This is a program demonstrating a wide variety of models from ecology and evolutionary biology. Most of the mathematical models commonly mentioned in introductory courses in these fields are included in the program, along with many more complicated or recent models. The program lists the different models under the following categories: Population growth, Multi-species interactions, Selection, Genetic drift, Differentiation models, Quantitative genetics, Coevoltuion, and a couple of games. For each model, the program includes several pages of explanation of the equations and their motivations, along with references. Then the user is presented with a screen where they can set parameters for the model. After setting parameters, you run the model and see the output on one or more graphs of the interesting variables. You can then go back, change the parameters, and rerun the model. Some of the models also have alternate formulations, for instance a discrete versus continuous version, so you can see how the form of the model might affect the results. Among the more advanced features are the ability to ouput model data to files or a printer and the ability to compare two different runs of a model.

This is a very well-designed program. It is easy to use, with an interface that is simple, fairly intuititve and consistent across all the models so that you only need to learn it once. The information on each model is well written, though technical enough that you probably want to read about the model somewhere else first . The screen displays are quite attractive, as are the graphs. All in all this is a very nice program for letting students play with standard equations in population ecology and evolution.

Computer: DOS

Source: http://ecology.umn.edu/software/populus.html

Cost: Free

Last update 22nd of January 1996