Toward a theory of topopatric speciation: The role of genetic assortative mating

David M. Schneider, Eduardo do Carmo, Ayana B. Martins and Marcus A.M. de Aguiar

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2014, vol. 409, issue C, 35-47

Abstract: We discuss a minimalist model of assortative mating for sexually reproducing haploid individuals with two biallelic loci. Assortativeness is introduced in the model by preventing mating between individuals whose alleles differ at both loci. Using methods of dynamical systems and population genetics we provide a full description of the evolution of the system for the case of very large populations. We derive the equations governing the evolution of haplotype frequencies and study the equilibrium solutions, stability, and speed of convergence to equilibrium. We find a constant of motion which allows us to introduce a geometrical construction that makes it straightforward to predict the fate of initial conditions. Finally, we discuss the consequences of this class of assortative mating models, including their possible extensions and implications for sympatric and topopatric speciation.

Keywords: Models of speciation; Assortative mating; Population genetics; Haplotype frequency; Fixed point stability; Constant of motion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:409:y:2014:i:c:p:35-47

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2014.04.026

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