Specialization and Bet Hedging in Heterogeneous Populations

TL;DR

This paper investigates how phenotypic heterogeneity and genetic diversity interact in spatially extended bacterial populations, revealing how mobility and competition types influence their persistence and specialization.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical analysis of the effects of mobility and competition on phenotypic heterogeneity in spatial populations.

Findings

Direct competition promotes heterogeneity persistence

Specialization dominates under indirect competition

Mobility influences heterogeneity dynamics

Abstract

Phenotypic heterogeneity is a strategy commonly used by bacteria to rapidly adapt to changing environmental conditions. Here, we study the interplay between phenotypic heterogeneity and genetic diversity in spatially extended populations. By analyzing the spatio-temporal dynamics, we show that the level of mobility and the type of competition qualitatively influence the persistence of phenotypic heterogeneity. While direct competition generally promotes persistence of phenotypic heterogeneity, specialization dominates in models with indirect competition irrespective of the degree of mobility.