Metapop

Metapop simulates the evolutionary dynamics of monoecious and hermaphroditic plant species in spatially and temporally heterogeneous landscapes using stochastic individual-based models and quantitative genetics to examine genetic and phenotypic processes.

Key Features:

• Stochastic individual-based simulation: Models individuals and explicit life-cycle stages across spatially and temporally heterogeneous landscapes.
• Quantitative genetics framework: Integrates quantitative genetics theory to link genotype and phenotype for quantitative traits.
• Genome and landscape parameterization: Allows fine parameterization of genome structure and landscape heterogeneity effects on individuals.
• Phenotypic plasticity with genetic components: Incorporates phenotypic plasticity potentially under genetic control into trait expression.
• Assortative mating: Simulates non-random mating, including assortative mating relevant to tree species, to assess impacts on genetic diversity and structure.
• Allelic-state output and tool integration: Generates raw data describing the allelic state at each quantitative trait locus and can format output for Genepop or Fstat.
• Automated population statistics: Computes a range of population statistics to monitor dynamics from the gene level to the metapopulation scale.

Scientific Applications:

• Plant ecology and evolution: Simulating genetic and phenotypic dynamics of tree and other plant populations under varying environmental contexts.
• Adaptation to heterogeneous environments: Exploring the roles of phenotypic plasticity and landscape heterogeneity in adaptive responses.
• Speciation and mating-system studies: Investigating effects of assortative mating and non-random mating on divergence and population structure.
• Conservation genetics and metapopulation dynamics: Assessing genetic drift, selection pressures, and population health across metapopulations.

Methodology:

Metapop runs stochastic individual-based simulations parameterized via user-defined text files, implements quantitative genetics theory, outputs allelic states at each quantitative trait locus (exportable to Genepop or Fstat), and automatically computes population statistics.