Random-walk model to study cycles emerging from the exploration-exploitation trade-off

Area of Science:

• Complex Systems
• Mathematical Biology
• Theoretical Ecology

Background:

• Random walk models are fundamental in describing movement patterns.
• Biological systems often exhibit memory-dependent behaviors.
• Foraging strategies can be influenced by resource recovery times.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel random walk model incorporating site-visit memory.
• To phenomenologically model frugivore foraging behavior.
• To investigate the impact of memory on movement patterns and emergent dynamics.

Main Methods:

• A discrete-time random walk model on a lattice was developed.
• The model incorporates memory of last visit time and step.
• Simulations explored conservative, explorative, and intermediate memory strategies.

Main Results:

• Memory significantly modulates walker behavior upon revisiting sites.
• The probability of repeating past moves increases with elapsed time since last visit.
• Emergent cyclical patterns and nonintuitive dynamics were observed.

Conclusions:

• Memory is a crucial factor in random walk dynamics, especially in biological contexts.
• The proposed model offers insights into frugivore foraging and resource management.
• The model's flexibility allows for exploration of diverse behavioral strategies and their ecological consequences.