title: The pattern of population growth as a function of redundancy and repair.
abstract: A basic model of hierarchical structure, expressed by simple, linear differential equations, shows that the pattern of population growth is essentially determined by conditions of redundancy in the sub-structure of individuals. There does not exist any possible combination between growth rate and accident rate that could balance population numbers and/or the level of redundancy within the population; all possible combinations either lead to extinction or to positive population growth with a decline of the fraction of individuals with redundant substructure. Declining populations, however, can be held fluctuating between certain limits by periodic phases of sub-unit repair. These results are particularly pertinent to the population dynamics of diploid (polyploid) organisms.
authors.affiliation: Mathematisches Institut der Universität Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D004260:DNA Repair; D008433:Mathematics; D008938:Mitosis; D008957:Models, Genetic; D005810:Multigene Family; D009154:Mutation; D011158:Population Growth