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Why should senescence evolve? An answer based on a simple demographic model.

H R Hirsch1

  • 1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Kentucky, Lexington.

Basic Life Sciences
|January 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Senescence evolves when its negative impacts are offset by early life advantages, such as reduced mortality. Natural selection can favor both aging and longevity simultaneously.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Demographic modeling
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • The evolution of senescence, or aging, remains a key question in evolutionary biology.
  • Existing theories offer different perspectives on why aging evolves.
  • This study adopts a demographic approach to model senescence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explain the evolutionary basis of senescence using a demographic model.
  • To investigate the conditions under which senescence is favored by natural selection.
  • To explore the relationship between senescence, longevity, and early-life mortality.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a demographic model where senescence is represented by sudden death.
  • Comparison of different population scenarios with varying death rates and senescence ages.

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  • Analysis of selective advantages and disadvantages across these scenarios.

    • Main Results:

    • Sudden-death senescence is initially disadvantageous but can confer a net selective advantage if compensated by early-life improvements.
    • Natural selection can favor both senescence and increased longevity under specific conditions (e.g., zero presenescent death rate).
    • Earlier onset of senescence provides a greater selective advantage when mean longevity is constant, up to a rectangular survival curve.

    Conclusions:

    • Senescence is expected to evolve when its detrimental effects are outweighed by early-life benefits.
    • Demographic modeling provides a simple and credible explanation for the evolution of senescence.
    • Natural selection can simultaneously promote aging and extended lifespan.