The persistence of short‐term cold acclimation in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Daily and seasonal fluctuations in temperature present significant challenges for the survival of many ectothermic species that can be tempered via thermal acclimation. In the present study, we use multiple naturally derived genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster to determine the persistence of beneficial short‐term thermal acclimation on subsequent survival after cold shock. We found that the benefit of short‐term acclimation persisted for 2 h in most genotypes after a rapid cold hardening treatment. Genotype did not directly influence the persistence of short‐term acclimation benefits, indicating that environmental variation may be more important for the persistence of acclimation benefits rather than genetic capacity for acclimation. The present study extends the current understanding of the limits and importance of short‐term acclimation events, providing greater detail on the timing of the loss of short‐term acclimation benefits in a genetically variable natural population.