Evolutionary dynamics of fearfulness and boldness

J Theor Biol. 2009 Feb 21;256(4):637-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2008.10.009. Epub 2008 Oct 21.

Abstract

A negative relationship between reproductive effort and survival is consistent with life-history. Evolutionary dynamics and evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) for the trade-off between survival and reproduction are investigated using a simple model with two phenotypes, fearfulness and boldness. The dynamical stability of the pure strategy model and analysis of ESS conditions reveal that: (i) the simple coexistence of fearfulness and boldness is impossible; (ii) a small population size is favorable to fearfulness, but a large population size is favorable to boldness, i.e., neither fearfulness, nor boldness is always favored by natural selection; and (iii) the dynamics of population density is crucial for a proper understanding of the strategy dynamics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aggression*
  • Animals
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Fear*
  • Game Theory
  • Models, Genetic*
  • Population Density
  • Predatory Behavior
  • Reproduction / genetics