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Published on: December 16, 2010
The patch distributed producer-scrounger game
Yasunori Ohtsuka1, Yukihiko Toquenaga
1Division of Integrative Environmental Sciences A421, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan. otsuka@pe.ies.life.tsukuba.ac.jp
Journal of Theoretical Biology
|June 9, 2009
Summary
This study modifies the producer-scrounger game model to include multiple patch discoveries, showing patch encounter rates significantly influence foraging strategies in animal groups. The findings suggest animals may adopt colonial or territorial foraging based on resource distribution.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Ecology
- Evolutionary Game Theory
- Animal Social Behavior
Background:
- Animal grouping offers antipredatory and foraging benefits, but also facilitates parasitic foraging strategies.
- The producer-scrounger (PS) game model explains optimal parasitic policies, where producers find food and scroungers exploit discovered patches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To relax the assumption of single patch discovery per time unit in the N-persons PS game model.
- To investigate how variable patch encounter rates influence the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) of producer-scrounger dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Modified the N-persons producer-scrounger game model to incorporate a variable encounter rate (lambda) for patch discovery.
- Analyzed the dependence of the ESS frequency of producers (q;) on lambda, producer advantage, and group size.
Main Results:
- The frequency of producers (q;) is shown to strongly depend on the producers' patch encounter rate (lambda).
- The modified model's predictions align with Horn's graphical model regarding animal aggregation and resource distribution.
Conclusions:
- Variable patch encounter rates are crucial factors in determining producer-scrounger dynamics and foraging strategies.
- Animals may adopt colonial foraging with increased scroungers when resources are clumped, or territorial foraging when resources are evenly distributed.
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