Eclosion and Locomotor Circadian Rhythms and Differently Entrained to Temperature and Light Cycles in the Flesh Fly Sarcophaga Crassipalpis

Authors' Affiliations

Raven Ragsdale, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Karl Joplin, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Thomas C. Jones, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Darrell Moore, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN

Location

Culp Ballroom

Start Date

4-7-2022 9:00 AM

End Date

4-7-2022 12:00 PM

Poster Number

67

Faculty Sponsor’s Department

Biological Sciences

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Darrell Moore

Additional Sponsors

Dr. Karl Joplin, Dr. Thomas C Jones

Classification of First Author

Graduate Student-Master’s

Competition Type

Competitive

Type

Poster Presentation

Project's Category

Circadian Rhythms

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Virtually nothing is known about how internal circadian clocks interact with daily environmental cycles in nature. Previous work has shown that temperature and light are both able to successfully entrain (synchronize) circadian rhythms in eclosion (adult emergence) and locomotor activity in Sarcophaga crassipalpis when applied independently. However, much less work has been done to evaluate the relative strength of these Zeitgebers (time cues) when applied simultaneously. In nature, light and temperature cycles generally maintain a fixed relationship with one another, with peak soil and air temperature occurring about three hours after peak brightness each day. By manipulating the relationship between these Zeitgebers this project aims to evaluate the effects of conflicting environmental information on eclosion and locomotor activity rhythms in S. crassipalpis. We measured locomotor and eclosion activity under three temperature/light cycle regimes: 1) in-phase temperature and light cycles, with light and thermophase (warm-period) onset occurring simultaneously, 2) thermophase-delayed, beginning six hours after the onset of photoperiod (light-period), or 3) out-of-phase, with the beginning of photophase corresponding to the end of thermophase. In all experiments, eclosion times are very close to thermophase onset, while locomotor activity does not always hold the same phase position. In fact, in the out-of-phase experiment, locomotor activity is almost entirely synchronized with photophase while eclosion appears to anticipate thermophase onset. These findings suggest that eclosion and locomotor activity rhythms are controlled by different circadian oscillators. This fits with the ecological context of these vital life events. Timing of eclosion is critically important to wing development and the survival of the adult. This process is initiated after being underground, with minimal to no light input, for two weeks – therefore, the most reliable Zeitgeber would be daily soil temperature cycling. As these flies are diurnal, one could reasonably expect light to be the primary Zeitgeber for adult activity, as it is more consistent than temperature cycling. Overall, this implies that an organism’s life history and natural environment must be considered when investigating the circadian clock.

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Apr 7th, 9:00 AM Apr 7th, 12:00 PM

Eclosion and Locomotor Circadian Rhythms and Differently Entrained to Temperature and Light Cycles in the Flesh Fly Sarcophaga Crassipalpis

Culp Ballroom

Virtually nothing is known about how internal circadian clocks interact with daily environmental cycles in nature. Previous work has shown that temperature and light are both able to successfully entrain (synchronize) circadian rhythms in eclosion (adult emergence) and locomotor activity in Sarcophaga crassipalpis when applied independently. However, much less work has been done to evaluate the relative strength of these Zeitgebers (time cues) when applied simultaneously. In nature, light and temperature cycles generally maintain a fixed relationship with one another, with peak soil and air temperature occurring about three hours after peak brightness each day. By manipulating the relationship between these Zeitgebers this project aims to evaluate the effects of conflicting environmental information on eclosion and locomotor activity rhythms in S. crassipalpis. We measured locomotor and eclosion activity under three temperature/light cycle regimes: 1) in-phase temperature and light cycles, with light and thermophase (warm-period) onset occurring simultaneously, 2) thermophase-delayed, beginning six hours after the onset of photoperiod (light-period), or 3) out-of-phase, with the beginning of photophase corresponding to the end of thermophase. In all experiments, eclosion times are very close to thermophase onset, while locomotor activity does not always hold the same phase position. In fact, in the out-of-phase experiment, locomotor activity is almost entirely synchronized with photophase while eclosion appears to anticipate thermophase onset. These findings suggest that eclosion and locomotor activity rhythms are controlled by different circadian oscillators. This fits with the ecological context of these vital life events. Timing of eclosion is critically important to wing development and the survival of the adult. This process is initiated after being underground, with minimal to no light input, for two weeks – therefore, the most reliable Zeitgeber would be daily soil temperature cycling. As these flies are diurnal, one could reasonably expect light to be the primary Zeitgeber for adult activity, as it is more consistent than temperature cycling. Overall, this implies that an organism’s life history and natural environment must be considered when investigating the circadian clock.