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Evolutionary Dynamics in Structured Populations
A dissertation presented
by
Corina Elena Tarnita
to
The Department of Mathematics
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in the subject of
Mathematics
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
June 2009
EFTA00748858
®2009 - Corina Elena Tarnita
All rights reserved.
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Thesis advisor
Author
Martin A. Nowak
Corina Elena Tarnita
Evolutionary Dynamics in Structured Populations
Abstract
Life is that which evolves. Evolutionary dynamics shape the living world around
us. At the center of every evolutionary process is a population of reproducing individu-
als. These individuals can be molecules, cells, viruses, multi-cellular organisms or humans
with language, hopes and some rationality. The laws of evolution are formulated in terms
of mathematical equations. Whenever the fitness of individuals depends on the relative
abundance of various strategies or phenotypes in the population, then we are in the realm
of evolutionary game theory. Evolutionary game theory is a fairly general approach that
helps to understand the interaction of species in an ecosystem, the interaction between
hosts and parasites, between viruses and cells, and also the spread of ideas and behaviors
in the human population. Here we present recent results on stochastic dynamics in finite
sized and structured populations. We derive fundamental laws that determine how natural
selection chooses between competing strategies. Two of the results are concerned with the
study of multiple strategies and continuous strategies in a well-mixed population. Next we
introduce a new way to think of population structure: set-structured populations. Unlike
previous structures, the sets are dynamical: the population structure itself is a consequence
of evolutionary dynamics. I will present a general mathematical approach for studying any
evolutionary game in this structure. Finally, I give a general result which characterizes
two-strategy games in any structured population.
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Contents
Title Page
i
Abstract
iii
Table of Contents
iv
Citations to Previously Published Work
vi
Acknowledgments
vii
Dedication
x
1 Introduction and summary
1
2 Strategy selection in structured populations
8
2.1 Introduction
8
2.2 Model and results
13
2.3 Proof
15
2.3.1
Linearity
16
2.3.2
Existence of Sigma
18
2.4 Evolution of Cooperation
19
2.5 Examples
21
2.5.1 The well-mixed population
21
2.5.2
Graph structured populations
22
Cycle
22
Star
23
Regular graphs of degree k
24
Different interaction and replacement graphs
26
2.5.3 Gaines in phenotype space
27
2.5.4
Games on sets
29
2.6 Conclusion
30
3 Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
41
4 Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
52
4.1 Evolution of cooperation on sets
53
4.2 Belonging to K sets
61
4.2.1
Probability that two individuals have the same strategy
62
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Contents
4.2.2
Average number of sets two individuals have in common
62
4.2.3 Finding the critical ratio
63
4.3 Triggering cooperation
66
4.4 The minimum benefit-to-cost ratio
69
4.5 Finite population size
69
4.6 Numerical simulations
75
4.7 General Payoff Matrix
76
5 Mutation—selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
86
5.1 Introduction
86
5.2 Perturbation method
90
5.2.1 Special case: Two strategies
97
5.2.2
Low mutation rates
97
5.3 Examples
99
5.3.1 Cooperators, Defectors, Loners
99
5.3.2
Reversing the ranking of strategies by mutation
101
5.3.3 Cooperators, Defectors, and Tit-for-Tat
104
5.4 Outlook
106
5.4.1 Strong selection
106
5.4.2
More general mutation rates
107
5.4.3 Alternative processes
108
5.5 Discussion
110
6 Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
114
6.1 Introduction
114
6.2 Mixed games with 2 strategies
119
6.3 Mixed games with two pure strategies
122
6.3.1
A resealed payoff matrix
125
6.3.2
Example: Hawks and Doves
126
6.4 A mixed 3-game: Cooperators, Defectors, Loners
130
6.5 Mixed games with n pure strategies
135
6.6 Conclusion
136
Bibliography
139
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Citations to Previously Published Work
Chapter 1 is part of a review which will be published as:
"Gaines, graphs and sets: dynamics and geometry of evolution", M.A. Nowak,
C.E. Tarnita, T. Antal. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc., 2010.
Chapters 2 and 3 is published as:
"Evolutionary dynamics in set structured populations", C.E. Tarnita, T. Antal,
H. Ohtsuki, M.A. Nowak. P. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2009.
Chapter 4 is published as:
"Strategy selection in structured populations", C.E. Tarnita, H. Ohtsuki, T. Antal,
F. F i, M.A. Nowak. J. Theor. Biol., doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2009.03.035, 2009.
Chapter 5 is published as:
"Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies", T. Antal,
A. Traulsen, H. Ohtsuki, C.E. Tarnita, M.A., Nowak. J. Theor. Biol.,
doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2009.02.010, 2009.
Chapter 6 is submitted as:
"Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies", C.E. Tarnita,
T. Antal, M.A. Nowak. Submitted to J. Theor. Biol.
"Mixed strategies in relaxed social dilemmas", C.E. Tarnita, T. Antal,
M.A. Nowak. In preparation.
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Acknowledgments
I am deeply indebted to my advisor Martin Nowak, for mentoring me with in-
spiring enthusiasm and for kindling in me the desire to understand and explore the world.
Passionate and brilliant, warm and generous, easygoing and genuine, Martin not only moti-
vates me to do great work but shows me how a true scientist should be. I was fortunate to
have not only a wonderful advisor, but also a great co-advisor. Tibor Antal helped me make
the transition from pure to applied math, showed me how to think in terms of physicists'
approximations and, most importantly, taught me to balance my feelings of urgency with
patience and persistence. I am also grateful to Karl Sigmund and Cliff Taubes for agreeing
to serve on my thesis committee and for providing constructive advice on this work.
