Marry your Sister: Outbreeding Depression in Penna Ageing Model

TL;DR

This paper explores how in the Penna ageing model, inbreeding between close relatives can sometimes result in higher offspring numbers due to specific genetic conditions, challenging typical assumptions about inbreeding.

Contribution

It introduces a scenario within the Penna model where close-relative marriages can increase reproductive success, highlighting complex genetic interactions.

Findings

Close-relative marriages can lead to more offspring under certain genetic conditions.

Inbreeding effects depend on specific genetic configurations in the Penna model.

The model demonstrates non-intuitive outcomes of inbreeding in age-structured populations.

Abstract

If in the sexual Penna ageing model conditions are applied leading to complementary bit-strings, then marriages between brothers and sisters, or between close cousins, may lead to more offspring than for unrelated couples.