427 research outputs found
Avalanche dynamics in Bak-Sneppen evolution model observed with standard distribution width of fitness
We introduce the standard distribution width of fitness to characterize the
global and individual features of a ecosystem in the Bak-Sneppen evolution
model. Through tracking this quantity in evolution, a different hierarchy of
avalanche dynamics, avalanche is observed. The corresponding gap
equation and the self-organized threshold are obtained. The critical
exponents and , which describe the behavior of the
avalanche size distribution, the average avalanche size and the relaxation to
attractor, respectively, are calculated with numerical simulation. The exact
master equation and equation are derived. And the scaling relations
are established among the critical exponents of this new avalanche.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure
Entropic Sampling and Natural Selection in Biological Evolution
With a view to connecting random mutation on the molecular level to
punctuated equilibrium behavior on the phenotype level, we propose a new model
for biological evolution, which incorporates random mutation and natural
selection. In this scheme the system evolves continuously into new
configurations, yielding non-stationary behavior of the total fitness. Further,
both the waiting time distribution of species and the avalanche size
distribution display power-law behaviors with exponents close to two, which are
consistent with the fossil data. These features are rather robust, indicating
the key role of entropy
Punctuated Equilibrium in Software Evolution
The approach based on paradigm of self-organized criticality proposed for
experimental investigation and theoretical modelling of software evolution. The
dynamics of modifications studied for three free, open source programs Mozilla,
Free-BSD and Emacs using the data from version control systems. Scaling laws
typical for the self-organization criticality found. The model of software
evolution presenting the natural selection principle is proposed. The results
of numerical and analytical investigation of the model are presented. They are
in a good agreement with the data collected for the real-world software.Comment: 4 pages, LaTeX, 2 Postscript figure
Biological Effects of Stellar Collapse Neutrinos
Massive stars in their final stages of collapse radiate most of their binding
energy in the form of MeV neutrinos. The recoil atoms that they produce in
elastic scattering off nuclei in organic tissue create radiation damage which
is highly effective in the production of irreparable DNA harm, leading to
cellular mutation, neoplasia and oncogenesis. Using a conventional model of the
galaxy and of the collapse mechanism, the periodicity of nearby stellar
collapses and the radiation dose are calculated. The possible contribution of
this process to the paleontological record of mass extinctions is examined.Comment: gzipped PostScript (filename.ps.Z), 12 pages. Final version, Phys.
Rev. Lett., in pres
Infinite Hierarchy of Exact Equations in the Bak-Sneppen Model
We derive an infinite hierarchy of exact equations for the Bak-Sneppen model
in arbitrary dimensions. These equations relate different moments of temporal
duration and spatial size of avalanches. We prove that the exponents of the BS
model are the same above and below the critical point and express the universal
amplitude ratio of the avalanche spatial size in terms of the critical
exponents. The equations uniquely determine the shape of the scaling function
of the avalanche distribution. It is suggested that in the BS model there is
only one independent critical exponent.Comment: Submitted to PRL, 4 two-column pages (revtex), 1 ps figure included
with epsf, g-zipped, uuencode
Exact equqations and scaling relations for f-avalanche in the Bak-Sneppen evolution model
Infinite hierarchy of exact equations are derived for the newly-observed
f-avalanche in the Bak-Sneppen evolution model. By solving the first order
exact equation, we found that the critical exponent which governs the
divergence of the average avalanche size, is exactly 1 (for all dimensions),
confirmed by the simulations. Solution of the gap equation yields another
universal exponent, denoting the the relaxation to the attractor, is exactly 1.
