The Tangled Nature model of Evolutionary Ecology

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The tangled nature model provides different methods for demonstrating and predicting trends in evolutionary ecology. The model analyzes an individual prone to mutation within a population as well as other factors such as extinction rate[1]. The model was developed by Simon Laird, Daniel Lawson, and Henrik Jeldtoft Jensen of the Imperial College London in 2002. The purpose of the model is to create a simple and logical ecological model based on observation. The model is designed such that ecological effects can be accounted for when determining form, and fitness of a population.

Color variation in cichlid fish

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The effects of evolutionary ecology and its consequences can be seen in the case of color variation among African cichlid fish. With over 2,000 species, cichlid fishes are very species-rich and capable of complex social interactions [2]. Polychromatism, the variation of color patterns within a population, occurs within cichlid fishes due to environmental adaptations and to increase chances of sexual reproduction [3]

  1. ^ Laird, Simon, "The Tangled Nature Model of Evolutionary Ecology: An Overview.", Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems, Volume II, pp. 49–62, doi:10.1007/978-0-8176-4556-4_5
  2. ^ "Functional diversity in the color vision of cichlid fishes". BMC Biology, BioMed Central. October 28, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  3. ^ "Evolution of colour patterns in East African cichlid fish". Blackwell Publishing Ltd. December 25, 2001. Retrieved November 4, 2017.