The Effect of Sporadic Dormancy on Adaptation under Natural Selection: A Formal Theory
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866911027532136448 |
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| author | Chanda, Sasanka Sekhar |
| author_facet | Chanda, Sasanka Sekhar |
| contents | Researchers puzzle over questions as to how rare species survive extinction, and why a significant proportion of microbial taxa are dormant. Computational simulation modeling by a genetic algorithm provides some answers. First, a weak/rare/lowly-adapted species can obtain significantly higher fitness by resorting to sporadic dormancy; thereby the probability of extinction is reduced. Second, the extent of fitness-gain is greater when a higher fraction of the population is dormant; thus, the probability of species survival is greater for higher prevalence of dormancy. In sum, even when the environment is unfavorable initially and remains unchanged, sporadic dormancy enables a weak/rare species enhance the extent of favorable adaptation over time, successfully combating the forces of natural selection. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_22758 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | The Effect of Sporadic Dormancy on Adaptation under Natural Selection: A Formal Theory Chanda, Sasanka Sekhar Populations and Evolution Researchers puzzle over questions as to how rare species survive extinction, and why a significant proportion of microbial taxa are dormant. Computational simulation modeling by a genetic algorithm provides some answers. First, a weak/rare/lowly-adapted species can obtain significantly higher fitness by resorting to sporadic dormancy; thereby the probability of extinction is reduced. Second, the extent of fitness-gain is greater when a higher fraction of the population is dormant; thus, the probability of species survival is greater for higher prevalence of dormancy. In sum, even when the environment is unfavorable initially and remains unchanged, sporadic dormancy enables a weak/rare species enhance the extent of favorable adaptation over time, successfully combating the forces of natural selection. |
| title | The Effect of Sporadic Dormancy on Adaptation under Natural Selection: A Formal Theory |
| topic | Populations and Evolution |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.22758 |