We are using Drosophila flies in the laboratory to study the potential role of inbreeding in causing population extinctions.
Small populations are generally more prone to extinction than large populations.
One factor thought to contribute to the higher extinction probability of small populations is the reduction in fitness associated with inbreeding. We are studying the dynamics of laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster that have been colonised by a single mated female, to assess the impact of inbreeding on population extinction.