I would like to thank my collaborators for teaching me so much and for making ev-
ery project a very pleasant and rewarding experience: Hisashi Ohtsuki who enthusiastically
introduced me to some of the mathematics behind evolutionary dynamics; Yoh Iwasa and
Reinhard Buerger, great population geneticists, whom I am lucky to have met and learnt
from; Dave Rand and Anna Dreber, amazing resources in experimental economies, psychol-
ogy and social behavior; JB Michel, an expert on language and cultural evolution; Feng Fu
who quietly does the best simulations one can ask for; Thomas Pfeiffer who covers every
other scientific aspect, from prediction markets to reliability of research; Michael Manapat,
my high stakes gambler, mathematician officemate, living proof that a scientist can be cool;
Radu Berinde who so patiently listened to me explaining my structured populations theo-
ries and always provided great insights — eventually lie decided that if he were to describe
me in one sentence, it would have to be: "so imagine there are these people who belong to
different sets..."
I probably wouldn't be doing math right now if it hadn't been for the many
wonderful people who taught me so much: Daniels Tarnita, my mathematician mother who
educated me in the belief that mathematics can explain the world and set an example of
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Acknowledgments
viii
perseverance and perfectionism; my math teachers Iuliana Coravu and Nicolae Tahiti who
taught me to combine passion with discipline; my friends Stefan Hornet and Andrei Jorza
who generously taught me a lot of math during my years of college and PhD. I am thankful
to my wonderful Harvard math professors and in particular to my first advisor, Joe Harris
for making math look simple, elegant and accessible. I am infinitely grateful to Joe for his
support and advice and for trusting in my abilities. I am greatly indebted to Shing-Tung
Yau, Cliff Taubes and Shlomo Sternberg for their constant encouragement.
My work would not have been possible without a beautiful and nurturing envi-
ronment as the one at the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. I am thankful to Jeffrey
Epstein for making PED possible and for allowing me to participate in his tireless pursuit
of knowledge. And I am indebted to everyone for making PED a wonderful place and for
teaching me so much about their great areas of research. Finally, I would like to thank the
Chief Administrative Officer, May Huang and her staff, Jordan Bice and Amy Ashbacher,
for taking care of the daily functioning of PED — without them, PED would not exist. Along
the same lines, I would like to thank their Math department counterparts, Irene Minder,
Svetlana Alpert and Susan Gilbert for great advice and for always promptly coming up
with solutions.
During my years at Harvard, I have been fortunate to have the support of many
friends: Bob Doyle - the freshman adviser who has been advising me for 7 years, always
with a kind smile and a wise word; Elizabeth Nathans, the former Dean of Freshmen who
took it upon herself to make my transition to Harvard life as painless as possible; Chef
Raymond Ost from Sandrine's restaurant who provided the secret ingredient and the right
spices; my many Romanian friends who made it possible to preserve some of the traditions
that I would otherwise greatly miss. In particular, I want to thank Emma Voinescu, my
caring friend who has always been there for me.
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Acknowledgments
ix
Finally, I want to thank my family for their unconditional love and support, for
their selflessness in encouraging me to follow my dreams, no matter how far away they may
take me, and for making me what I am today. I want to thank my grandparents, Elena
and Dumitru Tarnita, for giving me the best possible childhood, for dedicating themselves
to me with a love and devotion that will warm my heart for a lifetime. I want to thank my
wonderful sister, Roxana, my best friend but also my harshest critic. If I am thankful to
my mother, Daniela, for educating me in the spirit that mathematics is the most important
thing, I want to thank my father, Dan, a medical doctor, for tirelessly showing me that
there are many other fascinating things in life. In this thesis, I am attempting to show that
mathematics can explain some of them.
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To my parents
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Chapter 1
Introduction and summary
An evolving population consists of reproducing individuals, which are information
carriers. When they reproduce, they pass on their information. New mutants arise, if this
process is subject to mistakes. Natural selection emerges if mutants reproduce at different
rates and compete for limiting resources. Therefore, the basic ingredients of evolutionary
dynamics are very simple.
The two most important media for carrying forward the information of the evo-
lutionary processes on earth are biological polymers (such as DNA and RNA) and human
language. The first give rise to genetic evolution, the second to cultural evolution. The
mathematical approaches that we discuss below can be interpreted within either of these
two domains. There is also a non-linguistic cultural evolution: we can imitate behavioral
patterns without talking about them.
Evolutionary game theory was originally designed as a tool for studying animal
behavior but has become a general approach that transcends almost every aspect of evo-
lutionary biology. Evolutionary game dynamics include the competition of species in an
ecosystem, the evolution of virulence in host-parasite interactions, the interaction between
1
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Chapter 1: Introduction and summary
2
viruses and cells of the immune system, the competition between phages for bacterial cells,
the evolution of metabolic pathways and evolution of human language.
The dynamical interactions in any group of humans with bonding, economic ex-
changes, learning from each other and exploration of new strategies represent evolutionary
games. Classical game theory was invented as a mathematical tool for studying economic
and strategic decisions of humans. Evolutionary game theory has added the framework of
a population of players and the idea that the payoff is interpreted as fitness. These two
concepts naturally lead to a dynamical approach.
Traditional evolutionary game theory uses differential equations to describe deter-
ministic dynamics in well-mixed and infinitely large populations. However, infinitely large,
well-mixed populations and deterministic dynamics are idealizations and can only be seen
as first approximations. Real populations have a finite number of individuals, and they are
not well-mixed. Typically it is not the case that any two individuals interact equally likely.
Instead the spatial distribution of the population makes interactions among neighbors more
likely than interactions between distant individuals. The social network in human popula-
tions cause friends to interact more often than strangers. These realizations led to spatial
approaches to evolutionary game dynamics.
Furthermore, evolutionary dynamics are not deterministic but intrinsically stochas-
tic. If two mutants have exactly the same fitness, eventually one of them will take over the
population, while the other one will become extinct. An advantageous mutant has a certain
probability to win, but no certainty. Sometimes even deleterious mutants can prevail.
In this thesis we analyze the stochastic dynamics in finite well-mixed and struc-
tured populations. All our results are derived in the limit of weak selection, when the game
considered has only a small effect on the overall fitness of individual strategies.
The thesis is organized as follows.
