Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

40.5K
Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.
40.5K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

59.3K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
59.3K
Hardy-Weinberg Principle01:49

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

72.8K
Diploid organisms have two alleles of each gene, one from each parent, in their somatic cells. Therefore, each individual contributes two alleles to the gene pool of the population. The gene pool of a population is the sum of every allele of all genes within that population and has some degree of variation. Genetic variation is typically expressed as a relative frequency, which is the percentage of the total population that has a given allele, genotype or phenotype.
72.8K
Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

300
Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations,...
300
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

41.3K
Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
41.3K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

31.6K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
31.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Warming increases trophic cascade strength in an aquatic food chain.

The Journal of animal ecology·2026
Same author

Evidence for the Stability Selection Mechanism in a Live Predator-Prey System.

Ecology letters·2026
Same author

Food Subsidy Effects on Host Foraging Behavior Shape Host-Macroparasite Infection Dynamics.

Ecology and evolution·2026
Same author

Costs of parasite generalism revealed by abundance patterns across mammalian hosts.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2025
Same author

Simple, Universal Rules Predict Trophic Interaction Strengths.

Ecology letters·2025
Same author

Similar Conditions With Opposite Effects: Predation-Risk Effects on Prey Abundance Are Highly Contingent.

Ecology and evolution·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Sealable Femtoliter Chamber Arrays for Cell-free Biology
13:44

Sealable Femtoliter Chamber Arrays for Cell-free Biology

Published on: March 11, 2015

9.6K

Stochasticity directs adaptive evolution toward nonequilibrium evolutionary attractors.

John P DeLong1, Clayton E Cressler1

  • 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

Ecology
|September 18, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Demographic stochasticity, random environmental changes, can alter population dynamics and evolution. Nonequilibrium evolutionary attractors explain these altered evolutionary paths, offering new insights beyond traditional equilibrium models.

Keywords:
Gillespie algorithmGillespie eco-evolutionary modeleco-evolutionary dynamicsmaladaptationstochastic dynamics

More Related Videos

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

1.0K
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

14.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Sealable Femtoliter Chamber Arrays for Cell-free Biology
13:44

Sealable Femtoliter Chamber Arrays for Cell-free Biology

Published on: March 11, 2015

9.6K
Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

1.0K
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

14.6K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Ecological dynamics
  • Population genetics

Background:

  • Stochastic processes like genetic drift can impede adaptation.
  • The influence of stochasticity on evolution through ecological dynamics is not well understood.
  • Classic eco-evolutionary models may not fully capture these complex interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how demographic stochasticity affects adaptation patterns in a population.
  • To explore the role of stochasticity in altering population dynamics and evolutionary trajectories.
  • To identify mechanisms governing evolutionary outcomes under stochastic conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluating adaptation patterns in populations experiencing demographic stochasticity.
  • Utilizing eco-evolutionary modeling approaches to analyze population dynamics.
  • Identifying and analyzing nonequilibrium evolutionary attractors (NEEA).

Main Results:

  • Demographic stochasticity can significantly alter population dynamics.
  • Evolutionary outcomes deviate from predictions of classic deterministic models.
  • Nonequilibrium evolutionary attractors, not equilibrium states, govern evolutionary paths under stochasticity.
  • These attractors represent maxima in reproductive success when systems are away from equilibrium.

Conclusions:

  • Stochasticity can lead to unpredictable evolutionary trajectories.
  • Nonequilibrium evolutionary attractors are crucial for understanding evolution in dynamic populations.
  • Incorporating transient population dynamics enhances understanding of evolutionary pace and path.