Fragmentation modes and the evolution of life cycles
Fig 4
Optimal fragmentation modes for fecundity and survival landscapes (costly fragmentation).
For proportional costs (panels A and B), splitting into π parts involves the loss of π − 1 cells. In this case, and for n = 4, only two pure modes are possible: 2+1 (whereby a 4-unit group splits into a pair of cells and a single cell and loses one cell) and 1+1 (whereby a group of three splits into two single cells and loses one cell). For fixed costs (panels C and D), splitting involves the loss of a single cell, no matter the kind of partition. In this case, and for n = 4, an additional mode is possible: 1+1+1 (whereby a 4-unit group splits into three single cells and loses one cell). This last nonbinary mode can be optimal under a wide range of parameters.