The Natural History of Model Organisms
Ian Baldwin
Edited by
Ian Baldwin et al.

The Natural History of Model Organisms

Essays on the wild lives of model organisms, from Arabidopsis to the zebrafish.
Collection
Illustration by Claudia Stocker
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Many of the fundamental principles of biology were discovered in model organisms, but there is still a lot to learn about their life and biology "in the wild". The articles in this collection explore what is known about the natural history of a range of model organisms, and explain how studying these organisms in their natural habitats could lead to breakthroughs in many different areas of biology.

Collection

    1. Ecology
    2. Evolutionary Biology

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: New opportunities at the wild frontier

    Jane Alfred, Ian T Baldwin
    A better understanding of the natural history of model organisms will increase their value as model systems and also keep them at the forefront of research.
    1. Developmental Biology
    2. Evolutionary Biology

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Amphioxus as a model to study the evolution of development in chordates

    Salvatore D'Aniello, Stephanie Bertrand, Hector Escriva
    Interest in the ecology, biology and evolution of amphioxus is growing, and the availability of several species is helping to improve our understanding of chordate evolution.
    1. Ecology
    2. Evolutionary Biology
    Silhouette of a rhesus macaque on a yellow/orange background.

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The rhesus macaque as a success story of the Anthropocene

    Eve B Cooper, Lauren JN Brent ... James P Higham
    The rhesus macaque is a non-human primate that is widely used as a model organism in ecology, evolutionary biology and behavioural science.
    1. Plant Biology

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The biology of C. richardii as a tool to understand plant evolution

    Sylvia P Kinosian, Paul G Wolf
    The natural history of the model fern Ceratopteris richardii provides opportunities for unique studies and makes it an important system to include in comparative work.
    1. Developmental Biology
    2. Evolutionary Biology
    Silhoutte of a coqui frog in black on a purple background.

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The big potential of the small frog Eleutherodactylus coqui

    Sarah E Westrick, Mara Laslo, Eva K Fischer
    The coquí frog is of interest to researchers in fields as diverse as development biology, social behavior and the biology of invasive species.
    1. Ecology
    2. Neuroscience
    Silhouette of a zebra finch on a blue background.

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Neurogenomic insights into the behavioral and vocal development of the zebra finch

    Mark E Hauber, Matthew IM Louder, Simon C Griffith
    The genetic and behavioral diversity of the zebra finch, both in the wild and in captivity, make it well-suited for neuroethological studies of vocal learning, culture, and social bonding.
    1. Developmental Biology
    2. Neuroscience
    Pond snail illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The unlimited potential of the great pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis

    István Fodor, Ahmed AA Hussein ... Zsolt Pirger
    The great pond snail is a multipurpose model organism and a contemporary choice for addressing a wide range of biological questions, problems and phenomena in the laboratory and the field.
    1. Ecology
    2. Evolutionary Biology
    House sparrow illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The house sparrow in the service of basic and applied biology

    Haley E Hanson, Noreen S Mathews ... Lynn B Martin
    The house sparrow, one of the most ubiquitous birds in the world, is now used extensively in studies across disciplines in the life sciences.
    1. Ecology
    2. Evolutionary Biology
    Rat illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The Norway rat, from an obnoxious pest to a laboratory pet

    Klaudia Modlinska, Wojciech Pisula
    The rat is much more than a simple model, and a better appreciation of the natural history of wild rats would increase its value as a research organism.
    1. Evolutionary Biology
    Baboon illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Insights into the evolution of social systems and species from baboon studies

    Julia Fischer, James P Higham ... Dietmar Zinner
    Wild baboons are an excellent model to study complex evolutionary processes such as speciation and hybridization, as well as the links between sociality, longevity and reproductive success.
    1. Evolutionary Biology
    2. Genetics and Genomics
    Medaka illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The untapped potential of medaka and its wild relatives

