Tangled Nature: a model of evolutionary ecology

Abstract

We discuss a simple model of co-evolution. In order to emphasise the effect of interaction between individuals the entire population is subjected to the same physical environment. Species are emergent structures and extinction, origination and diversity are entirely a consequence of co-evolutionary interaction between individuals. For comparison we consider both asexual and sexually reproducing populations. We also study competition between asexual and sexual reproduction in a mixed population. In either case the system evolves through periods of hectic reorganisation separated by periods of coherent stable coexistence.