Research with the Flies
Dr. Joplin is an Associate Professor of Biological study. He
is currently doing tests upon flies to determine behavioral patterns. These patterns are part of a larger study of behavior
in nature or chaos study.
The flies are marked and monitored in a variety of circumstances,
and containers. Their locations and activity levels are charted. From these charts they can determine possible patterns of
behavior.
The preliminary finding is that the male and female flies have
different behaviors. The male flies seem to be less likely to be close to one another in times of light. The female flies
do not seem to keep any particular distance to one another at any given time.
The pattern of activity of the male flies has lead to further
studies that are ongoing. They will paint the eyes of the male flies and attempt to determine if the activity is a visual
response, of a sensed response. There are also plans to induce the flies with serotonin or dopamine to determine the effects
upon behavior of these stimulants. The effects will be of great interest to see how such a small organism behaves. These flies
in nature express the same behavior the male flies will spread out on a railing outdoors and keep other males at a distant,
but if a female should come by he is more that willing to mate with her. The flies hold answers to questions that we have
not thought yet.
Another study tracked activity patterns in single flies as opposed
to groups of flies. This study found that the flies maintain a circadian rhythm despite manipulations of light and dark conditions
over a specified period. The study also found that the flies in the group study had a group activity pattern. Those that were
singled out tended to alter their pattern far less. This study was compared to honey bees. Mathematicians will then analyze
and compute the data and then the researchers will have to write their findings.
The most exciting study and also most smelly is of the Sarcophaga
Crassipalpis (flesh eating flies). These flies enter a diapause state. That is they lay dormant until the conditions are right
for their maturity. The larva grows to a cyst state that can survive for two years. Through DNA manipulation they have been
able to disable the diapause state so the female flies can live 25% longer that usual. For
some reason it does not work in the males. There are plans for further studies with the insulin receptors to study the effect
of insulin on life expectancy. The flies are interesting because they express the same types of behavior as humans. If the
flies can live that much longer it is interesting to see if the same manipulation can be done to humans. (Joplin)
The research has been quantitative to this point with the mapping
and charting and graphing. Qualitative observations have already lead to further studies and ideas. Dr. Joplin’s studies
have answered some questions but have also brought more ideas and questions to mind. It seems research is a never ending quest.
Works cited
Dr. Karl Joplin, associate professor
East Tennessee State University