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Chapter 1: Introduction and summary
3
In Chapter 2 we present the concept of `structural dominance' and introduce the
structure coefficient a. We present a general result that holds for almost any 'natural'
processes of evolutionary game dynamics in well mixed or structured populations. Consider
two strategies, A and B, and the payoff matrix
A B
Ara
b)
B
c
d
We show that for weak selection, the condition that A is more abundant than B in the
stationary distribution of the mutation-selection process can be written as
ea + b
c+ crd.
Hence, the crucial condition specifying which strategy is more abundant is a linear inequality
in the payoff values, a, b, c, d. The structure coefficient, a, can depend on the population
structure, the update rule, the population size and the mutation rates, but not on a, b, c, d.
Evolutionary dynamics in structured populations can lead to a factors which exceed 1. The
diagonal entries of the payoff matrix are then more emphasized relative to the off-diagonal
values. This property facilitates the evolution of cooperation. The larger a is the easier it
is for cooperators to outcompete defectors. We give a simple relationship between a and
the critical benefit-to-cost ratio in a simplified Prisoner's Dilemma game.
(War +1
a — (NW —1.
This shows that for the purpose of establishing strategy dominance, in the limit of weak
selection, it suffices to study one-parameter games.
In Chapters 3 and 4 we discuss a new way to think of population structure, based
on set memberships. We consider a population of N individuals distributed over AI sets.
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Chapter 1: Introduction and summary
4
To obtain analytical results, we also assume that each individual belongs to exactly K sets,
where K ≤ Al. If two individuals belong to the same set, they interact; if they have more
than one set in common, they interact several times. An interaction is given by the usual
payoff matrix.
The system evolves according to synchronous updating (Wright-Fisher process). There
are discrete, non-overlapping generations. All individuals update at the same time. The
population size is constant. Individuals reproduce proportional to their effective payoffs.
An offspring inherits the sets of the parent with probability 1 — v or adopts a random
configuration (including that of the parent) with probability v. Any particular configuration
of set memberships is chosen with probability v/ (K). Similarly, the offspring inherits the
strategy of the parent with probability 1—u; with probability u, he picks a random strategy.
Thus, we have a strategy mutation rate, u, and a set mutation rate, v.
In particular, we study the evolution of cooperation in such set structured populations. We
find the condition for cooperators to be favored over defectors, for large population size and
low strategy mutation, to be:
b
K
Al v2 +3v +3
c > Al — K (v + 2) + AI
— K v(v +2)
For general games, the resulting expression for a is complicated and depends on all param-
eters, including the two mutation rates. The expression simplifies for large population size,
where the main parameters are the two effective mutation rates p = 2Nu and v = 2Nv as
well as Al and K. We find
1+v+p K(v2 +2v+vp)+111(3+2v+p)
a — 3+ v+ p
K(v2 +2v+va)+M(1+u)
Note that sigma is a one humped function of the set mutation rate v. There is an optimum
value of v, which maximizes sigma.
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Chapter 1: Introduction and summary
5
For low effective strategy mutation rate (µ —• 0) and effective set mutation rate v >> 1 we
obtain the simplified expression of a
2M
a = 1 +
.
Note that for large values of v, sigma decreases with v and increases with Itlf/K.
For low effective strategy mutation rate and low effective set mutation rate v —) 0, we obtain
the following simplified expression for a
If
a =1+ 2(1— 2m.)
Note that, on the other hand, for low values of v, a increases with v. Hence, there will be
an optimum set mutation rate.
In Chapter 5 we discuss strategy selection in well-mixed populations. Unlike pre-
vious studies which have been mainly concerned with 2 strategy games, we now characterize
well-mixed populations with multiple strategies.
Let us consider a game with n strategies. The payoff values are given by the n x n payoff
matrix A = [a15]. This means that an individual using strategy i receives payoff
when
interacting with an individual that uses strategy j. Payoff translates into reproductive
success. For each updating step, we pick one individual for death at random and one
individual for birth proportional to fitness. The offspring of the second individual replaces
the first. Hence, the total population size is strictly constant. Next we introduce mutation.
With probability 1 — u the strategy of the parent is adopted; with probability u one of the
n strategies is chosen at random. Let us introduce the parameter µ = Nu, which is the rate
at which the entire population produces mutants. We say that selection favors strategy
k, if the abundance of k is greater than the average abundance, 1/n, in the stationary
distribution of the mutation-selection process. The following results are derived in Antal et
al (2008b) and hold for weak selection and large population size.
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Chapter 1: Introduction and summary
6
For low mutation, µ —) 0, the population almost always consists of only a single strategy.
This strategy is challenged by one invading strategy. The invader becomes extinct or takes
over the population. Thus, the crucial quantities are the `pairwise dominance measures',
+ aii —
— aji. Selection favors strategy It, if the average over all pairwise dominance
measures is positive:
71
Lk = —E(akk
aka — nth — au) > 0.
For high mutation, µ —) co, the population contains each strategy at roughly the same
frequency, 1/n. The average payoff of strategy k is ak = E akiln, while the average payoff
of all strategies is a = E j ailn. Strategy it is favored by selection, if its average payoff
exceeds that of the population, ak > a. This condition can be written as
II
22
=
E Daki — aij) > O.
9=1j=1
We note that this condition holds for large mutation rate and any intensity of selection.
Interestingly, for any mutation rate, strategy it is favored by selection, if a simple linear
combination of (4) and (5) holds:
Lk +
> 0.
In the stationary distribution, strategy k is more abundant than strategy j if
Lk + alik > Lj + uHj.
The above conditions are useful to quantify strategy selection in general 71 x n games in well-
mixed populations. They hold for weak selection, large population size, but any mutation
rate.
In Chapter 6 we discuss continuous strategies in well-mixed populations. The
process is the same as for Chapter 5. However, now we allow mixed strategies. A mixed
strategy is given by a stochastic vector p =
...,p,,) with 0 5 pi < 1 and pi +...+p„ = 1.
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Chapter 1: Introduction and summary
7
We denote the set of all such mixed strategies by Sri; this is a simplex in 11.n. The unit
vectors e, correspond to the pure strategies. The payoff of a mixed strategy p against a
mixed strategy q is given by the function A(p,q) = pAqT. The matrix A is the payoff
matrix between the pure strategies, as in Chapter 5. Moreover, we have global mutation
rates. Hence, if a mutation occurs, then a mixed strategy is chosen at random from a
uniform distribution over the simplex Sr,.
