effect, a set of ten experimental populations, which were experimentally evolved in the lab for over 1200 generations, are being investigated. The group is investigating nutrient dependent adaptation by using fruit flies as a model system. We are studying causes, constraints, and consequences of adaptation to nutritional deprivation taking an experimental evolution approach. In another project, we are investigating the potential of non-genetically inherited intergenerational parental effects on offspring traits and fitness components. Overall, all these investigations aim at understanding the evolutionary correlations between life history and sexual traits. Since most natural populations have spatial structures, eco-evolutionary dynamics emerging as a consequence of such structuring has emerged as an important problem in the field. The group is currently investigating the effect of spatial structure and habitat fragmentation on sexually selected traits - at both evolutionary as well as ecological timescales. Most of these investigations are based on solid theoretical foundations and are more inclined towards tests of principles that can be widely applied.

Recently, the group has started natural Ecology, including Behavioural Ecology of Parthenium beetle, Zygogramma bicolorata, a biocontrol species introduced to control the invasive weed species Parthenium hysterophorus. These beetles show unique mating behaviour, which is an interesting problem on its own. Moreover, the group is also investigating the cause behind the inefficacy of the beetles as a biocontrol.