Adaptive dynamics of diverging fitness optima

We study the long time behaviour of a non-local parabolic integro-differential equation modelling the evolutionary dynamics of a phenotypically-structured population in a changing environment. Such models can arise in variety of contexts from climate change to chemotherapy to the ageing body. The main novelty is that there are two locally optimal traits, each of which shifts at a possibly different linear velocity. We determine sufficient conditions to guarantee extinction or persistence of the population in terms of associated eigenvalue problems. When the population does not go extinct, we study the behaviour of long time solutions in the case of rare mutations: the long time solution concentrates as a sum of Dirac masses on a point set of "lagged optima" which are strictly behind the true shifting optima as the mutation rate goes to zero. If we further assume the shift velocities are different, we show the solution concentrates specifically on the positive lagged optimum with maximum lagged fitness. Our results imply that for populations undergoing competition in temporally changing environments, both the true optimal fitness and the required rate of adaptation for each of the diverging optimal traits determine the eventual dominance of one trait.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Mathematical Biology
Published
2025-10-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00285-025-02270-5
Primary Topic
Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Adaptive dynamics of diverging fitness optima

Fabian Spill, Manh Hong Duong, Blaine van Rensburg
Journal of Mathematical Biology
Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
article

Adaptive dynamics of diverging fitness optima

Fabian Spill, Manh Hong Duong, Blaine van Rensburg
article en

Abstract

We study the long time behaviour of a non-local parabolic integro-differential equation modelling the evolutionary dynamics of a phenotypically-structured population in a changing environment. Such models can arise in variety of contexts from climate change to chemotherapy to the ageing body. The main novelty is that there are two locally optimal traits, each of which shifts at a possibly different linear velocity. We determine sufficient conditions to guarantee extinction or persistence of the population in terms of associated eigenvalue problems. When the population does not go extinct, we study the behaviour of long time solutions in the case of rare mutations: the long time solution concentrates as a sum of Dirac masses on a point set of "lagged optima" which are strictly behind the true shifting optima as the mutation rate goes to zero. If we further assume the shift velocities are different, we show the solution concentrates specifically on the positive lagged optimum with maximum lagged fitness. Our results imply that for populations undergoing competition in temporally changing environments, both the true optimal fitness and the required rate of adaptation for each of the diverging optimal traits determine the eventual dominance of one trait.

Journal of Mathematical BiologyVol. 91(5)
Birmingham City University (GB), University of Birmingham (GB)
UK Research and Innovation, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 69%
Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
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Adaptive dynamics of diverging fitness optima — Fabian Spill, Manh Hong Duong, et al. · Journal of Mathematical Biology (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS