= Arne Traulsen
{c}
<Arne Traulsen> studies <evolutionary game theory> and evolutionary dynamics in finite <biological populations>. His work uses mathematical models to separate the effects of individual interactions, <population structure>, and chance in <natural selection>.https://www.evolbio.mpg.de/person/12087[Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology profile; research interests]{ref}
With <Martin A. Nowak>, Traulsen constructed a 2006 model of <group selection> in which only individuals reproduced. Offspring stayed in the parent's group; a group reaching a size limit could split, displacing another group. Cooperation could lower an individual's success against nonhelpers within its group while increasing its group's rate of growth and splitting.<Evolution of cooperation by multilevel selection by Arne Traulsen and Martin A. Nowak>[PNAS 103, pp. 10952–10955; model and Figure 1]{ref}
The model supplies an illuminating distinction between levels of description. A trait's frequency can fall within mixed groups yet rise in the combined <biological population> when more cooperative groups contribute more descendants. Specifying the reproduction and splitting rules made this proposal testable by calculation and simulation, rather than inferring an evolutionary advantage solely from a benefit to the group.<Evolution of cooperation by multilevel selection by Arne Traulsen and Martin A. Nowak>[Model analysis and comparison with stochastic simulations]{ref}
\Image[https://www.evolbio.mpg.de/employee_images/12087-1789502561?t=ZXlKM2FXUjBhQ0k2TWpFekxDSm9aV2xuYUhRaU9qSTNOQ3dpWm1sMElqb2lZM0p2Y0NJc0ltWnBiR1ZmWlhoMFpXNXphVzl1SWpvaWFuQm5JbjA9LS0wYjQ4MDgwM2M1YWQzNTE0YWFhOTcwOTk4MjM1YjZhOWY3YzUxZTY0]
{title=Arne Traulsen}
{description=Photograph by Michael Hesse, identified and credited on the https://www.evolbio.mpg.de/person/12087[Max Planck institutional profile].}
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