Cooperation guides evolution in a minimal model of biological evolution
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866908305160404992 |
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| author | Houghton, Conor |
| author_facet | Houghton, Conor |
| contents | A challenging simulation of evolutionary dynamics based on a three-state cellular automaton is used as a test of how cooperation can drive the evolution of complex traits. Building on the approach of Wolfram (2025), the fitness of a cellular automaton is determined by the number of updates it endures before returning to an empty configuration. In our population-based model, groups of automata are assessed either by summing individual fitness or by the maximum fitness in the group; this second scheme mimics cooperation by allowing fit rules to support their less fit group mates. We show that cooperation substantially improves the population's ability to evolve longer-lived rules, illustrating a Baldwin Effect for Cooperation: higher diversity across individuals unlock otherwise inaccessible evolutionary paths. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_05096 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Cooperation guides evolution in a minimal model of biological evolution Houghton, Conor Populations and Evolution A challenging simulation of evolutionary dynamics based on a three-state cellular automaton is used as a test of how cooperation can drive the evolution of complex traits. Building on the approach of Wolfram (2025), the fitness of a cellular automaton is determined by the number of updates it endures before returning to an empty configuration. In our population-based model, groups of automata are assessed either by summing individual fitness or by the maximum fitness in the group; this second scheme mimics cooperation by allowing fit rules to support their less fit group mates. We show that cooperation substantially improves the population's ability to evolve longer-lived rules, illustrating a Baldwin Effect for Cooperation: higher diversity across individuals unlock otherwise inaccessible evolutionary paths. |
| title | Cooperation guides evolution in a minimal model of biological evolution |
| topic | Populations and Evolution |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.05096 |