Tempo and Mode of Evolution in the Tangled Nature Model

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the Tangled Nature model of macroevolution, revealing how co-evolutionary dynamics lead to increasing correlation among core types and intermittent transitions between meta-stable states, reflecting Darwinian adaptation.

Contribution

It demonstrates the evolving correlation structure and transition dynamics in the Tangled Nature model, linking these to ecological and evolutionary concepts.

Findings

Core types become more correlated over time.

Transition times between states follow specific statistical patterns.

Population size growth relates to offspring probability convexity.

Abstract

We study the Tangled Nature model of macro evolution and demonstrate that the co-evolutionary dynamics produces an increasingly correlated core of well occupied types. At the same time the entire configuration of types becomes increasing de-correlated. This finding is related to ecosystem evolution. The systems level dynamics of the model is subordinated to intermittent transitions between meta-stable states. We improve on previous studies of the statistics of the transition times and show that the fluctuations in the offspring probability decreases with number of transitions. The longtime adaptation, as seen by an increasing population size is demonstrated to be related to the convexity of the offspring probability. We explain how the models behaviour is a mathematical reflection of Darwin's concept of adaptation of profitable variations.