Title page for ETD etd-04192001-141911

Type of Document

Dissertation

Author

Astalos, Robert Joseph

URN

etd-04192001-141911

Title

Dynamics of Competition using a Bit String Model with Age Structure and Mutations

Degree

PhD

Department

Physics

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name	Title
Zia, Royce K. P.	Committee Chair
Hagedorn, George A.	Committee Member
Indebetouw, Guy J.	Committee Member
Schmittmann, Beate	Committee Member
Tauber, Uwe C.	Committee Member

Keywords

Bit-string Model
Age Structure
Monte Carlo
Interspecies Competition

Date of Defense

2001-04-17

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

Using Monte Carlo simulations and analytic methods, we examine the dynamics
of interspecies competition using the Penna bit-string model. We begin with
a study of the steady state with a single species, then proceed to the
dynamics of competition between two species. When the species are not evenly
matched in fitness, a simple differential equation provides a satisfactory
model of the behavior of the system. However, when the species are equally
fit, we show that a model, originally proposed to describe population
genetics [Fisher,Wright], is required. When mutations are allowed
between the competing species, the dynamics becomes more interesting. The
mutation rate becomes a parameter that dictates the steady state
behavior. If the two species are not equally fit, the value of the
mutation rate determines whether the longer-lived or faster reproducing
species is favored. With two species that are equally fit, the steady state
varies with mutation rate from a single peaked to a double peaked
distribution. This behavior is shown to be well described by an extension
to the Fisher-Wright model mentioned above. Finally, we describe the
preliminary results of a few new lines of investigation, and suggest ideas
for further study of the dynamics of this model.

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Files

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Filename		Size	28.8 Modem	56K Modem	ISDN (64 Kb)	ISDN (128 Kb)	Higher-speed Access
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	NoMutEqualN.avi	489.47 Kb	00:02:15	00:01:09	00:01:01	00:00:30	00:00:02
	thesis.pdf	30.10 Mb	02:19:21	01:11:40	01:02:42	00:31:21	00:02:40