Models for exploring genome-fitness mapping in an introductory course

7 Evolutionary theory presents a number of conceptual hurdles for the undergraduate student. 8 In addition, the extended timespan over which many evolutionary processes occur, coupled with 9 the time constraints of the typical undergraduate laboratory, restricts the range of relevant labo10 ratory exercises available to augment instruction in an undergraduate course. Computer-based 11 simulations have the potential to overcome this barrier as they allow interaction with models 12 of natural processes which occur on long timescales. Such simulations allow the student to 13 pursue what would be impossible at the bench: to investigate multiple scenarios and to collect, 14 visualize, and analyze large amounts of data. Here, we describe a set of agent-based models, de15 veloped using the NetLogo platform, designed to facilitate developing a better understanding of 16 the interplay between random processes, organismal fitness, encoding, and genomic sequence 17 space. 18 2 PeerJ Preprints | https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2647v1 | CC BY 4.0 Open Access | rec: 19 Dec 2016, publ: 19 Dec 2016