    Leon Hilgers, Julia Schwarzer
    Studies of medaka and other ricefishes in the wild could provide insights in fields such as evolutionary biology, development and cancer research.
    1. Ecology
    2. Evolutionary Biology
    Killifish illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Nothobranchius furzeri, an 'instant' fish from an ephemeral habitat

    Martin Reichard, Matej Polačik
    The turquoise killifish from ephemeral pools in African savannah combines extremely short lifespan with a standard vertebrate body plan – ideal attributes for a laboratory animal.
    1. Cell Biology
    2. Ecology
    Chlamydomonas illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: From molecular manipulation of domesticated Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to survival in nature

    Severin Sasso, Herwig Stibor ... Arthur R Grossman
    Dubbed the 'green yeast', the model alga C. reinhardtii has profoundly advanced many areas of biology, but much remains to be learnt about its life in the wild.
    1. Ecology
    Deer mouse illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Peromyscus mice as a model for studying natural variation

    Nicole L Bedford, Hopi E Hoekstra
    The deer mouse (Peromyscus) has emerged as a model system for studying many aspects of biology, supported by extensive historical knowledge of its fascinating and varied natural history.
    1. Ecology
    Drosophila illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The secret lives of Drosophila flies

    Therese Ann Markow
    After decades of intensive research, D. melanogaster and its relatives could provide important tools for investigating future biological questions about human health and environmental change, but only if we better understand their natural history.
    1. Evolutionary Biology
    Mouse illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Insights into mammalian biology from the wild house mouse Mus musculus

    Megan Phifer-Rixey, Michael W Nachman
    Studies of the house mouse Mus musculus have provided important insights into mammalian biology, and efforts to study wild house mice and to create new inbred strains from wild populations have the potential to increase its usefulness as a model system.
    1. Ecology
    2. Evolutionary Biology
    C. elegans illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: C. elegans outside the Petri dish

    Lise Frézal, Marie-Anne Félix
    To leverage the tools, resources and knowledge that exist for C. elegans so that we can study ecology, evolution and other aspects of biology, we need to understand the natural history of this important model organism.
    1. Ecology
    2. Plant Biology
    Arabidopsis illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Planting molecular functions in an ecological context with Arabidopsis thaliana

    Ute Krämer
    Research in molecular ecology and evolution is increasingly utilizing the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, placing a spotlight on its natural history.
    1. Ecology
    2. Genetics and Genomics
    Budding yeast illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The fascinating and secret wild life of the budding yeast S. cerevisiae

    Gianni Liti
    The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has informed our understanding of molecular biology and genetics for decades, and learning more about its natural history could fuel a new era of functional and evolutionary studies of this classic model organism.
    1. Developmental Biology
    Ciona intestinalis illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: An organismal perspective on C. intestinalis development, origins and diversification

    Matthew J Kourakis, William C Smith
    The life cycle and morphology of the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis shed light on vertebrate evolution.
    1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
    2. Ecology
    E. coli illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: The unexhausted potential of E. coli

    Zachary D Blount
    A better understanding of the remarkable diversity, natural history and complex ecology of E. coli in the wild could shed new light on its biology and role in disease, and further expand its many uses as a model organism.
    1. Plant Biology
    2. Genetics and Genomics
    Maize illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Genetic, evolutionary and plant breeding insights from the domestication of maize

    Sarah Hake, Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra
    Comparing maize to its wild ancestor teosinte advances our understanding of how it and other cereal crops evolved, and also identifies the genetic variation that can contribute to important agricultural traits.
    1. Ecology
    2. Evolutionary Biology
    Zebrafish illustration

    The Natural History of Model Organisms: Advancing biology through a deeper understanding of zebrafish ecology and evolution

    David M Parichy
    The zebrafish is a premier model organism for biomedical research, with a rich array of tools and genomic resources, and combining these with a fuller appreciation of wild zebrafish ecology could greatly extend its utility in biological research.

Contributors

  1. Ian Baldwin
    Ian Baldwin
    Senior Editor
  2. Jane Alfred
    Consultant Editor