Evolving Ecological Social Dilemmas: A Spatial Individual-Based Model for the
Evolution of Cooperation with a Minimal Number of Parameters

Fort, H.

doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2007/18636

International Journal of Ecology

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Research Letter | Open Access

Volume 2007 | Article ID 018636 | https://doi.org/10.1155/2007/18636

Evolving Ecological Social Dilemmas: A Spatial Individual-Based Model for the Evolution of Cooperation with a Minimal Number of Parameters

H. Fort¹

Academic Editor: Jean Clobert

Received23 Jul 2007

Accepted07 Nov 2007

Published29 Nov 2007

Abstract

Cooperation, both intraspecific and interspecific, is a well-documented phenomenon in nature that is not well understood. Evolutionary game theory is a powerful tool to approach this problem. However, it has important limitations. First, very often it is not obvious which game is more appropriate to use. Second, in general, identical payoff matrices are assumed for all players, a situation that is highly unlikely in nature. Third, slight changes in these payoff values can dramatically alter the outcomes. Here, I use an evolutionary spatial model in which players do not have a universal payoff matrix, so no payoff parameters are required. Instead, each is equipped with random values for the payoffs, fulfilling the constraints that define the game(s). These payoff matrices evolve by natural selection. Two versions of this model are studied. First is a simpler one, with just one evolving payoff. Second is the “full” version, with all the four payoffs evolving. The fraction of cooperator agents converges in both versions to nonzero values. In the case of the full version, the initial heterogeneity disappears and the selected game is the “Stag Hunt.”

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Copyright

Copyright © 2007 H. Fort. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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