Regressive biological evolution due to environmental change.

D J Lacks

doi:10.1006/jtbi.2001.2282

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Regressive biological evolution due to environmental change.

D J Lacks

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Abstract

Simulation results are presented which suggest that regressive evolution (i.e., evolution to a less adapted state) often occurs in response to environmental change, by a process analogous to the stress-induced reversal of aging in glassy materials. The key to this process is the stress-induced disappearance of fitness optima that lead to irreversible changes in the location of a population in genotype space. Even though the population may always evolve to higher fitness states, this irreversible process will often act to bring an initially well-adapted system to a less adapted state upon a return to initial conditions.

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Adaptation, Physiological Animals Biological Evolution Environment Glass Models, Biological Models, Statistical Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

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D J Lacks. 2001-04-21. Regressive biological evolution due to environmental change.. https://doi.org/10.1006/jtbi.2001.2282

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