Directionality theory: a computational study of an entropic principle in evolutionary processes

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Demography
• Computational biology

Background:

• Evolutionary processes are influenced by demographic parameters.
• Demographic entropy, measuring maternal age uncertainty, offers insights into evolutionary dynamics.
• Previous analytical studies proposed three tenets for entropy changes based on population growth and constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

• To computationally assess the robustness of analytical predictions regarding demographic entropy changes.
• To validate the universality of the entropic principle in evolutionary modeling.

Main Methods:

• Computer simulations were employed to test analytical tenets.
• Analysis focused on demographic entropy changes under different population growth constraints (bounded vs. unbounded) and sizes (small vs. large).

Main Results:

• Simulation results were consistent with analytical predictions for entropy changes.
• Populations with bounded growth showed increased entropy.
• Large populations with unbounded growth showed decreased entropy, while small populations showed random changes.

Conclusions:

• The entropic principle provides a robust and universal model for evolutionary processes.
• Environmental constraints and population dynamics significantly shape evolutionary changes in demographic entropy.
• Computational and empirical evidence supports the entropic principle's applicability across diverse scenarios.