We show that for low mutation (ti <G 1/N), strategy p is favored by selection if and only if
LP=
[A(p,
+ A(p,
— A(q, p) — A (q, (0] dq.
The integral on Sr, is given by fs. dq =
fol-91
dq,t_i
dq2do.
For high mutation (u» 1/N), the condition that strategy p is favored by selection is
Hp =
[A(p,
— A(r, q)] dqdr.
Sn
Sn
For any mutation probability u, strategy p is favored by selection if and only if
Lp +
/dip
>
0
where µ = Nu is the mutation rate.
Moreover, strategy p is favored over strategy q if and only if
Lp + µHp
> L, +
All these results hold for large, but finite population size, N. They allow a characterization
of games with mixed strategies, in the limit of weak selection and global mutation.
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Chapter 2
Strategy selection in structured
populations
2.1 Introduction
Came theory was invented by John von Neuman and Oskar Morgenstern (1944) to
study strategic and economic decisions of humans (Fudenberg Sc Tirole 1991, Binmore 1994,
Weibull 1995, Samuelson 1997, Binmore 2007). Evolutionary game theory was introduced
by John Maynard Smith in order to explore the evolution of animal behavior (Maynard
Smith Si Price 1973, Maynard Smith 1982, Houston & McNamara 1999, McNamara et al
1999, Bshary et al 2008). In the meanwhile, evolutionary game theory has been used in
many areas of biology including ecology (May & Leonard 1975, Doebeli & Knowlton 1998),
host-parasite interactions (Turner & Chao 1999, Nowak Sc May 1994), bacterial population
dynamics (Kerr et al 2002), immunological dynamics (Nowak et al 1995), the evolution
of human language (Nowak et al 2002) and the evolution of social behavior of humans
('rivers 1971, Axelrod & Hamilton 1981, Boyd & Richerson 2005, Nowak Sc Sigmund 2005).
8
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
9
Evolutionary game theory is the necessary tool of analysis whenever the success of one
strategy depends on the frequency of strategies in the population. Therefore, evolutionary
game theory is a general approach to evolutionary dynamics with constant selection being
a special case (Nowak St Sigmund 2004).
In evolutionary game theory there is always a population of players. The interac-
tions of the game lead to payoffs, which are interpreted as reproductive success. Individuals
who receive a higher payoff leave more offspring. Thereby, successful strategies outcompete
less successful ones. Reproduction can be genetic or cultural.
The traditional approach to evolutionary game theory is based on the replicator
equation (Taylor & .Jonker 1978, Hofbauer et al 1979, Zeeman 1980, Hofbauer & Sigmund
1988,1998, 2003, Cressman 2003), which examines deterministic dynamics in infinitely large,
well-mixed populations. Many of our intuitions about evolutionary dynamics come from this
approach (Hofbauer Sc Sigmund 1988). For example, a stable equilibrium of the replicator
equation is a Nash equilibrium of the underlying game. Another approach to evolutionary
game theory is given by adaptive dynamics (Nowak & Sigmund 1990, Hofbauer & Sigmund
1990, Metz et al 1996, Dieckman et al 2000) which also assumes infinitely large population
size.
However if we want to understand evolutionary game dynamics in finite-sized
populations, we need a stochastic approach (Riley 1979, Schaffer 1988, Fogel et al 1998,
Ficici & Pollack 2000, Alos-Ferrer 2003). A crucial quantity is the fixation probability of
strategies; this is the probability that a newly introduced mutant, using a different strategy,
takes over the population (Nowak et al 2004, Taylor et al 2004, Imhof Sc Nowak 2006, Nowak
2006a, Traulsen et al 2006, Lessard Sc Ladret 2007, Bomze & Pawlowitsch 2008). In this
new approach, the Nash equilibrium condition no longer implies evolutionary stability.
There has also been much interest in studying evolutionary games in spatial set-
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
10
tings (Nowak & May 1992, 1993, Ellison 1993, Herz 1994, Lindgren & Nordahl 1994, Ferriere
Michod 1996, Killingback & Doebeli 1996, Nalcamaru et al 1997, 1998, Nalcamaru & Iwasa
2005, 2006, van Baalen & Rand 1998, Yamamura et al 2004, Helbing & Wu 2008). Here
most interactions occur among nearest neighbors. The typical geometry for spatial games
are regular lattices (Nowak et al 1994, Hauert & Doebeli 2004, Szab6 & T5ke 1998, Szab6
et al. 2000), but evolutionary game dynamics have also been studied in continuous space
(Hutson & Vickers 1992, 2002, Hofbauer 1999).
Evolutionary graph theory is an extension of spatial games to more general popu-
lation structures and social networks (Lieberman et al 2005, Ohtsuki et al 2006a,b, Pacheco
et al 2006, Szabo & Fath 2007, Taylor et al 2007a, Santos at al 2008, RI et al 2008).
The members of the population occupy the vertices of a graph. The edges determine who
interacts with whom. Different update rules can lead to very different outcomes of the
evolutionary process, which emphasizes the general idea that population structure greatly
affects evolutionary dynamics. For example, death-birth updating on graphs allows the
evolution of cooperation, if the benefit-to-cost ratio exceeds the average degree of the graph
b/c > k (Ohtsuki et al 2006). Birth-death updating on graphs does not favor evolution
of cooperation. A replicator equation with a transformed payoff matrix can describe de-
terministic evolutionary dynamics on regular graphs (Ohtsuki & Nowak 2006b). There is
also a modified condition for what it means to be a Nash equilibrium for games on graphs
(Ohtsuki & Nowak 2008).
