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 Experiment Videos

How much evolutionary advantage does sex confer?

M Griffin

    Journal of Theoretical Biology
    |June 7, 1983
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    The advantage of sexual reproduction depends on the evolutionary model. While one model supports large populations, the environment-led model shows sex is more advantageous in smaller populations, challenging previous theories.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

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

    Sort by
    Same author

    Correction: A novel extracellular role for tissue transglutaminase in matrix-bound VGF-mediated angiogenesis.

    Cell death & disease·2026
    Same author

    Post-Pneumonectomy Syndrome.

    Irish medical journal·2025
    Same author

    Management strategies following recurrence of resected retroperitoneal sarcoma: A 10-year observational study.

    European journal of surgical oncology : the journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology·2025
    Same author

    A Randomised Phase II Trial of Hippocampal Sparing Versus Conventional Whole Brain Radiotherapy After Surgical Resection or Radiosurgery in Favourable Prognosis Patients With 1-10 Brain Metastases.

    Clinical oncology (Royal College of Radiologists (Great Britain))·2024
    Same author

    Comparative assessment of radiation therapy-induced vasculitis using [<sup>18</sup>F]FDG-PET/CT in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with proton versus photon radiotherapy.

    European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging·2023
    Same author

    Complications of an uncovered metallic tracheal stent managed by veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a case report.

    BJA open·2023
    Same journal

    An integrative model of FGF2-induced signaling and muscle cell proliferation.

    Journal of theoretical biology·2026
    Same journal

    A Hybrid Reaction-Diffusion and Mechanical Stimulus Model for Mandibular Bone Remodeling under Chewing and Vibratory Loading.

    Journal of theoretical biology·2026
    Same journal

    Integrated tick management strategies in fragmented peridomestic environments.

    Journal of theoretical biology·2026
    Same journal

    Joint likelihood-free inference of the number of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms and their selection coefficients in an evolving population.

    Journal of theoretical biology·2026
    Same journal

    Misspecification of the generation time distribution and its impact on R<sub>t</sub> estimates in structured populations.

    Journal of theoretical biology·2026
    Same journal

    Stability-driven assembly meets Prigoginian informational dissipation. A mean-field ODE comment of entropy reduction and emergent proto-self.

    Journal of theoretical biology·2026
    See all related articles

    Area of Science:

    • Evolutionary Biology
    • Population Genetics
    • Reproductive Strategies

    Background:

    • The long-term benefits of sexual reproduction (recombination) have been debated, with a prevailing view that it is most advantageous in large populations.
    • Previous models by Crow and Kimura (1965) and Maynard Smith (1971) suggested that large populations maximize the benefits of sex.
    • The validity of these conclusions is contingent upon the specific evolutionary models employed.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the influence of different evolutionary models on the perceived advantage of sexual reproduction.
    • To challenge the established notion that sexual reproduction is primarily advantageous in large populations.
    • To propose and analyze two distinct evolutionary models: the bootstrap model and the environment-led model.

    Main Methods:

    Related Experiment Videos

    • Development of two simplified evolutionary models: the bootstrap model and the environment-led model.
    • The bootstrap model assumes a constant number of favorable mutation loci over time.
    • The environment-led model posits a constant evolutionary rate dictated by external environmental factors.

    Main Results:

    • The bootstrap model yielded conclusions consistent with previous research, indicating sex is advantageous in large populations.
    • The environment-led model produced contrasting results, demonstrating that the advantage of sex increases as population size decreases.
    • This highlights the critical role of the chosen evolutionary framework in determining the benefits of sexual reproduction.

    Conclusions:

    • The widely accepted view on the population-size dependency of sexual advantage may be model-specific.
    • Environment-led evolution suggests that smaller populations may benefit more from sexual reproduction than previously thought.
    • Further research is needed to explore the implications of different evolutionary pressures on the maintenance of sex.