The risk of extinction - the mutational meltdown or the overpopulation

Abstract

The phase diagrams survival-extinction for the Penna model with parameters: (mutations rate) - (birth rate), (mutation rate) - (harmful mutations threshold), (harmful mutation threshold) - (minimal reproduction age) are presented. The extinction phase may be caused by either mutational meltdown or overpopulation. When the Verhulst factor is responsible for removing only newly born babies and does not act on adults the overpopulation is avoided and only genetic factors may lead to species extinction. © 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.