Evolutionary effects of non-selective sustainable harvesting in a genetically heterogeneous population

The problem of harvest optimization remains a central challenge in mathematical biology. The concept of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), widely used in optimal exploitation theory, proposes maintaining target populations at levels ensuring maximum reproduction, theoretically balancing economic benefits with resource conservation. While MSYbased management promotes population stability and system resilience, it faces significant limitations due to complex intrapopulation structures and nonlinear dynamics in exploited species. Of particular concern are the evolutionary consequences of harvesting, as artificial selection may drive changes divergent from natural selection pressures. Empirical evidence confirms that selective harvesting alters behavioral traits, reduces offspring quality, and modifies population gene pools. In contrast, the genetic impacts of non-selective harvesting remain poorly understood and require further investigation.
This study examines how non-selective harvesting with constant removal rates affects evolution in genetically heterogeneous populations. We model genetic diversity controlled by a single diallelic locus, where different genotypes dominate at high/low densities: r-strategists (high fecundity) versus K-strategists (resource-limited resilience). The classical ecological and genetic model with discrete time is considered. The model assumes that the fitness of each genotype linearly depends on the population size. By including the harvesting withdrawal coefficient, the model allows for linking the problem of optimizing harvest with the that of predicting genotype selection.
Analytical results demonstrate that under MSY harvesting the equilibrium genetic composition remains unchanged while population size halves. The type of genetic equilibrium may shift, as optimal harvest rates differ between equilibria. Natural K-strategist dominance may reverse toward r-strategists, whose high reproduction compensates for harvest losses. Critical harvesting thresholds triggering strategy shifts were identified.
These findings explain why exploited populations show slow recovery after harvesting cessation: exploitation reinforces adaptations beneficial under removal pressure but maladaptive in natural conditions. For instance, captive arctic foxes select for high-productivity genotypes, whereas wild populations favor lower-fecundity/higher-survival phenotypes. This underscores the necessity of incorporating genetic dynamics into sustainable harvesting management strategies, as MSY policies may inadvertently alter evolutionary trajectories through density-dependent selection processes. Recovery periods must account for genetic adaptation timescales in management frameworks.