Fig. 7: Dynamic population structure and small-scale chaotic migration effects increase cluster diversity.

Results of many simulations beginning with three dense clusters of particles near three distinct vortices of a seven-vortex flow, of which one realization is shown in Supplementary Fig. 1. The three clusters are considered to be “dyed” so that their lineages can be tracked over time. (Left-hand panel) The diversity of each cluster having at least 10 particles, as measured by the mean cluster heterozygosity (which here has the value 0 for a cluster of all one lineage and value 2/3 for a cluster with all three lineages represented equally). Different colors mark different metabolisms. The solid line represents the average over many simulations (see “Methods” section) and the opaque background represents one standard deviation. (Right-hand panel) The number of clusters consisting of 10 or more particles, averaged over all simulations, starting from the initial three vortices.