The emergence of heterotrophy in an eco-evolutionary model: modelling trophic transitions in a resource-based framework with naturally-bounded trait distributions

A plankton eco-evolutionary model with an alga that has the metabolic pathways to allow it to function as an autotroph or heterotroph is considered. Ecological constraints dictate that the traits that describe the feeding preferences and abilities of the alga naturally have bounded distributions. Th...

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Main Authors: Cropp, R, Norbury, J
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2019
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author Cropp, R
Norbury, J
author_facet Cropp, R
Norbury, J
author_sort Cropp, R
collection OXFORD
description A plankton eco-evolutionary model with an alga that has the metabolic pathways to allow it to function as an autotroph or heterotroph is considered. Ecological constraints dictate that the traits that describe the feeding preferences and abilities of the alga naturally have bounded distributions. The trait distributions are then non-normal, and evolve with the population as it changes its trophic behaviour from an autotroph to a heterotroph. A key result of the simulations is that the populations remain in ecological stasis for many generations while the trait mean slowly adapts—only at the conclusion of this transition does herbivory emerge. After initially adapting to improve its competitive performance as an autotroph, the adapting population eventually emerges as a heterotroph having maximised its share of the resources at the expense of its prey, previously its competitor.
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spelling oxford-uuid:6885aae5-309b-4757-8610-09d54c4a6da42022-03-26T18:45:22ZThe emergence of heterotrophy in an eco-evolutionary model: modelling trophic transitions in a resource-based framework with naturally-bounded trait distributionsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:6885aae5-309b-4757-8610-09d54c4a6da4EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordSpringer2019Cropp, RNorbury, JA plankton eco-evolutionary model with an alga that has the metabolic pathways to allow it to function as an autotroph or heterotroph is considered. Ecological constraints dictate that the traits that describe the feeding preferences and abilities of the alga naturally have bounded distributions. The trait distributions are then non-normal, and evolve with the population as it changes its trophic behaviour from an autotroph to a heterotroph. A key result of the simulations is that the populations remain in ecological stasis for many generations while the trait mean slowly adapts—only at the conclusion of this transition does herbivory emerge. After initially adapting to improve its competitive performance as an autotroph, the adapting population eventually emerges as a heterotroph having maximised its share of the resources at the expense of its prey, previously its competitor.
spellingShingle Cropp, R
Norbury, J
The emergence of heterotrophy in an eco-evolutionary model: modelling trophic transitions in a resource-based framework with naturally-bounded trait distributions
title The emergence of heterotrophy in an eco-evolutionary model: modelling trophic transitions in a resource-based framework with naturally-bounded trait distributions
title_full The emergence of heterotrophy in an eco-evolutionary model: modelling trophic transitions in a resource-based framework with naturally-bounded trait distributions
title_fullStr The emergence of heterotrophy in an eco-evolutionary model: modelling trophic transitions in a resource-based framework with naturally-bounded trait distributions
title_full_unstemmed The emergence of heterotrophy in an eco-evolutionary model: modelling trophic transitions in a resource-based framework with naturally-bounded trait distributions
title_short The emergence of heterotrophy in an eco-evolutionary model: modelling trophic transitions in a resource-based framework with naturally-bounded trait distributions
title_sort emergence of heterotrophy in an eco evolutionary model modelling trophic transitions in a resource based framework with naturally bounded trait distributions
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