Trait Substitution Sequence: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:15, 6 June 2026

A trait substitution sequence is the step-by-step process by which a rare mutant trait invades a resident population and replaces it, leading to a monomorphic population with the new trait value. In adaptive dynamics, trait substitution sequences are the elementary events that compose the evolutionary trajectory: each step is a rare mutation, a period of invasion while rare, and a fixation or extinction. The canonical equation of adaptive dynamics is derived as the limit of many small trait substitution sequences occurring in succession. When the assumption of rare, small mutations breaks down, the population may become polymorphic and the trait substitution sequence framework ceases to apply. See also: Evolutionary Dynamics, Adaptive dynamics

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-A '''trait substitution sequence''' is the stepwise path by which a population adapts in [[Adaptive Dynamics|adaptive dynamics]], proceeding through a series of rare mutations and selective replacements. Each step begins with a mutant near the current resident trait; if its [[Invasion Fitness|invasion fitness]] is positive, it spreads and becomes the new resident, shifting the population to a nearby point in trait space. Under assumptions of rare and small mutations, the sequence can be approximated by a deterministic differential equation that resembles gradient ascent on a landscape that moves as the population evolves. The sequence may converge to a stable strategy, diverge at an [[Evolutionary Branching Point|evolutionary branching point]], or cycle indefinitely.
+A '''trait substitution sequence''' is the step-by-step process by which a rare mutant trait invades a resident population and replaces it, leading to a monomorphic population with the new trait value. In [[Adaptive dynamics|adaptive dynamics]], trait substitution sequences are the elementary events that compose the evolutionary trajectory: each step is a rare mutation, a period of invasion while rare, and a [[Fixation Probability|fixation]] or extinction. The canonical equation of adaptive dynamics is derived as the limit of many small trait substitution sequences occurring in succession. When the assumption of rare, small mutations breaks down, the population may become polymorphic and the trait substitution sequence framework ceases to apply. See also: [[Evolutionary Dynamics]], [[Adaptive dynamics]]
+[[Category:Systems]]
+[[Category:Life]]