This model simulates the contemporary evolution of Threespine Stickleback of a stickleback population in a hypothetical lake. The following processes serve as the underlying mechanisms of the model.
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HOW IT WORKS
HOW IT WORKS
Traits
The stickleback population may consist of three morphs (types): complete, partial, and low. The complete morph is covered with more lateral plates and swims lower. The low morph is covered only a few plates and swims faster. The partial morph has an intermediate number of plates and speed.
Food resource and population size
The stickleback fish need to obtain energy from the food. The changes in the blue background represent the available food in the lake. The darker blue color indicates the food has been consumed in the patch.
Stickleback fish only obtain food from the blue patches, and every move costs some energy. If a fish runs out the energy and no food can be obtained from the current patch, it dies.
The slider of "available-food" represents the food resource available for the stickleback population.
Reproduction, inheritance, and mutation
A simplified reproduction is used in the model. When a fish cumulates a certain amount of energy, it reproduces. Mating procedure and variation caused by different parents are not considered in this model. Five out of 100 offspring fish have more or less lateral plates compared to the parent fish.
Predation
The slider of "number-of-predators" determines the number of predators in the lake, varying from 0 to 8. When the number of predators is greater than 0, dragonfly larvae will appear in the lake and prey on the slow stickleback. The predators always catch the slowest stickleback fish. In this case, the complete-armored sticklebacks are more likely to be preyed on in comparison with the low-armored fish as they swim slower.
RELATED MODEL
RELATED MODEL
Loberg stickleback evolution-Eda gene : a model revealing same phenomenon at the genetic level.
CREDITS AND REFERENCES
CREDITS AND REFERENCES
This model is made by Dr. Lin Xiang at Weber State University. If you mention this model in a publication, we ask that you include the citations below.
Xiang, L. (2017). Loberg stickleback evolution. Zoology Department, Weber State University, Ogden, UT.
Reference resource: The bell lab: Bridging the Gap Between Developmental Genetics and Paleontology http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/ee/belllab/loberg.html
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