Problem #1 Two birds of the fitness is V. E same species compete for a territory

Question

Problem #1 Two birds of the fitness is V. E same species compete for a territory whose value in terms of evolutionary ach bird can adopt a hawkish or dove like strategy in a simultaneous-move game. If both behave like doves, they split the teritory. If one behaves like a dove and the other like a hawk, the hawk gets the territory. If both behave like hawks, there is a fight. The volutionary fitness of a bird that has to fight is W. Assume that each bird is equally likely to win the fight and hence gain the territory. However, the fight is costly because of the risk of injury. We will use the model WV - C, where C represents the cost of fighting. What should the birds do? Analyze the game in each of the two situations below: (a) The moderate option:C-Viv. (b) The nuclear option: C2 h

Explanation / Answer

Evolutionary fitness can be generally defined as an organism's capacity to survive and reproduce in a given environment.

Absolute fitness is a statistic that is usually assigned to a genotype and it typically refers to a genotype’s expected total fitness, that complex mix of viability, mating success, fecundity, etc. As such, absolute fitness, symbolized W, is a quantity that can be greater than or equal to zero11. But if we continue to restrict attention to viability selection with all else equal, individuals of a given genotype have some probability of surviving. We can think of this probability as the absolute viability of the genotype.

Let’s break this definition down a little further.

First, fitness starts in the genes. It is the fitness of genotypes and phenotypes that determine the survival of a species, or rather, the survival of certain genes within that species.

When we talk about survival it is not necessarily the fastest or strongest that survive, but those with the best advantage in that environment

Examples include traits like camouflage to hide from predators, acute night vision for hunting prey, and even sleeping with one eye open to stay alert, like the dolphin.

But this is only half the story, the ability to reproduce and pass those genes on is just as important as survival. This where sexual selection traits come in.

Examples include traits such as feather or coat color for attracting a mate, mating songs or dances, and also physically competing for mating rights.

So again, fitness deals with both survival AND reproduction. If you have one but not the other, genes will not likely be passed on.

Absolute fitness is a statistic that is usually assigned to a genotype and it typically refers to a genotype’s expected total fitness, that complex mix of viability, mating success, fecundity, etc. As such, absolute fitness, symbolized W, is a quantity that can be greater than or equal to zero11. But if we continue to restrict attention to viability selection with all else equal, individuals of a given genotype have some probability of surviving. We can think of this probability as the absolute viability of the genotype.

Now, given in the question is that there are two birds of the same species who are competing for the same territory. Each bird is equally likely to win the fight and gain the territory.

Given Bird Fight Model, W = (V/2) - C, where W stands for the evolutionary fitness of a bird that has to fight and gain the territory.
V stands for the value in terms of evolutionary fitness of the territory that is being fought for
and C stands for the cost of fighting.

when a) moderate option: C < V/2 , then the Evolutionary fitness will be a positive less than 0

when b) nuclear option is selected which is C is greater than or equal to V/2, then the Evolutionary fitness of the bird is 0 or less than 0

The advantages and disadvantages of evolutionary fitness (probability that a single mutant line will not become extinct) and genetic fitness (mean fecundity) are compared. For deterministic processes the two are equivalent, but for stochastic branching processes they may be totally unrelated except that an absolute genetic fitness of unity or less implies an evolutionary fitness of zero.

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