ecosystm2 - about genes

CREATING

Based on an initial selection of 8 securities, a 32 unit gene sequence is created.  This sequence determines flock appearance and behavior in ecosystm.  Each unit in the sequence accounts for a single share of the security it represents.  At creation, through weighting, you increase the number of shares in the sequence.  For example, a portfolio is made with the securities MSFT (Microsoft) and ORCL (Oracle).  MSFT is given a weight of 55 and ORCL is given 20.  Total weight is 75, of which MSFT is 73 percent, and ORCL, 27 percent.  Therefore 73 percent of the 32 gene units will be MSFT (23 units) and 27 percent will be ORCL (9 units).  The units are evenly distributed across the sequence.

Groups of 8 units in the sequence are then combined and analyzed to determine the appearance of the flock.  The first set of 8 gene units determine head and beak characteristics; the next 8, the body; the next 8, the wings.  The final 8 gene units influence the behavior of the flock in ecosystm.

A new flock is created with 10 birds in its population, each having a copy of the same sequence.  Therefore the flock as a whole consists of 10 times the number of shares in a single 32 unit sequence.  Continuing the example from above means that our new flock represents 230 shares of MSFT and 90 shares of ORCL.


BREEDING

When two flocks breed, a new flock is created by combining the gene sequences of the parents.  Implementing a standard genetic crossover algorithm, a new 32 unit sequenced is established by evaluating the performance of the 8 unit gene groups using some from each to produce a new 8 unit combination.  This way, the species inherits visual charactaristics from both parents.  In some cases this is highly noticable and in other cases less so, just like real life.

Each 8 unit gene group can be divided into two "chromosomes". The first four units compose the first chromosome, the next four the second chromosome.  The four units are summed and evaluated for performance, and asigned a "likelyhood" to reappear.

The evaluation is not just a top-to-bottom ranking, there is a catch.  All gene units have a potential to appear in the next species.  The selection process is most  likely to perpetuate the best performers, but poorer performers can make it into the next generation.   Imagine a pie chart  with slices cut by ranking.  Drop a marble on it.  Where the marble comes to rest indicates  the chromosome selected.  The new 8 unit sequence combines the chosen chromosome from one flock and the chosen chromosome from the other flock in what is called a "crossover."

BEHAVIOR