Open AccessAltruistic aging: The evolutionary dynamics balancing longevity and evolvability
Author(s) -
Minette Herrera,
Aaron Miller,
Joel Nishimura
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
mathematical biosciences and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.451
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1551-0018
pISSN - 1547-1063
DOI - 10.3934/mbe.2017028
Subject(s) - evolvability , longevity , altruism (biology) , population , senescence , biology , evolutionary dynamics , ecology , evolutionary biology , dynamics (music) , psychology , demography , genetics , sociology , pedagogy
Altruism is typically associated with traits or behaviors that benefit the population as a whole, but are costly to the individual. We propose that, when the environment is rapidly changing, senescence (age-related deterioration) can be altruistic. According to numerical simulations of an agent-based model, while long-lived individuals can outcompete their short lived peers, populations composed of long-lived individuals are more likely to go extinct during periods of rapid environmental change. Moreover, as in many situations where other cooperative behavior arises, senescence can be stabilized in a structured population.