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A game-theoretic model of kleptoparasitic behavior in polymorphic populations

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 09:55 authored by Mark Broom, Roger M Luther, Graeme D Ruxton, Jan Rychtár
Kleptoparasitism, the stealing of food by one animal from another, is a widespread biological phenomenon. In this paper we build upon earlier models to investigate a population of conspecifics involved in foraging and, potentially, kleptoparasitism. We assume that the population is composed of four types of individuals, according to their strategic choices when faced with an opportunity to steal and to resist an attack. The fitness of each type of individual depends upon various natural parameters, for example food density, the handling time of a food item and the probability of mounting a successful attack against resistance, as well as the choices that they make. We find the evolutionarily stable strategies (ESSs) for all parameter combinations and show that there are six possible ESSs, four pure and two mixtures of two strategies, that can occur. We show that there is always at least one ESS, and sometimes two or three. We further investigate the influence of the different parameters on when each type of solution occurs. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Journal of Theoretical Biology

ISSN

0022-5193

Issue

1

Volume

255

Page range

81-91

Pages

11.0

Department affiliated with

  • Mathematics Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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