title: Inherent randomness of evolving populations.
abstract: The entropy rates of the Wright-Fisher process, the Moran process, and generalizations are computed and used to compare these processes and their dependence on standard evolutionary parameters. Entropy rates are measures of the variation dependent on both short-run and long-run behaviors and allow the relationships between mutation, selection, and population size to be examined. Bounds for the entropy rate are given for the Moran process (independent of population size) and for the Wright-Fisher process (bounded for fixed population size). A generational Moran process is also presented for comparison to the Wright-Fisher Process. Results include analytic results and computational extensions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D040961:Genetic Drift; D056084:Genetic Fitness / Q000235:genetics*; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013269:Stochastic Processes