Competition and body size

Theor Popul Biol. 1986 Oct;30(2):166-79. doi: 10.1016/0040-5809(86)90031-6.

Abstract

If being larger than competing conspecifics is important for fitness, then an unstable escalation of body size may result. In asexual populations, a cycling of sizes can occur but for sexual diploids, an irreversible size increase is more likely. Several factors can produce a stable distribution of sizes, but a single body size or even a narrow range of sizes cannot be stable. For example, enough environmental variance can produce stability without any genetic variability in the population. Or, with no environmental variance, a high cost of fighting between similar sizes or, for diploids, an increasing mortality with size may lead to a stable distribution of sizes. A game theory model is used to investigate the existence and form of a stable distribution of body sizes in a population.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Constitution*
  • Diploidy
  • Environment
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genetics, Population
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Population Dynamics*
  • Reproduction
  • Selection, Genetic