Modellarter

Modellarter refers to a species that is selected to represent a larger taxonomic group or ecological community in scientific studies and models. The concept is widely used in ecology, genetics, toxicology, and environmental risk assessment because it allows researchers to conduct experiments and extrapolate results to other, less accessible organisms.

A modellarter is chosen based on a set of criteria. It is usually abundant or commercially available, easy to culture or maintain in a laboratory or controlled field setting, and has a well–characterized life cycle and physiology. It should exhibit traits that are common or central to the group of interest, such as ecological functions, developmental pathways, or biochemical processes. Additionally, the species should not have highly idiosyncratic features that would distort generalization.

Advantages of using modellarter include cost savings, reproducibility, and the ability to perform large–scale or long–term experiments that are impractical with more complex or rare species. They also serve educational purposes and help standardize methods across studies. However, critics point out the risk of over‑generalization and the possibility that results may not transfer to species with different ecological contexts or evolutionary histories. The selection of a modellarter therefore requires careful justification and, where possible, validation against a broader range of taxa.

Common examples of modellarter are the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster in genetic research, the plant Arabidopsis thaliana in plant biology, zebrafish Danio rerio in vertebrate development, and the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans in neurobiology. These species have been instrumental in generating fundamental insights and remain central to contemporary biological research.