Eco-Evolutionary Niche Construction

Organisms modify their environment (niche construction), which feeds back on their own fitness and evolution. A population with trait x modifies resource E; E in turn shapes selection on x. This creates eco-evolutionary feedback loops that can drive evolutionary branching and stable polymorphism.

Parameters

Trait x ∈ [-1,1]. Fitness w(x,E) = exp(-s·(x-E_opt)²). Niche construction: dE/dt = δ·⟨x⟩ - γ·E. Branching occurs when environmental modification overcomes stabilising selection.