Evolutionary optimization and neural network models of behavior

Abstract

One of the main challenges to the adaptionist program in general and the use of optimization models in behavioral and evolutionary ecology, in particular, is that organisms are so constrained by ontogeny and phylogeny that they may not be able to attain optimal solutions, however those are defined. This paper responds to the challenge through the comparison of optimality and neural network models for the behavior of an individual polychaete worm. The evolutionary optimization model is used to compute behaviors (movement in and out of a tube) that maximize a measure of Darwinian fitness based on individual survival and reproduction. The neural network involves motor, sensory, energetic reserve and clock neuronal groups. Ontogeny of the neural network is the change of connections of a single individual in response to its experiences in the environment. Evolution of the neural network is the natural selection of initial values of connections between groups and learning rules for changing connections. Taken together, these can be viewed as "design parameters". The best neural networks have fitnesses between 85% and 99% of the fitness of the evolutionary optimization model. More complicated models for polychaete worms are discussed. Formulation of a neural network model for host acceptance decisions by tephritid fruit flies leads to predictions about the neurobiology of the flies. The general conclusion is that neural networks appear to be sufficiently rich and plastic that even weak evolution of design parameters may be sufficient for organisms to achieve behaviors that give fitnesses close to the evolutionary optimal fitness, particularly if the behaviors are relatively simple.