A finite population without imposing the Verhulst factor

Authors

Chrysline Margus Piñol; Ronald S. Banzon

Source

Proceedings of the 25th Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas Physics Congress, University of the Phlippines Los Baños, Laguna, SPP-2007-100 (2007).

Abstract

The necessity of imposing the concept of a carrying capacity was investigated within the framework of the Penna Model. We find that the number of deaths in a population approaches a saturation point. The carrying capacity – Verhulst factor, is the main contributing factor for deaths, over 70%, in an 8-bit Penna model. Only 3% and 20% of the deaths are caused by old age and mutation accumulation, respectively. However, the effect of the common method of accounting for a carrying capacity is diminished as the bit-string length of the Penna Model is decreased. Furthermore, at bit-string length of 2, the Verhulst factor may be removed while still maintaining a finite population.