On an initial value problem modeling evolution and selection in living systems (Q2438056)

This is an interesting paper dealing with building a model of the dynamics of some large populations, where interactions can generate new populations that could be more (or less) fitted to an environment that evolves in time with known dynamics. The ``interior'' system is decomposed into \(p\) subsystems. The state of the \(i\)-th subsystem is represented by the distribution \(f_i = f_i (t, u):[0,T)\times \mathbb{R}_0^+\to \mathbb{R}^+_0\). Each \(f_i\) is linked to the test particle, which is representative of the subsystem. Then the quantity \(n_i:=\int_{\mathbb{R}_0^+}f_{i}(t,u)du\) is the number of active individuals or cells that at time \(t\) are in the \(i\)-th subsystem. The ``outer'' system presents field agents, which model the action from the outer environment. They are represented by a distribution function \(g = (g_1,\dots,g_m)\), \(1\leq m\leq p\). The probability distribution \(g:=(g_1, g_2, \dots,g_m)\) is supposed to be known. The function \((t,u)\to g(t,u)\) is a nonnegative, \(t\)-bounded and continuous \(p\)-vector valued and \(L^1\) integrable in \(u\) function. The mathematical structure of the system has the abstract form \(\partial_t f_i(t,u)=J_i [f,g](t,u)\), \(i = 1, \dots , p,\) where the operator \(J_i\), is a suitable operator denoting the net flux of the individuals that at time \(t\) fall into the elementary volume \([u, u + du]\). The final mathematical form of the model leads to the initial value problem \(\partial _tf_{i}(t,u)= J_i [f ](t, u)\), \(i = 1,\dots, p\), \(f(0, u)= f_0:=(f_{10},\dots, f_{p0})\geq 0,\) \(\|f\|_1=\sum_{i=0}^p\int_{\mathbb{R}^+}f_{i0}(u)du=\sum_{j=0}^p\int_{\mathbb{R}^+}g_{j0}(w)dw.\) Transforming this problem into a fixed point problem, under some conditions, by applying the contraction mapping theorem it is shown the existence of a solution. These equations, which offer the basis for the derivation of specific examples, can model mutations, namely generation of new populations with a phenotype different form the origin genotype, and subsequently proliferative/destructive events that can bring to growth of new populations and, in some cases, of extinction events. Section 3 of the paper deals with the qualitative analysis of the problem. Apart of the existence result, a quantitative result is given in Theorem 3.2: If the system is globally proliferative, then the unique non-negative maximal solution blows up in finite time. In Theorem 3.3 some conditions are given to guarantee that the problem is globally destructive, conservative, or globally proliferative.