Hi, cody, 

 

Yes, the fact that the height of the stalk is a function of number of altruists 
in the aggregation is what drives the model.  We made the reproductive rate a 
linear function of height.  We could have biased the model more toward altruism 
if we had made it a geometric function of height.  This would actually be 
reasonable.  We considered two models for how the spores in the reproductive 
part are distributed, the dandelion model and the burr model.  In the dandelion 
model, they are carried away on the wind and disseminated into the world; in 
the burr model, they are picked up by some perambulating insect and deposited 
in one spot.  We did some heavy thinking and came to the conclusion that the 
dandelion model was implausible; apparently the air in the layer that close to 
the ground is about as “windy” as molten led.  The burr model, however, seemed 
much more promising.  We did little experiments “brushing up against” the 
fruiting bodies with a forceps and indeed the do stick and can restick to 
something else as a whole

 

The two types, altruist and cheats,  are assigned to the fruiting body and to 
the stalk at random, so that if ¾ of the members of the aggregate are cheats, 
then ¾ of the cells in the reproductive bit are cheats, as well as ¾ of the 
cells that WOULD go to the stalk.  Those cheats that WOULD go to the stalk if 
they weren’t cheats, instead roll themselves up into resistant particles and 
remain in the soil as individuals.  I think I give them one chance in 3 to 
survive, since the reason that fruiting bodies are formed seems to have 
something about the deterioration of local conditions for slime mold amoeba 
survival.  This is the reason that only cheats end up as dropouts.  Only 
altruists end up in the stalk because that’s what it is to be an altruist.  

 

Does this help?

 

I yield to no other man in the depth of my newbieity. 

 

Nick 

Nick Thompson

 <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]

 <https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/> 
https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

 

From: Friam <[email protected]> On Behalf Of cody dooderson
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2021 9:24 PM
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] OOOOPS! RE: Evolution of fruiting bodies in slime molds

 

Can you explain this a little bit to a newby. I may have this all wrong. Is 
this diagram saying that the more altruists in a group the taller the fruiting 
body? Why do cheats always end up at the top of the fruiting body?

 




Cody Smith

 

 

On Mon, Apr 19, 2021 at 8:50 PM <[email protected] 
<mailto:[email protected]> > wrote:

Sorry, I sent the wrong version.  Fixed some typos, one very bad.  

 

Nick 

 

Nick Thompson

[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> 

https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/

 

From: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>  
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > 
Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2021 3:00 PM
To: 'The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group' <[email protected] 
<mailto:[email protected]> >
Subject: Evolution of fruiting bodies in slime molds

 

 

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