We also establish some scaling relations among the critical exponents of the
new avalanche.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
Critical and Near-Critical Branching Processes
Scale-free dynamics in physical and biological systems can arise from a
variety of causes. Here, we explore a branching process which leads to such
dynamics. We find conditions for the appearance of power laws and study
quantitatively what happens to these power laws when such conditions are
violated. From a branching process model, we predict the behavior of two
systems which seem to exhibit near scale-free behavior--rank-frequency
distributions of number of subtaxa in biology, and abundance distributions of
genotypes in an artificial life system. In the light of these, we discuss
distributions of avalanche sizes in the Bak-Tang-Wiesenfeld sandpile model.Comment: 9 pages LaTex with 10 PS figures. v.1 of this paper contains results
from non-critical sandpile simulations that were excised from the published
versio
Branching Processes and Evolution at the Ends of a Food Chain
In a critically self--organized model of punctuated equilibrium, boundaries
determine peculiar scaling of the size distribution of evolutionary avalanches.
This is derived by an inhomogeneous generalization of standard branching
processes, extending previous mean field descriptions and yielding
together with , as distribution exponent of avalanches starting from
species at the ends of a food chain. For the nearest neighbor chain one obtains
numerically , and for the
first return times of activity, again distinct from bulk exponents.Comment: REVTex file, 12 pages, 2 figures in eps-files uuencoded, psfig.st
Mass extinctions and supernova explosions
A nearby supernova (SN) explosion could have negatively influenced life on
Earth, maybe even been responsible for mass extinctions. Mass extinction poses
a significant extinction of numerous species on Earth, as recorded in the
paleontologic, paleoclimatic, and geological record of our planet. Depending on
the distance between the Sun and the SN, different types of threats have to be
considered, such as ozone depletion on Earth, causing increased exposure to the
Sun's ultraviolet radiation, or the direct exposure of lethal x-rays. Another
indirect effect is cloud formation, induced by cosmic rays in the atmosphere
which result in a drop in the Earth's temperature, causing major glaciations of
the Earth. The discovery of highly intensive gamma ray bursts (GRBs), which
could be connected to SNe, initiated further discussions on possible
life-threatening events in Earth's history. The probability that GRBs hit the
Earth is very low. Nevertheless, a past interaction of Earth with GRBs and/or
SNe cannot be excluded and might even have been responsible for past extinction
events.Comment: Chapter for forthcoming book: Handbook of Supernovae, P. Murdin and
A. Alsabeti (eds.), Springer International Publishing (in press
Identifying foundation species in North American forests using longâterm data on ant assemblage structure
Foundation species are locally abundant and uniquely control associated biodiversity, whereas dominant species are locally abundant but are thought to be replaceable in ecological systems. It is important to distinguish foundation from dominant species to direct conservation efforts. Longâterm studies that remove abundant species while measuring community dynamics have the potential to (1) aid in the identification of foundation vs. dominant species and, (2) once a foundation species is identified, determine how long its effects persist within a community after its loss. Longâterm data on ant assemblages within two canopyâmanipulation experimentsâthe Harvard Forest Hemlock Removal Experiment (HFâHeRE) and the Black Rock Future of Oak Forests Experiment (BRFâFOFE)âprovide insights into how ant assemblages change and reassemble following the loss of Tsuga canadensis or Quercus spp. Previous research documented foundation species effects on ants in the HFâHeRE for up to four years after T. canadensis loss. Six additional years of data at HFâHeRE presented for the first time here show that removal of T. canadensis resulted in taxonomic and some measures of functional shifts in ant assemblages that persisted for ten years, further supporting the hypothesis that T. canadensis is a foundation species at Harvard Forest. In contrast, ant assemblages at BRFâFOFE varied little regardless of whether oaks or other tree species were removed from the canopy, suggesting that Quercusspecies do not act as foundation species at Black Rock Forest. Deer and moose exclosures within each experiment also allowed for comparisons between effects on ants of foundation or dominant tree species relative to effects of large herbivores. At HFâHeRE, effects of T. canadensis were stronger than effects of large herbivores on taxonomic and functional diversity of ant assemblages. At BRFâFOFE, in contrast, effects of Quercus species were weaker than effects of large herbivores on ant taxonomic diversity and some measures of ant functional diversity. These findings illustrate the importance of distinguishing between the roles of irreplaceable foundation species and replaceable dominant ones in forested ecosystems along with other drivers of biodiversity (e.g., herbivory)
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