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Effects of isolation in a distributed population genetic algorithm

  • Modifications and Extensions of Evolutionary Algorithms Adaptation, Niching, and Isolation in Evolutionary Algorithms
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Parallel Problem Solving from Nature — PPSN IV (PPSN 1996)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1141))

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Abstract

An investigation is reported into the effects of isolation within a population upon its evolution under a genetic algorithm. The effects of varying population size were compared between a panmictic and a continuously distributed population, each offered an identical environment. Theoretical analysis predicted a logarithmic variation of performance with population size alone. Experiment confirmed such a variation in both populations. Although the distributed population always obtained superior peak fitness, no improvement in the ability to discover optima could be attributed to isolation. However, the distributed population was clearly observed to better maintain allelic diversity. Evidence was also found for the emergence of meta-stable geographical boundaries. Possible explanations are offered.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Buckingham, MK18 1EG, Buckingham, Great Britain

    Dr. Ian Robert East

  2. Artificial Intelligence Group, Department of Computer Science, DeMontfort University, Milton Keynes, Great Britain

    Dr. Jon Rowe

Authors
  1. Dr. Ian Robert East
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  2. Dr. Jon Rowe
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Editor information

Hans-Michael Voigt Werner Ebeling Ingo Rechenberg Hans-Paul Schwefel

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© 1996 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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East, I.R., Rowe, J. (1996). Effects of isolation in a distributed population genetic algorithm. In: Voigt, HM., Ebeling, W., Rechenberg, I., Schwefel, HP. (eds) Parallel Problem Solving from Nature — PPSN IV. PPSN 1996. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1141. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-61723-X_1005

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-61723-X_1005

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-61723-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-70668-7

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