Spatial models have also a long history of investigation in the study of ecosystems
and ecological interactions (Levin & Paine 1974, Durrett 1988, Hassel et al 1991, Durrett
& Levin 1994). There is also a literature on the dispersal behavior of animals (Hamilton
& May 1977, Comins et al 1980, Gandon & Rousset 1999). Boerlijst & Hogeweg (1991)
studied spatial models in prebiotic evolution. Evolution in structured populations can also
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
11
be studied with the methods of inclusive fitness theory (Seger 1981, Grafen 1985, 2006,
Queller 1985, Taylor 1992b, Taylor & Frank 1996, Frank 1998, Rousset & Billiard 2000,
Rousset 2004, Taylor et al 2000, 2007b).
In this paper, we explore the interaction between two strategies, A and B, given
by the payoff matrix
A B
Ara
b)
B
c
d
(2.1)
We consider a mutation-selection process in a population of fixed size N. Whenever an
individual reproduces, the offspring adopts the parent's strategy with probability 1 — u
and adopts a random strategy with probability it. We say that strategy A is selected over
strategy B, if it is more abundant in the stationary distribution of the mutation-selection
process. We call this concept `strategy selection'.
In the limit of low mutation (v. —) 0), the stationary distribution is non-zero only
for populations that are either all-A or all-B. The system spends only an infinitesimal
small fraction of time in the mixed states. In this case, the question of strategy selection
reduces to the comparison of the fixation probabilities, PA and Pn (Nowak et al 2004).
Here, PA is the probability that a single A mutant introduced in a population of N — 1
many B players generates a lineage of offspring that takes over the entire population. In
contrast, the probability that the A lineage becomes extinct is 1 — pA. Vice versa, Pa
denotes the probability that a single B mutant introduced in a population of N —1 many A
players generates a lineage that takes over the entire population. The fixation probabilities
measure global selection over the entire range of relative abundances. The condition for A
to be favored over B in the limit of low mutation is
PA > PR.
(2.2)
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
12
For positive mutation rate (0 < u < 1), the stationary distribution includes both
homogeneous and mixed states. In this case, strategy selection is determined by the in-
equality
(x) > 1/2.
(2.3)
Here x is the frequency of A individuals in the population. The angular brackets denote
the average taken over all states of the system, weighted by the probability of finding the
system in each state. In the limit of low mutation, (2.3) is equivalent to (2.2).
In this paper we focus on structured populations and the limit of weak selection.
We analyze (2.3) to deduce that the condition for strategy A to be favored over strategy B
is equivalent to
aa + b > + ad.
(2.4)
The parameter a depends on the population structure, the update rule and the
mutation rate, but it does not depend on the payoff values a, b,c,d. Thus, in the limit
of weak selection, strategy selection in structured populations is determined by a linear
inequality. The effect of population structure can be summarized by a single parameter, a.
Therefore, we call inequality (2.5) the `single-parameter condition'.
Note that a =1 corresponds to the standard condition for risk-dominance (Harsanyi
Selten 1988). If a > 1 then the diagonal entries of the payoff matrix, a and d, are more
important than the off-diagonal entries, b and c. In this case, the population structure
can favor the evolution of cooperation in the Prisoner's Dilemma game, which is defined by
c > a > d > b. If a > 1 then the population structure can favor the Pareto-efficient strategy
over the risk-dominant strategy in a coordination game. A coordination game is defined by
a > c and b < d. Strategy A is Pareto efficient if a > d. Strategy B is risk-dominant if
a + b < c + d. If a < 1 then the population structure can favor the evolution of spite.
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
13
The paper is structured as follows. In Section 2 we present the model, the main
result and the necessary assumptions. In Section 3 we give the proof of the single-parameter
condition, which holds for weak selection and any mutation rate. In Section 4 we show the
relationship between a and the critical benefit-to-cost ratio for the evolution of cooperation.
An interesting consequence is that for the purpose of calculating a it suffices to study games
that have simplified payoff matrices. Several specific consequences are then discussed. In
Section 5 we present several examples of evolutionary dynamics in structured populations
that lead to a single-parameter condition. These examples include games in the well-mixed
population, games on regular and heterogeneous graphs, games on replacement and inter-
action graphs, games in phenotype space and games on sets. Section 6 is a summary of our
findings.
2.2
Model and results
We consider stochastic evolutionary dynamics (with mutation and selection) in a
structured population of finite size, N. Individuals adopt either strategy A or B. Individuals
obtain a payoff by interacting with other individuals according to the underlying population
structure. For example, the population structure could imply that interactions occur only
between neighbors on a graph (Ohtsuki et al 2006), inhabitants of the same island or individ-
uals that share certain phenotypic properties (Antal et al 2008). Based on these interactions,
an average (or total) payoff is calculated according to the payoff matrix (2.1). We assume
that the payoff is linear in a, b, c, d, with no constant terms. For instance, the total payoff of
an A individual is [a x (number of A-interactants) + b x (number of B-interactants)]. The
effective payoff of an individual is given by 1 + w • Payoff. The parameter w denotes the
intensity of selection. The limit of weak selection is given by w -. 0.
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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Reproduction is subject to mutation. With probability u the offspring adopts a
random strategy (which is either A or B). With probability 1 — u the offspring adopts the
parent's strategy. For u = 0 there is no mutation, only selection. For u = 1 there is no
selection, only mutation. If 0 < u < 1 then there is mutation and selection.
A state S of the population assigns to each player a strategy (A or B) and a
'location' (in space, phenotype space etc). A state must include all information that can
affect the payoffs of players. For our proof, we assume a finite state space. We study
a Markey process on this state space. We denote by 1j1 the transition probability from
state Si to state Si. These transition probabilities depend on the update rule and on
the effective payoffs of individuals. Since the effective payoff is of the form 1 + to • Payoff
and the payoff is linear in a, b, c, d, it follows that the transition probabilities are functions
Pii(wa, wb,wc, wd).
We show that
Theorem 1. Consider a population structure and an update rule such that
0) the transition probabilities are infinitely differentiable at w = 0
(ii) the update rule is symmetric for the two strategies and
(iii) in the game given by the matrix (g 01), strategy A is not disfavored.
