Nature 455, 220-223 (11 September 2008) | doi:10.1038/nature07152; Received
31 January 2008; Accepted 5 June 2008

Understanding the limits to generalizability of experimental evolutionary
models
Samantha E. Forde 1,5, Robert E. Beardmore 2,5, Ivana Gudelj 2,3,5, Sinan S.
Arkin 2, John N. Thompson 1 & Laurence D. Hurst 4

1.. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of
California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
2.. Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
3.. Department of Mathematical Sciences and,
4.. Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2
7AY, UK
5.. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract:
Given the difficulty of testing evolutionary and ecological theory in situ,
in vitro model systems are attractive alternatives; however, can we appraise
whether an experimental result is particular...