DYNAMICS OF ADAPTATION AND EVOLUTIONARY BRANCHING

We present a formal framework for modeling evolutionary dynamics with special emphasis on the generation of diversity through branching of t he evolutionary toe. Fitness is defined as the long term growth rate w hich is influenced by the biotic environment leading to an ever-changi ng adaptive landscape. Evolution can be described as a dynamics in a s pace with variable number of dimensions corresponding to the number of different types present. The dynamics within a subspace is governed b y the local fitness gradient. Entering a higher dimensional subspace i s possible only at a particular type of attractors where the populatio n undergoes evolutionary branching.