Tempo and Mode of Evolution in the Tangled Nature Model

We study the Tangled Nature model of macro evolution and demonstrate that the co-evolutionary dynamics produces an increasingly correlated core of well occupied types. At the same time the entire configuration of types becomes increasing de-correlated. This finding is related to ecosystem evolution. The systems level dynamics of the model is subordinated to intermittent transitions between meta-stable states. We improve on previous studies of the statistics of the transition times and show that the fluctuations in the offspring probability decreases with number of transitions. The longtime adaptation, as seen by an increasing population size is demonstrated to be related to the convexity of the offspring probability. We explain how the models behaviour is a mathematical reflection of Darwin's concept of adaptation of profitable variations.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Speciational view of macroevolution: are micro and macroevolution decoupled?

We introduce a simple computational model that, with a microscopic dynamics driven by natural selection and mutation alone, allows the description of true speciation events. A statistical analysis of the so generated evolutionary tree captures realistic features showing power laws for frequency distributions in time and size. Albeit these successful predictions, the difficulty in obtaining punctuated dynamics with mass extinctions suggests the necessity of decoupling micro and macro-evolutionary mechanisms in agreement with some ideas of Gould's and Eldredge's theory of punctuated equilibrium.Comment: Europhys. Lett. 75:342--34

ESCRT function in cytokinesis: location, dynamics and regulation by mitotic kinases

Mammalian cytokinesis proceeds by constriction of an actomyosin ring and furrow ingression, resulting in the formation of the midbody bridge connecting two daughter cells. At the centre of the midbody resides the Flemming body, a dense proteinaceous ring surrounding the interlocking ends of anti-parallel microtubule arrays. Abscission, the terminal step of cytokinesis, occurs near the Flemming body. A series of broad processes govern abscission: the initiation and stabilisation of the abscission zone, followed by microtubule severing and membrane scission—The latter mediated by the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) proteins. A key goal of cell and developmental biologists is to develop a clear understanding of the mechanisms that underpin abscission, and how the spatiotemporal coordination of these events with previous stages in cell division is accomplished. This article will focus on the function and dynamics of the ESCRT proteins in abscission and will review recent work, which has begun to explore how these complex protein assemblies are regulated by the cell cycle machinery

Local magnetic divertor for control of the plasma-limiter interaction in a tokamak

An experiment is described in which plasma flow to a tokamak limiter is controlled through the use of a local toroidal divertor coil mounted inside the limiter itself. This coil produces a local perturbed field B_C approximately equal to the local unperturbed toroidal field B_T ≃ 3 kG, such that when B_C adds to B_T the field lines move into the limiter and the local plasma flow to it increases by a factor as great as 1.6, and when B_C subtracts from B_T the field lines move away from the limiter and the local plasma flow to it decreases by as much as a factor of 4. A simple theoretical model is used to interpret these results. Since these changes occur without significantly affecting global plasma confinement, such a control scheme may be useful for optimizing the performance of pumped limiters

Simple model of self-organized biological evolution as completely integrable dissipative system

The Bak-Sneppen model of self-organized biological evolution of an infinite ecosystem of randomly interacting species is represented in terms of an infinite set of variables which can be considered as an analog to the set of integrals of motion of completely integrable system. Each of this variables remains to be constant but its influence on the evolution process is restricted in time and after definite moment its value is excluded from description of the system dynamics.Comment: LaTeX, 7 page

The Functional Significance of Black-Pigmented Leaves: Photosynthesis, Photoprotection and Productivity in Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’

Black pigmented leaves are common among horticultural cultivars, yet are extremely rare across natural plant populations. We hypothesised that black pigmentation would disadvantage a plant by reducing photosynthesis and therefore shoot productivity, but that this trait might also confer protective benefits by shielding chloroplasts against photo-oxidative stress. CO2 assimilation, chlorophyll a fluorescence, shoot biomass, and pigment concentrations were compared for near isogenic green- and black-leafed Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’. The black leaves had lower maximum CO2 assimilation rates, higher light saturation points and higher quantum efficiencies of photosystem II (PSII) than green leaves. Under saturating light, PSII photochemistry was inactivated less and recovered more completely in the black leaves. In full sunlight, green plants branched more abundantly and accumulated shoot biomass quicker than the black plants; in the shade, productivities of the two morphs were comparable. The data indicate a light-screening, photoprotective role of foliar anthocyanins. However, limitations to photosynthetic carbon assimilation are relatively small, insufficient to explain the natural scarcity of black-leafed plants

Critical behavior in an evolutionary Ultimatum Game

Experimental studies have shown the ubiquity of altruistic behavior in human societies. The social structure is a fundamental ingredient to understand the degree of altruism displayed by the members of a society, in contrast to individual-based features, like for example age or gender, which have been shown not to be relevant to determine the level of altruistic behavior. We explore an evolutionary model aiming to delve how altruistic behavior is affected by social structure. We investigate the dynamics of interacting individuals playing the Ultimatum Game with their neighbors given by a social network of interaction. We show that a population self-organizes in a critical state where the degree of altruism depends on the topology characterizing the social structure. In general, individuals offering large shares but in turn accepting large shares, are removed from the population. In heterogeneous social networks, individuals offering intermediate shares are strongly selected in contrast to random homogeneous networks where a broad range of offers, below a critical one, is similarly present in the population.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure