The Evolution of Sex Chromosomes through the Baldwin Effect

Abstract

It has recently been suggested that the fundamental haploid-diploid cycle of eukaryotic sex exploits a rudimentary form of the Baldwin effect. Thereafter the other associated phenomena can be explained as evolution tuning the amount and frequency of learning experienced by an organism. Using the well-known NK model of fitness landscapes it is here shown that the emergence of sex determination systems can also be explained under this view of eukaryotic evolution.