Then, in the limit of weak selection, the condition that strategy A is favored over strategy
B is a one parameter condition:
aa+b>c+ad
(2.5)
where a depends on the model and the dynamics (population structure, update rule, the
mutation rates) but not on the entries of the payoff matrix, a, b, c, d.
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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Let us now discuss the three natural assumptions.
Assumption (1). The transition probabilities are infinitely differentiable at w = 0.
We require the transition probabilities Pii(wa, wb, wc, wd) to have Taylor expansions
at w = 0. Examples of update rules that satisfy Assumption (i) include: the death
birth (DB) and birth-death (BD) updating on graphs (Ohtsuki et al 2006), the syn-
chronous updating based on the Wright-Fisher process (Antal et al 2008, Tarnita et
al 2009) and the pairwise comparison (PC) process (Traulsen et al 2007).
Assumption (ii). The update rule is symmetric for the two strategies.
The update rule differentiates between A and B only based on payoff. Relabeling the
two strategies and correspondingly swapping the entries of the payoff matrix must
yield symmetric dynamics. This assumption is entirely natural. It means that the
difference between A and B is fully captured by the payoff matrix, while the population
structure and update rule do not introduce any additional difference between A and
B.
Assumption
In the game given by the matrix (g 01), strategy A is not disfavored.
We will show in the proof that the first two assumptions are sufficient to obtain a
single-parameter condition. We need the third assumption simply to determine the
direction of the inequality in this condition. Thus, if (iii) is satisfied, then the condition
that A is favored over B has the form (2.5). Otherwise, it has the form aa+b c c+ad.
2.3 Proof
In the first part of the proof we will show that for update rules that satisfy our
assumption (i) in Section 2, the condition for strategy A to be favored over strategy B is
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
16
linear in a, b, c, d with no constant terms. More precisely, it can be written as
kja + Ic2b > k3c + 14d.
(2.6)
Here 14, k2, k3, k1 are real numbers, which can depend on the population structure, the
update rule, the mutation rate and the population size, but not on the payoff values a, b, c, d.
In the second part of the proof we will show that for update rules that also satisfy
our symmetry assumption (ii) in Section 2, this linearity leads to the existence of a a.
Furthermore, using assumption (iii) we show that the condition that A is favored over B
becomes
cra+b>c+cd.
(2.7)
2.3.1 Linearity
As we already mentioned, we study a Markey process on the state space and we
are concerned with the stationary probabilities of this process. A more detailed discussion
of these stationary probabilities can be found in Appendix B.
In a state S, let xs denote the frequency of A individuals in the population. Then
the frequency of B individuals is 1 — xs. We are interested in the average frequency of
A individuals, the average being taken over all possible states weighted by the stationary
probability that the system is in those states. Let us denote this average frequency by (x).
Thus
(x) =
xsirs.
(2.8)
S
where rs is the probability that the system is in state S. The condition for strategy A to
be favored over strategy B is that the average frequency of A is greater than 1/2
(2.9)
This is equivalent to saying that, on average, A individuals are more than 50%.
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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We analyze this condition in the limit of weak selection to -. 0. The frequency xs
of A individuals in state S does not depend on the game; hence, it does not depend on to.
However, the probability irs that the system is in state S does depend on to. For update
rules satisfying assumption (0, we show in Appendix B that irs is infinitely differentiable
as a function of to. Thus, we can write its Taylor expansion at to = 0
(
irs = irs0) +wrrg~l + O(w2).
(2.10)
The (0) superscript refers to the neutral state w = 0 and 4
) = thrs/dw evaluated at to = 0.
The notation O(w2) denotes terms of order w2 or higher. They are negligible for w —) 0.
Hence, we can write the Taylor expansion of the average frequency of A
(x) E xsirr + w E xs741) + (9(w2).
(2.11)
Since rr is the probability that the neutral process (i.e. when w = 0) is in
state 51, the first sum is simply the average number of A individuals at neutrality. This is
1/2 for update rules that satisfy Assumption (ii) because in the neutral process, A and B
individuals are only differentiated by labels.
Thus, in the limit of weak selection, the condition (2.9) that A is favored over B
becomes
E xs,r(si) > 0.
(2.12)
S
As we already mentioned, the frequency xs of A individuals in state S does not
depend on the game. However, 4
) does depend on the game. We will show in Appendix
B that xsa) is linear in a, b, c, d with no constant terms. Hence, from (2.12) we deduce that
our condition for strategy A to be favored over strategy B is linear in a, b, c, d and is of the
form (2.6).
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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2.3.2 Existence of Sigma
We have thus shown that for structures satisfying assumption (i), the condition
for strategy A to be favored over strategy B has the form (2.6): kia + k2b > k3c + k4d.
For structures which moreover satisfy our symmetry condition (assumption (ii)), we obtain
the symmetric relation by simply relabeling the two strategies. Thus, strategy B is favored
over strategy A if and only if
kid + k2e > k3b + kg/.
(2.13)
Since both strategies can not be favored at the same time, strategy A must be
favored if and only if
k4a + k3b > k2c + kid.
(2.14)
Since both conditions (2.6) and (2.14) are if and only if conditions that A is favored
over B, they must be equivalent. Thus, it must be that (2.14) is a scalar multiple of (2.6),
so there must exist some A > 0 such that /4 = Aki = A2k4 and k3 = Ake = A2k3. Hence,
we conclude that A = 1 and that ki =
= k and k2 = k3 = k'. So the condition that A is
favored over B becomes
ka
>
kd.
(2.15)
Note that this condition depends only on the parameter a = k/k'. Thus, in gen-
eral, the condition that A is favored over B can be written as a single-parameter condition.
However, one must exercise caution in dividing by le because its sign can change the direc-
tion of the inequality. This is where we need assumption
Assumption (iii) holds if and
only if k' > 0 and then we can rewrite (2.15) as
ea+b>e+crd.
(2.16)
If (iii) doesn't hold, then k' < 0 and hence (2.15) becomes as + b < c + ad.
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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Note that a could also be infinite (if k' = 0) and then the condition that A is
favored over B reduces to a > d. If a = 0 then the condition is simply b > c.
