title: On the relationship between the load and the variance of relative fitness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Operation of natural selection can be characterized by a variety of quantities. Among them, variance of relative fitness V and load L are the most fundamental.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all modes of selection that produce a particular value V of the variance of relative fitness, the minimal value L min of load L is produced by a mode under which fitness takes only two values, 0 and some positive value, and is equal to V/(1+V).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although it is impossible to deduce the load from knowledge of the variance of relative fitness alone, it is possible to determine the minimal load consistent with a particular variance of relative fitness. The concept of minimal load consistent with a particular biological phenomenon may be applicable to studying several aspects of natural selection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mathematical Problems in Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia.
authors.forename: Emmanuil E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Shnol
authors.forename: Elena A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ermakova
authors.forename: Alexey S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kondrashov
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D056084:Genetic Fitness; D040741:Genetic Load; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012641:Selection, Genetic