Life Is Uncertain: Inherent Variability Exhibited by Organisms, and at Higher Levels of Biological Organization

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Astrobiology

Background:

• Ecological literature often attributes organismal stochasticity to observer limitations or environmental factors.
• This perspective overlooks the role of inherent unpredictability within organisms themselves.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compile evidence demonstrating that organisms generate internal uncertainty, leading to irreducible stochastic responses.
• To explore the adaptive advantages and broader implications of biologically generated uncertainty.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of existing ecological and biological literature.
• Analysis of theoretical frameworks explaining internal uncertainty generation in organisms.

Main Results:

• Organisms possess internal mechanisms for generating and magnifying uncertainty, influencing their responses.
• Stochastic responses are linked to enhanced adaptability in changing environments and resource availability.

Conclusions:

• Organisms can be defined as systems that internally generate and process uncertainty.
• Understanding inherent biological uncertainty is crucial for astrobiology, aiding in life detection and defining life's potential distribution.