Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 29, 2025

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
Published on: February 3, 2023
Evolutionary dynamics, evolutionary forces, and robustness: A nonequilibrium statistical mechanics perspective
Riccardo Rao1,2, Stanislas Leibler1,2
1Simons Center for Systems Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ 08540.
Abstract:
SignificanceEvolution through natural selection is an overwhelmingly complex process, and it is not surprising that theoretical approaches are strongly simplifying it. For instance, population genetics considers mainly dynamics of gene allele frequencies. Here, we develop a complementary approach to evolutionary dynamics based on three elements-organism reproduction, variations, and selection-that are essential for any evolutionary theory. By considering such general dynamics as a stochastic thermodynamic process, we clarify the nature and action of the evolutionary forces. We show that some of the forces cannot be described solely in terms of fitness landscapes. We also find that one force contribution can make organism reproduction insensitive (robust) to variations.
More Related Videos
15:00Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
Published on: August 18, 2023
11:03An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
Published on: December 4, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Hardy-Weinberg Principle
Entropy Change in Reversible Processes
The statement can be further generalized to prove that entropy is a state function. Take a cyclic process between any two points on a p-V diagram.
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
The relation between entropy and disorder can be illustrated with the example of the phase change of ice to water. In ice, the molecules are located at specific sites giving a solid state, whereas, in a liquid form, these molecules are much freer to move. The molecular arrangement has therefore become more randomized. Although the change in average...
Stability of Equilibrium Configuration
A stable equilibrium occurs when a system tends to return to its original position when given a small displacement, and the potential energy is at its minimum. An example of a stable equilibrium is when a cantilever beam is fixed at one end and a weight is attached to the other end. If the weight...
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift
Evolutionary Psychology