Spatial Variation in Fruit Preference of Drosophila spp. Across Urban Microhabitats: Evidence for Behavioural Resilience in Changing Environments

Abstract

Urbanization creates heterogeneous environments that impose novel ecological challenges on organisms, requiring adaptive behavioural responses for persistence. Behavioural resilience, particularly in foraging strategies, plays a crucial role in enabling species to cope with such environmental variability. The present study examines spatial variation in fruit preference of Drosophila species across three urban microhabitats—Rajajinagar, Prakashnagar, and Gayathrinagar—characterized by differing levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Four commonly available fruits (banana, orange, papaya, and watermelon) were simultaneously exposed at each site, and the relative attraction of Drosophila individuals was recorded and analyzed as percentage preference. Results revealed marked differences in fruit selection among locations, with banana and orange showing higher attraction in Prakashnagar, equal preference for orange and papaya in Rajajinagar, and intermediate patterns in Gayathrinagar. Watermelon consistently exhibited the lowest attraction across all sites. These findings indicate that foraging behaviour in Drosophila is influenced by local environmental conditions, likely mediated through variations in olfactory cues and microbial fermentation. The observed behavioural plasticity underscores the capacity of Drosophila species to adjust resource use in response to urban microhabitat heterogeneity, contributing to their ecological resilience in rapidly changing environments.