Evolution of specialization under non-equilibrium population dynamics

: Tuomas Nurmi, Kalle Parvinen

Publisher: ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

: 2013

: Journal of Theoretical Biology

: JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY

: J THEOR BIOL

: 321

: 63

: 77

: 15

: 0022-5193

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2012.12.018

We analyze the evolution of specialization in resource utilization in a mechanistically underpinned discrete-time model using the adaptive dynamics approach. We assume two nutritionally equivalent resources that in the absence of consumers grow sigmoidally towards a resource-specific carrying capacity. The consumers use resources according to the law of mass-action with rates involving trade-off. The resulting discrete-time model for the consumer population has over-compensatory dynamics. We illuminate the way non-equilibrium population dynamics affect the evolutionary dynamics of the resource consumption rates, and show that evolution to the trimorphic coexistence of a generalist and two specialists is possible due to asynchronous non-equilibrium population dynamics of the specialists. In addition, various forms of cyclic evolutionary dynamics are possible. Furthermore, evolutionary suicide may occur even without Allee effects and demographic stochasticity. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.