Simulate species migration fast and easy. SPLATCHE (for SPatiaL And Temporal Coalescences in Heterogenous Environment) is a program that allows to incorporate the influence of environment in the simulation of migration of a given species from one origin. In a second phase, the molecular genetic diversity of one or several samples drawn from the simulated species can be generated.

Geographic area and environmental information have to be specified by the program user in a series of input files. Basically, the virtual world where migrations take place is constituted by a matrix of demes. Each deme has its own environmental characteristics according to the input files. A coalescent-based approach allows to generate the molecular diversity of any population sample. The molecular data obtained can then be analyzed in order to study the signature of the simulated demographic scenario.

The goal of this online manual is to describe the technical aspects of the software SPLATCHE (version 1.1). This manual complements the article from Currat, Ray and Excoffier, published in 2004. Further details on the methodology can also be found in Ray (2003) and Currat (2004). The pdf version of the user manual could also be download there.

The license of this software is Freeware, you can free download and free use this calculator software.