Population dynamics in a radically epistatic genetic system

Abstract

A genetic system that uses a radically epistatic mapping from genotype to phenotype is defined. This system is proposed in order to study the population dynamics rather than create a new system for function optimization. Two behaviors not found in traditional genetic systems are explored: first, although the genetic system uses only simple generational recombination and fitness scaling, it is capable of distributing a population of solutions on a number of non-adjacent phenotype peaks. This capability is analyzed and empirically explored. Second, the genetic system is shown to have the capability of tracking an environment where the adaptive peaks are changed in a recurrent manner.<>