Self-reinforcing spatial patterns enslave evolution in a host-parasitoid system.
Spatially structured models of host-parasitoid interactions exhibit self-structuring into spatial patterns such as spiral waves and turbulence. We discuss the consequences of these patterns in an eco-evolutionary model of host-parasitoid interactions with evolution of the parasitoids' ability to disperse towards dense populations of hosts (termed the aggregation strength). It turns out that the direction of, and the time-scale over which the evolutionary selection pressure acts depends on the type of spatial pattern a parasitoid finds itself in. Evolution tends to reinforce the existence of the prevalent local pattern. Moreover, there is also competition between the patterns that ultimately determines the eco-evolutionary attractor. It is the interaction between multiple processes across spatial and temporal scales that leads to the rich meso-scale behaviour. Predicting the evolutionary outcome from statistical measures and subprocesses is shown to give incorrect and conflicting answers. Comparison with the behaviours of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation shows striking similarities on which we comment.
Savill
N J
NJ
Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands. njs@binf.biol.ruu.nl
Rohani
P
P
Hogeweg
P
P
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017753:Ecosystem; D017709:Fractals; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008954:Models, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics