Résumé
An agent-based computer simulation of death by inheritable mutations in a changing environment shows a maximal population, or avoids extinction, at some intermediate mutation rate of the individuals. Our results indicate that death seems needed to allow for evolution of the fittest, as required by a changing environment.
Simulação computacional de agentes individuais que se reproduzem e morrem por acúmulo de mutações herdadas mostra um máximo da população ou evita extinção, para taxas de mutação intermediárias. Assim, as mortes parecem necessárias para a evolução dos mais adaptados a um ambiente mutante.
Sujets)
Femelle , Humains , Mâle , Simulation numérique , Modèles génétiques , Mutation/génétique , Dynamique des populations , Sélection génétique/génétique , Génétique des populations , Méthode de Monte Carlo , Phénotype , Densité de population , Caractère quantitatif héréditaireRésumé
Motivated by the results of recent laboratory experiments, as well as many earlier field observations, that evolutionary changes can take place in ecosystems over relatively short ecological time scales, several 'unified' mathematical models of evolutionary ecology have been developed over the last few years with the aim of describing the statistical properties of data related to the evolution of ecosystems. Moreover, because of the availability of sufficiently fast computers, it has become possible to carry out detailed computer simulations of these models. For the sake of completeness and to put these recent developments in perspective, we begin with a brief summary of some older models of ecological phenomena and evolutionary processes. However, the main aim of this article is to review critically these 'unified' models, particularly those published in the physics literature, in simple language that makes the new theories accessible to a wider audience.
Sujets)
Vieillissement/physiologie , Écologie/tendances , Écosystème , Évolution biologique , Chaine alimentaire , Modèles biologiques , Dynamique des populations , Spécificité d'espèceRésumé
The sexual version of the Penna model of biological aging, simulated since 1996, is compared here with alternative forms of reproduction as well as with models not involving aging. In particular we want to check how sexual forms of life could have evolved and won over earlier asexual forms hundreds of million years ago. This computer model is based on the mutation-accumulation theory of aging, using bits-strings to represent the genome. Its population dynamics is studied by Monte Carlo methods