The dauer mutation of the caenorhabditis elegans, simulated with the Penna and the Stauffer model

Abstract

Two ageing models were analysed whether they can confirm that the dauer mutation of the nematode helps to preserve the species. As a result the Penna model shows that populations with dauer larvae survive bad environmental conditions, whereas populations without it die out. In the Stauffer model the advantage of the dauer mutation for the survival is only given under certain conditions.