"A population is said to be in an evolutionarily stable state if its genetic composition is restored by selection after a disturbance, provided the disturbance is not too large. Such a population can be genetically monomorphic or polymorphic." --Maynard Smith (1982).
Contrast this with the definition of an evolutionarily stable strategy, which is a game theory concept.
"An ESS or evolutionarily stable strategy is a strategy such that, if all the members of a population adopt it, no mutant strategy can invade." --Maynard Smith (1982).
Read more about Evolutionarily Stable State: Mathematical Formulation, Properties
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