Some species have potential for intense mate competition yet exhibit little or no sexual size dimorphism, despite predictions from sexual selection theory. Using a conceptual model, we show the conditions for which passive mate guarding with copulatory plugs can be an alternative and more successful strategy to active (direct) guarding, reducing selection pressure on large male size. The model ...

Genetic regulation networks orchestrate many complex cellular behaviors. Dynamic operations that take place within cells are thus dependent on the gene expression machinery, enabled by powerful enzymes such as polymerases, ribosomes, or nucleases. These generalist enzymes typically process many different substrates, potentially leading to competitive situations: by saturating the common enzyme,...

Early childhood growth has many downstream effects on future health and reproduction and is an important measure of offspring quality. While a tradeoff between family size and child growth outcomes is theoretically predicted in high-fertility societies, empirical evidence is mixed. This is often attributed to phenotypic variation in parental condition. However, inconsistent study results may al...

Time evolution of number of species (genera, families, and others), population of them, and size distribution of present ones and life times are studied in terms of a new model, where population of each genetic taxon increases by a (random) rate and decreases by (random) division (fragmentation). Each of log-normal, exponential and power law distributions in various empirical data about mention...

Competition solves a universal problem about pattern processing by cellular systems. Competition allows cells to automatically retune their sensitivity to avoid noise and saturation effects. All competitive systems induce decision schemes that permit them to be classified. Systems are identified that achieve global pattern formation, or decision-making, no matter how their parameters are chosen...

387 W ith his usual foresight, J.B.S. Haldane argued nearly 50 years ago that 'a non specific parasite is a powerful competitive weapon' 1. One species can be a superior competitor simply by harbouring and transmitting a pathogen to a more vulnerable species. This is 'apparent' competition, which is mediated via a shared pathogen, and contrasts with 're-source' competition, in which there can b...

For many years European governments have sought to ensure a high degree of competition in off-patent pharmaceutical markets in order to generate price competition and consequently benefits such as improved patient access or savings for payers after patent expiry. The pharmaceutical industry believes that access to valuable new treatments and post-exclusivity competition are essential for the su...

Fertilization success in sperm competition is often determined by laboratory estimates of the proportion of offspring sired by the first (P1) or second (P2) male that mates. However, inferences from such data about how sexual selection acts on male traits in nature may be misleading if fertilization success depends on the biological context in which it is measured. We used the sterile male tech...

Some of the most obvious complex adaptive systems are biological. A key concern in biology is how the overall properties of systems relate to the behavior of their components. Competition between these components in the form of an arms race, the “Red Queen effect”, for example, helps explain the trend towards more complex organisms, perhaps the most dramatic of macroevolutionary trends. The Red...