Simulating Species Richness Using Agents with Evolving Niches, with an Example of Galápagos Plants
Author
Source
International Journal of Ecology
Issue
Vol. 2010, Issue 2010 (31 Dec. 2010), pp.1-13, 13 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2010-09-29
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
13
Main Subjects
Natural & Life Sciences (Multidisciplinary)
Biology
Abstract EN
I sought to evolve plant species richness patterns on 22 Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, as an exploration of the utility of evolutionary computation and an agent-based approach in biogeography research.
The simulation was spatially explicit, where agents were plant monocultures defined by three niche dimensions, lava (yes or no), elevation, and slope.
Niches were represented as standard normal curves subjected to selection pressure, where neighboring plants bred if their niches overlapped sufficiently, and were considered the same species, otherwise they were different species.
Plants that bred produced seeds with mutated niches.
Seeds dispersed locally and longer distances, and established if the habitat was appropriate given the seed's niche.
From a single species colonizing a random location, hundreds of species evolved to fill the islands.
Evolved plant species richness agreed very well with observed plant species richness.
I review potential uses of an agent-based representation of evolving niches in biogeography research.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Boone, Randall B.. 2010. Simulating Species Richness Using Agents with Evolving Niches, with an Example of Galápagos Plants. International Journal of Ecology،Vol. 2010, no. 2010, pp.1-13.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-449800
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Boone, Randall B.. Simulating Species Richness Using Agents with Evolving Niches, with an Example of Galápagos Plants. International Journal of Ecology No. 2010 (2010), pp.1-13.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-449800
American Medical Association (AMA)
Boone, Randall B.. Simulating Species Richness Using Agents with Evolving Niches, with an Example of Galápagos Plants. International Journal of Ecology. 2010. Vol. 2010, no. 2010, pp.1-13.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-449800
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-449800