Intraspecific competition modulates heatwave effects on male reproduction in Drosophila prolongata
- 1Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Abstract
Heatwaves are increasing in intensity, frequency, and duration and may drive the responses of organisms to climate change more strongly than gradual increases in mean temperature. The effects of heatwave events on wildlife remain poorly understood because the magnitude of these effects often depends on environmental the context: additional environmental stressors can exacerbate the impact of extreme temperatures. Here, we test whether the impact of extreme heat on adult reproduction and survival depends on the intensity of intraspecific competition, a key environmental variable determining access to resources, in male Drosophila prolongata, a species with extended male–male contests. Contrary to expectations, more intense intraspecific competition partially mitigated the negative effects of the heatwave on male reproductive output. This pattern may reflect a compensatory response whereby males increase reproductive investment under stronger competition, but only when this competition occurs in combination with the additional stress imposed by a heatwave. Overall, our findings reveal that interactions between heat stress and intraspecific competition can shape the impact of heatwaves on reproduction, and highlight the need to consider such interactive effects when evaluating the risk that extreme climatic events pose to wildlife.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-026-06006-0.
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BibTeX
@article{gupta2026intraspecific,
title = {{Intraspecific competition modulates heatwave effects on male reproduction in Drosophila prolongata}},
author = {Shivanshi Gupta and Gayatri Raina and Marta Cortés Mediavilla and Tom Ratz},
journal = {Oecologia},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s00442-026-06006-0},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-026-06006-0},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Intraspecific competition modulates heatwave effects on male reproduction in Drosophila prolongata
AU - Shivanshi Gupta
AU - Gayatri Raina
AU - Marta Cortés Mediavilla
AU - Tom Ratz
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - Oecologia
DO - 10.1007/s00442-026-06006-0
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-026-06006-0
AB - Heatwaves are increasing in intensity, frequency, and duration and may drive the responses of organisms to climate change more strongly than gradual increases in mean temperature. The effects of heatwave events on wildlife remain poorly understood because the magnitude of these effects often depends on environmental the context: additional environmental stressors can exacerbate the impact of extreme temperatures. Here, we test whether the impact of extreme heat on adult reproduction and survival depends on the intensity of intraspecific competition, a key environmental variable determining access to resources, in male Drosophila prolongata, a species with extended male–male contests. Contrary to expectations, more intense intraspecific competition partially mitigated the negative effects of the heatwave on male reproductive output. This pattern may reflect a compensatory response whereby males increase reproductive investment under stronger competition, but only when this competition occurs in combination with the additional stress imposed by a heatwave. Overall, our findings reveal that interactions between heat stress and intraspecific competition can shape the impact of heatwaves on reproduction, and highlight the need to consider such interactive effects when evaluating the risk that extreme climatic events pose to wildlife. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-026-06006-0.
SN - 0029-8549
SN - 1432-1939
ER -