Temperature Independence of Emergence Timing in Drosophila

This is one of the earliest demonstrations of temperature compensation in the circadian rhythms of fruit flies, observed not through activity rhythms but through eclosion rhythms. The following excerpts from the introductory paragraph capture the main point: Clocks, processes measuring absolute time, occur in living organisms. The temperature relations of organic clocks are of obvious interest. If a clock is to provide information involved in controlling important functions, then clearly it must be reasonably reliable. Attention is then focused on how reliable timing can be effected by poikilotherms, like gammarids and flies, in natural environments that are characterized by violent daily temperature variations. A temperature-dependent clock will guarantee only mistiming.

The paper contains more details and complexities of experimental verification of the temperature compensation concept.