Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Keene, Alex C.

Abstract

Natural-occurring factors stemming from the environment can influence complex behaviors, such as feeding and sleeping. These factors act evolutionarily as selective pressures, shaping an organism’s behavior, for example suppressing sleep in order to forage for food. Under evolutionary influence, the regulation of sleep and metabolic homeostasis is crucial for an animal’s survival. Notable differences in sleep and metabolic phenotypes are seen across the animal kingdom, however how ecological factors maintain these phenotypes is poorly understood. Using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, this Honors Thesis will assess sleep, starvation, and metabolic traits in 24 populations gathered from various geographic localities. Previous studies using Drosophila have identified the novel genetic regulators of sleep, metabolism and evolutionary processes. Sleep dysregulation leads to the deterioration of normal functions within both the fruit fly and humans. My project investigates how this variation in behavior interacts with evolutionary environment and history.

Comments

Includes bibliography.

Extent

43 p.

Identifier

FAUHT00056

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