Choking the Next Generation: How Rising PM2.5 Affects Wingless Drosophila Birth Rates

PM2.5, or particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter, is a harmful air pollutant originating from vehicles, industrial emissions, wildfires, and chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Due to their small size, these particles can infiltrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, contributing to cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological diseases, as well as premature mortality. Our hypothesis was that exposing Drosophila to smoke containing high levels of PM2.5 will decrease birth rates and health due to stress factors and potential toxicity. The breadboard setup used in the experiment was a PM2.5 detector, while the fruit flies were kept in separate tubes during and between each phase of the experiment. To monitor the fruit flies population, we manually counted the Drosophila using a counter. During exposure to incense smoke, PM2.5 levels were recorded over three different time intervals: 10 minutes, 1 hour, and 1 week. A control group of flies was kept unexposed for comparison. The PM2.5 measurements were collected using an Arduino-based sensor. Contrary to our hypothesis, offspring numbers increased with longer exposure durations. We attribute this to stress-induced reproductive shifts in Drosophila. Exposure to incense (10 minutes, 1 hour, 1 week) appeared to trigger an adaptive response, boosting early reproduction. This early investment, consistent across Trials 1 and 2, may come at the cost of overall lifespan. Notably, the 1-hour exposure group showed a decline, suggesting that excessive stress suppresses reproduction. In summary, we concluded that drosophila may experience reproductive stress differently in comparison to humans in response to high PM2.5 rates. Our findings are relevant to urban environments like NYC, where pollution from traffic and historical practices such as redlining disproportionately impact low-income communities. Understanding how environmental stressors influence biological systems can inform public health strategies.