Evolutionary ecology in-silico: Does mathematical modelling help in understanding the "generic" trends?
arXiv:q-bio/0504020
Abstract
Motivated by the results of recent laboratory experiments (Yoshida et al. Nature, 424, 303-306 (2003)) as well as many earlier field observations that evolutionary changes can take place in ecosystems over relatively short ecological time scales, several ``unified'' mathematical models of evolutionary ecology have been developed over the last few years with the aim of describing the statistical properties of data related to the evolution of ecosystems. Moreover, because of the availability of sufficiently fast computers, it has become possible to carry out detailed computer simulations of these models. For the sake of completeness and to put these recent developments in the proper perspective, we begin with a brief summary of some older models of ecological phenomena and evolutionary processes. However, the main aim of this article is to review critically these ``unified'' models, particularly those published in the physics literature, in simple language that makes the new theories accessible to wider audience.
28 pages, LATEX, 4 eps figures
References in corpus (18)
- Statistical mechanics of complex networks
- Avalanche Dynamics in Evolution, Growth, and Depinning Models
- Biological Evolution and Statistical Physics
- Spatial organization in cyclic Lotka-Volterra systems
- Avalanches, Scaling and Coherent Noise
- Phase Transitions and Oscillations in a Lattice Prey-Predator Model
- Punctuated equilibria and 1/f noise in a biological coevolution model with individual-based dynamics
- Coherent noise, scale invariance and intermittency in large systems
- Oscillatory behaviour in a lattice prey-predator system
- On the critical behavior of a lattice prey-predator model
- The Tangled Nature model as an evolving quasi-species model
- Power of the power-laws: lessons from unification of small and large time scales for evolution
- Extinction events and species lifetimes in a simple ecological model
- Ecological model of extinctions
- A Simple Model of Evolution with Variable System Size
- Computer simulations of history of life: speciation, emergence of complex species from simpler organisms, and extinctions
- Unified "micro"- and "macro-" evolution of eco-systems: Self-organization of a dynamic network
- Evolving eco-system: a network of networks