2.4 Evolution of Cooperation
In this section we find a relationship between the critical benefit-to-cost ratio for
the evolution of cooperation (Nowak 2006b) and the parameter a. In a simplified version
of the Prisoner's Dilemma game a cooperator, C, pays a cost, c, for another individual to
receive a benefit, b. We have b > c > 0. Defectors, D, distribute no benefits and pay no
costs. We obtain the payoff matrix
C
C b — c
D
b
D
0
(2.17)
For structures for which condition (2.5) holds, we can apply it for payoff matrix (2.17) to
obtain
cr(b — c) — c > b.
(2.18)
For a > 1 this condition means that cooperators are more abundant than defectors whenever
the benefit-to-cost ratio b/c is larger than the critical value
(b\*
a + 1
kcj
Alternatively, a can be expressed by the critical (bier ratio as
(bier + 1
a — (b/c)* —
(2.19)
(2.20)
Here we have a > 1. Note that even without the assumption b > c > 0, the same a is
obtained from (2.18), only some care is required to find the correct signs.
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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Thus, for any population structure and update rule for which condition (2.5) holds,
if the critical benefit-to-cost ratio is known, we can immediately obtain a and vice versa.
For example, for DB updating on regular graphs of degree k we know that (Nor = k
(Ohtsuki et al 2006). Using equation (2.20), this implies a = (k + 1)fik — 1) which is in
agreement with equation (2.27).
This demonstrates the practical advantage of relationship (2.20). In order to derive
o for the general game (2.1), it suffices to study the specific game (2.17) and to derive the
critical benefit-cost ratio, (bie)". Then (2.20) gives us the answer. Thus
Corollary 1. In the limit of weak selection, for all structures for which strategy dominance
is given by a single parameter condition (2.5), for the purpose of studying strategy domi-
nance, it suffices to analyze one-parameter games (eg. the simplified Prisoner's Dilemma).
The practical advantage comes from the fact that it is sometimes easier to study
the specific game (2.17) than to study the general game (2.1). Specifically, using (2.17)
often spares the calculation of probabilities that three randomly chosen players share the
same strategy (for example, coefficient ti in Antal et al, 2008).
Wild and Traulsen (2007) argue that the general payoff matrix (2.1) allows the
study of synergistic effects between players in the weak selection limit, as opposed to the
simplified matrix (2.17) where such effects are not present. Here we demonstrated that
these synergistic effects do not matter if we are only interested in the question whether A is
more abundant than B in the stationary distribution of the mutation-selection process. Of
course, our observation does not suggest that the analysis of general games, given by (2.1),
can be completely replaced by the analysis of simpler games, given by (2.17). Questions
concerning which strategies are Nash equilibria, which are evolutionarily stable or when we
have coexistence or bi-stability can only be answered by studying the general matrix. For
such analyses see Ohtsuki & Nowak (2006, 2008) or Taylor & Nowak (2007).
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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Note also that instead of the simplified Prisoner's Dilemma payoff matrix, we can
also consider other types of simplified payoff matrices in order to calculate a. Two examples
are
( 10 06
2.5 Examples
or
r1c 0 )
(2.21)
Let us consider a game between two strategies A and B that is given by the payoff
matrix (2.1). We study a variety of different population structures and always observe that
for weak selection the condition for A to be favored over B can be written in the form
on + b> c + ad. For each example we give the value of a. The derivations of these results
have been given in papers which we cite. For the star we present a new calculation. These
observations have led to the conjecture that for weak selection the effect of population
structure on strategy selection can `always' be summarized by a single parameter, a.
Moreover, for some of the examples, we use the Corollary to find the parameter a
for structures where only the Prisoner's Dilemma has been studied. Such structures include:
the regular graph of degree k and the different interaction and replacement graphs when
the population size is not much larger than the degree, as well as the phenotype space.
2.5.1 The well-mixed population
As first example we consider the frequency dependent Moran process in a well
mixed population of size N (Nowak et al 2004, Taylor et al 2004, Nowak 2006a) (Fig.la).
In the language of evolutionary graph theory, a well-mixed population corresponds to a
complete graph with identical weights. Each individual interacts with all other N — 1
individuals equally likely and obtains an average (or total) payoff. For both DB and BD
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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updating we find for weak selection and any mutation rate
N — 2
a
N
(2.22)
Hence, for any finite well-mixed population we have a < 1. In the limit N
co, we obtain
a = 1, which yields the standard condition of risk-dominance, a + b > c + d.
For a wide class of update rules — including pairwise comparison (Traulsen et al
2007) - it can be shown that (2.22) holds for any intensity of selection and for any mutation
rate (Antal et al 2009). The a given by (2.22) can also be found in Handed et al (1993),
who study a process that is stochastic in the generation of mutants, but deterministic in
following the gradient of selection.
2.5.2 Graph structured populations
In such models, the players occupy the vertices of a graph, which is assumed to
be fixed. The edges denote links between individuals in terms of game dynamical interac-
tion and biological reproduction. Individuals play a game only with their neighbors and
an average (or total) payoff is calculated. In this section we consider death-birth (DB)
updating and birth-death (BD) updating. In DB updating, at any one time step, a random
individual is chosen to die, and the neighbors compete for the empty spot, proportional
to their effective payoffs. In BD updating, at any one time step, an individual is chosen
to reproduce proportional to effective payoff; his offspring replaces randomly one of the
neighbors (Ohtsuki et al 2006).
Cycle
Let us imagine N individuals that are aligned in a one dimensional array. Each
individual is connected to its two neighbors, and the ends are joined up (Fig. lb). The cycle
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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is a regular graph of degree k = 2. Games on cycles have been studied by many authors
including Ellison (1993), Nalcamaru et al (1997), Ohtsuki et al (2006) and Ohtsuki & Nowak
(2006a). The following result can be found in Ohtsuki Sc Nowak (2006a) and holds for weak
selection.
For DB updating and low mutation Cu —) 0) we have
3N — 8
a—
(2.23)
Note that a is an increasing function of the population size, N, and converges to a = 3 for
large N.
