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The ideal free distribution as an evolutionarily stable strategy
Robert Stephen Cantrell1, Chris Cosner, Donald L DeAngelis
1Department of Mathematics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL33124, USA. rsc@math.miami.edu
Journal of Biological Dynamics
|August 11, 2012
Summary
Evolutionarily stable strategies for dispersal and state-switching favor ideal free distributions. Only these strategies, where all individuals have equal fitness, are stable in heterogeneous environments.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Population dynamics
- Theoretical ecology
Background:
- Studies suggest selection against random dispersal in heterogeneous environments.
- Conditional dispersal strategies, influenced by environmental factors, may be favored.
- Balanced dispersal, leading to equal equilibrium densities, has shown evolutionary stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the evolutionary stability of dispersal and state-switching strategies.
- To determine conditions under which ideal free strategies are evolutionarily stable.
- To unify and extend previous theoretical results on dispersal evolution.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of population dynamics and species interactions in continuous and discrete time models.
- Invasibility analysis using ordinary differential equations.
- Application of nonnegative matrix theory.
Main Results:
- Ideal free strategies are evolutionarily stable under general assumptions for population dynamics and species interactions.
- Balanced dispersal, resulting in ideal free distributions, is shown to be evolutionarily stable.
- Conditional dispersal strategies are favored over unconditional dispersal in heterogeneous environments.
Conclusions:
- Only ideal free strategies, characterized by equal individual fitness, can be evolutionarily stable for dispersal and state-switching.
- The findings provide a unified theoretical framework for understanding the evolution of dispersal and state-switching.
- The study highlights the importance of environmental heterogeneity in shaping evolutionary strategies.
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