Population Genetics with Fluctuating Population Sizes
Abstract
Standard neutral population genetics theory with a strictly fixed population size has important limitations. An alternative model that allows independently fluctuating population sizes and reproduces the standard neutral evolution is reviewed. We then study a situation such that the competing species are neutral at the equilibrium population size but population size fluctuations nevertheless favor fixation of one species over the other. In this case, a separation of timescales emerges naturally and allows adiabatic elimination of a fast population size variable to deduce the fluctuations-induced selection dynamics near the equilibrium population size. The results highlight the incompleteness of the standard population genetics with a strictly fixed population size.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1608.08166,
title = {Population Genetics with Fluctuating Population Sizes},
author = {Thiparat Chotibut and David R. Nelson},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1608.08166},
year = {2017}
}
Comments
Submitted to Journal of Statistical Physics, Special Issue: Dedicated to the Memory of Leo Kadanoff. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1412.6688