Evolution of reduced dispersal mortality and 'fat-tailed' dispersal kernels in autocorrelated landscapes

Proc Biol Sci. 2001 Feb 22;268(1465):385-91. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2000.1379.

Abstract

Models describing the evolution of dispersal strategies have mostly focused on the evolution of dispersal rates. Taking trees as a model for organisms with undirected, passive dispersal, we have developed an individual-based, spatially explicit simulation tool to investigate the evolution of the dispersal kernel, P(r), and its resulting cumulative seed-density distribution, D(r). Simulations were run on a variety of fractal landscapes differing in the fraction of suitable habitat and the spatial autocorrelation. Starting from a uniform D(r), evolution led to an increase in the fraction of seeds staying in the home cell, a reduction of the dispersal mortality (arrival in unsuitable habitat), and the evolution of 'fat-tailed' D(r) in autocorrelated landscapes and approximately uniform D(r) in random landscapes. The evolutionary process was characterized by long periods of stasis with a few bouts of rapid change in the dispersal rate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Evolution*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Statistical
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Seeds
  • Trees*