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arXiv · 1706.02666

Coevolution Maintains Diversity in the Stochastic "Kill the Winner" Model

Chi Xue·Nigel Goldenfeld
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Abstract

The "Kill the Winner" hypothesis is an attempt to address the problem of diversity in biology. It argues that host-specific predators control the population of each prey, preventing a winner from emerging and thus maintaining the coexistence of all species in the system. We develop a stochastic model for the "Kill the Winner" paradigm and show that the stable coexistence state of the deterministic "Kill the Winner" model is destroyed by demographic stochasticity, through a cascade of extinction events. We formulate an individual-level stochastic model in which predator-prey coevolution promotes high diversity of the ecosystem by generating a persistent population flux of species.

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BibTeXRIS

Chi Xue, Nigel Goldenfeld. 2017-06-08. Coevolution Maintains Diversity in the Stochastic "Kill the Winner" Model. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.119.268101

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