Internal Constraints and Ecology in Evolution A Case Study in Tierra.pdfVIP

Internal Constraints and Ecology in Evolution: A Case Study in Tierra Chrystopher L. Nehaniv Adaptive Systems Research Group Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences University of Hertfordshire College Lane Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB United Kingdom C.L.Nehaniv@herts.ac.uk http://homepages.feis.herts.ac.uk/∼nehaniv Abstract We study the evolution of self-replicating assembly language computer programs in T. S. Ray’s Tierra system, using a variant mechanism for the replicators to determine their own size. A new ancestor is introduced which uses inherited code for carrying arithmetic operations that give its correct size rather than self-measuring (as in the original Tierra studies). The courses of evolution from Ray’s ancestor and our new ancestor are compared. The mech- anism for size determination used by replicators proves to be remarkably conserved. Largely similar ecologies evolve in both cases. Parasites, hyperparasites, recurring immunity to par- asites and its circumvention are all observed in evolution from either ancestor. But niches for social replicators and social cheating do not appear to arise (apparently due to lack of necessity of end templating in replicators). However a new type of metabolic informational parasitism occurring in evolution from the new ancestor is characterized and exemplified. This new opportunity creates a set of new parasite and hyperparasite niches. Self-measurement vs. self-descripti