Between Evolution and Demography
Yann Le Cunff
PhD advisor : Khashayar Pakdaman PhD tutor : Annette Baudisch
Individual level ?
Tissue level :• Strenght of the muscle • Wrinkles on the skin
Cellular level :
• Cell division • Cell growth rate
Intra-‐cellular level :
• DNA • Proteins • …
● Similarities (exponential patterns, various slopes,…)
● But also striking differences (plateau or not, decrease possible,…)
Is only one theory enough to account for both these similarities and differences ?
Do we need one model for each of these species because of these differences ?
Why do we age ?
Evolutionary theories of ageing
Ø Disposable Soma Theory
(Kirkwood et al., 1977)
Population heterogeneity ?
Integrative approach of ageing
Evolution of heterogeneity ? How do people differ in ageing ?
Biodemographic studies of ageing
Ø Understanding heterogeneity
(Vaupel et al., 1979)
1 – There is a trade-‐off in ressource allocation : maintenance vs reproduction
2-‐ Each individual has its own strategy
3-‐ The distribution of strategies in the population is the outcome of evolution (And therefore is also shaped by the environment)