Ambush strategy enhances organisms' performance in rock-paper-scissors games.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Game Theory
• Complex Systems

Background:

• Spatial rock-paper-scissors games model ecological competition.
• Organismal movement strategies are crucial for survival and dominance.
• Environmental cues can inform adaptive behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of adaptive movement strategies on performance in a five-species cyclic system.
• To analyze how environmental awareness influences strategic decision-making (direct attack vs. ambush).
• To quantify the effects of these strategies on spatial organization and system dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Stochastic simulations of a five-species cyclic system.
• Modeling of movement strategies based on local species density and environmental cues.
• Analysis of spatial patterns using autocorrelation functions and characteristic length scales.

Main Results:

• The ambush strategy significantly enhances individual success compared to direct attacks.
• Adaptive movement leads to emergent spatial patterns, including spiral waves.
• Long-range perception improves decision-making accuracy by over 60%, but high attack triggers can cause interference.

Conclusions:

• Adaptive movement strategies, particularly ambush tactics informed by environmental cues, are effective in spatial games.
• Environmental perception range is a critical factor influencing strategy effectiveness and system dynamics.
• Findings have implications for understanding ecological dynamics and developing AI systems.