Models of asexually reproducing populations in varying environments have provided insights into the diversity of adaptive strategies, revealed deep analogies with information theory and stochastic thermodynamics, and inspired quantitative methods to analyze single-cell experiments. Here we show how these models can be generalized to sexually reproducing populations. The resulting framework is applied to two fundamental questions. First, what are the conditions under which sexual reproduction is advantageous over asexual reproduction? Second, what are the conditions under which sexual dimorphism, the presence of two phenotypically distinct sexes , is advantageous? We study these questions from the two standpoints of optimal information processing and evolvability. Our analysis provides a new perspective on long-standing problems as well as fresh insights into unexamined questions. More generally , it opens the door to novel interdisciplinary approaches to a central problem of evolutionary biology, the role of sex in adaptation .
The long-term growth rate of populations in varying environments quantifies the evolutionary value of processing the information that biological individuals inherit from their ancestors and acquire from their environment. Previous models were limited to asexual reproduction with inherited information coming from a single parent with no recombination. We present a general extension to sexual reproduction and an analytical solution for a particular but important case, the infinitesimal model of quantitative genetics which assumes traits to be normally distributed. We study with this model the conditions under which sexual reproduction is advantageous and can evolve in the context of autocorrelated or directionally varying environments, mutational biases, spatial heterogeneities and phenotypic plasticity. Our results generalize and unify previous analyses. We also examine the proposal made by Geodakyan that the presence of two phenotypically distinct sexes permits an optimal adaptation to varying environments. We verify that conditions exists where sexual dimorphism is adaptive but find that its evolutionary value does not generally compensate for the two-fold cost of males .
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Models of asexually reproducing
The long-term growth rate of
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have provided insights into the diversity of adaptive strategies, revealed deep analogies with information theory and stochastic thermodynamics, and inspired quantitative methods to analyze single-cell experiments. Here we show how these models can be generalized to sexually reproducing populations. The resulting framework is applied to two fundamental questions. First, what are the
quantifies the evolutionary value of processing the information that biological individuals inherit from their ancestors and acquire from their environment. Previous models were limited to asexual reproduction with inherited information coming from a single parent with no recombination. We present a general extension to sexual reproduction and an analytical solution for a particular but important case, the infinitesimal model of quantitative genetics which assumes traits to be normally distributed. We study with this model the
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over asexual reproduction? Second, what are the conditions under which sexual dimorphism, the
and can evolve in the context of autocorrelated or directionally varying environments, mutational biases, spatial heterogeneities and phenotypic plasticity. Our results generalize and unify previous analyses. We also examine the proposal made by Geodakyan that the
R
, is advantageous? We study these questions from the two standpoints of optimal information processing and evolvability. Our analysis provides a new perspective on long-standing problems as well as fresh insights into unexamined questions. More generally , it opens the door to novel interdisciplinary approaches to a central problem of evolutionary biology, the role of sex in adaptation
permits an optimal adaptation to varying environments. We verify that conditions exists where sexual dimorphism is adaptive but find that its evolutionary value does not generally compensate for the two-fold cost of males