In this lecture, we cover several of the different "niching methods" used for diversity preservation in both multi-objective and multi-modal evolutionary algorithms. We start with an overall goal to create "negative frequency-dependent selection" (or density dependence) that has the potential to be able to stabilize different subpopulations coexisting with each other. We start by discussing how evolutionary models like Hawk–Dove ("Chicken") have mixed Nash equilibria that can represent stable co-existence of discrete phenotypes (due to negative frequency dependence). But then we pivot to habitat selection models, with particular focus on the Ideal Free Distribution (IFD), as a better match for the diversity-preservation problem in MOEA's and MMEA's. That allows us to introduce "fitness sharing" (which matches very closely to the IFD) and various other fitness-modification methods that each have different computational costs and diversity benefits. We close by introduction selection-based approaches, such as breaking tournament-selection ties by crowding distance.
Whiteboard notes for this lecture can be found at:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/d2ucw5j4lqtlj6hzue2mk/IEE598-Lecture4B-2026-03-05-Niching_Methods_for_Diversity_Preservation_in_MOEA_and_MMO-Notes.pdf?rlkey=rvvs5xy2qmbva7xl1glsmhnja&dl=0
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