Allee effect in the selection for prime-numbered cycles in periodical cicadas.
Periodical cicadas are well known for their prime-numbered life cycles (17 and 13 years) and their mass periodical emergences. The origination and persistence of prime-numbered cycles are explained by the hybridization hypothesis on the basis of their lower likelihood of hybridization with other cycles. Recently, we showed by using an integer-based numerical model that prime-numbered cycles are indeed selected for among 10- to 20-year cycles. Here, we develop a real-number-based model to investigate the factors affecting the selection of prime-numbered cycles. We include an Allee effect in our model, such that a critical population size is set as an extinction threshold. We compare the real-number models with and without the Allee effect. The results show that in the presence of an Allee effect, prime-numbered life cycles are most likely to persist and to be selected under a wide range of extinction thresholds.
Tanaka
Yumi
Y
School of Human Science and Environment, University of Hyogo, 1-1-12 Shinzaike-honcho, Himeji 670-0092, Japan.
Yoshimura
Jin
J
Simon
Chris
C
Cooley
John R
JR
Tainaka
Kei-ichi
K
D000818:Animals; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008954:Models, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012641:Selection, Genetic