We have also performed simulations for DB on a cycle with non-vanishing mutation
(Fig. 2a). We confirm (2.23) and also find that a depends on the mutation rate, u.
For BD updating we have
N — 2
N
(2.24)
Hence, for BD updating on a cycle we obtain the same a-factor as for the well-mixed
population, which corresponds to a complete graph. The cycle and the complete graph are
on the extreme ends of the spectrum of population structures. Among all regular graphs,
the cycle has the smallest degree and the complete graph has the largest degree, for a given
population size. We conjecture that the a-factor given by (2.24) holds for weak selection
on any regular graph.
We have also performed simulations for BD on a cycle with non-vanishing mutation
(Fig.3a). They confirm (2.24).
Star
The star is another graph structure, which can be calculated exactly. There are
N individuals. One individual occupies the center of the star and the remaining N — 1
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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individuals populate the periphery (Fig.1c). The center is connected to all other individuals
and, therefore, has degree k = N — 1. Each individual in the periphery is only connected
to the center and, therefore, has degree k = 1. The average degree of the star is given by
k = 2(N - 1)/N. For large population size, N, the star and the cycle have the same average
degree. Yet the population dynamics are very different. The calculation for the star for
both BD and DB updating is shown in Appendix A.
For DB updating on a star we find
a = 1.
(2.25)
This result holds for weak selection and for any population size N > 3 and any mutation
rate u. Simulations for the star are in agreement with this result (Fig.2b).
For BD updating on a star we find
N3 — 4N2 + 8N - 8
a-
N3 - 2N2 + 8
(2.26)
This result holds in the limit of low mutation, u
0. Note also that in the limit of N large
we have a = 1. Simulations confirm our result (Fig.3b).
Regular graphs of degree k
Let us now consider the case where the individuals of a population of size N occupy
the vertices of a regular graph of degree k > 2. Each individual is connected to exactly k
other individuals (Fig. 1d).
For DB updating on this structure, Ohtsuki et al (2006) obtain (see equation 24
in their online material)
k +1
cr - k — 1
(2.27)
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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This result holds for weak selection, low mutation and large population size, N >> k. The
parameter a depends on the degree of the graph and is always larger than one. For large
values of k, a converges to one. The limit of large k agrees with the result for the complete
graph, which corresponds to a well-mixed population.
For BD updating on a regular graph of degree k cc N, in the limit of weak selection
and low mutation, Ohtsuki et al (2006) find
a = 1.
(2.28)
Hence, for any degree k, we have the simple condition of risk-dominance. Population struc-
ture does not seem to affect strategy selection under BD updating for weak selection and
large population size.
Our proof of the linear inequality is not restricted to homogeneous graphs. Random
graphs (Bollobas 1995) also satisfy our assumptions, and therefore we expect the single
parameter condition to hold. We have performed computer simulations for a random graph
with N = 10 and average degree k = 2. We find a linear condition with a = 1.636 for DB
updating and a = 0.559 for BD updating (see Fig.2d, 3d).
For a regular graph of degree k, the calculation of Ohtsuki et al (2006) is only
applicable if the population size is much larger than the degree of the graph, N >> k. For
general population size N however, we can obtain the a parameter using our corollary and
the results of Taylor et al (2007a) and Lehmann et al (2007). They obtained a critical
benefit-to-cost ratio of (bier =
— 2)/(N/k — 2). Using the relationship (2.20), we
obtain
a — (k + 1)N — 4k
(k — 1)N
(2.29)
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
26
As a consistency check, taking N —• co in (2.29) leads to (2.27). Moreover, setting k = 2
in (2.29) leads to (2.23), and setting k = N — 1 in (2.29) agrees with (2.22), as expected.
Computer simulations for a regular graph with k = 3 and N = 6, for mutation rate
ae = 0.1 suggest that a = 0.937. The corresponding prediction of (2.29) for low mutation is
a = 1. Thus we conclude that a depends on the mutation rate u (Fig.2c).
For the BD updating on a regular graph with general population size N, we can
similarly obtain the relevant a from the result of Taylor et al (2007a). For the Prisoner's
Dilemma they find a critical benefit-to-cost ratio of (b/c)* = —1/(N — 1). Hence, using
relationship (2.20) we obtain
— 2
a — NN
(2.30)
Note that the results In Taylor et al (2007a) hold for any homogeneous graph that satisfies
certain symmetry conditions (`bi-transitivity'). Hence, for BD updating on a wide class of
graphs, the condition for strategy dominance is the same as the risk-dominance condition
in a well-mixed population.
Computer simulations for a regular graph with k = 3 and N = 6, for mutation rate
u = 0.1 suggest that a = 0.601. The corresponding prediction of (2.29) for low mutation is
a = 0.666. Thus we conclude that a depends on the mutation rate u (Fig.3c).
Different interaction and replacement graphs
Individuals could have different neighborhoods for the game dynamical interaction
and for the evolutionary updating. In this case, we place the individuals of the population
on the edges of two different graphs (Ohtsuki et al 2007). The interaction graph determines
who meets whom for playing the game. The replacement graph determines who learns from
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
27
whom (or who competes with whom) for updating of strategies. The vertices of the two
graphs are identical; the edges can be different (Fig. le).
Suppose both graphs are regular. The interaction graph has degree h. The re-
placement graph has degree g. The two graphs define an overlap graph, which contains all
those edges that the interaction and replacement graph have in common. Let us assume
that this overlap graph is regular and has degree 1. We always have I < min{ h,g}. The
following results hold for weak selection and large population size (Ohtsuki et al 2007):
For DB updating we find:
gh +
a —
(2.31)
gh —
For BD updating we find
a = 1.
(2.32)
Again BD updating does not lead to an outcome that differs from well-mixed populations.
For different replacement and interaction graphs with general population size, N,
we can obtain a via the critical benefit-to-cost ratio in the Prisoner's Dilemma game (2.17).
Using the result of Taylor et al. (2007), we obtain (bier = (N — 2)/(Nligh — 2). Hence,
we have
a
(gh + ON — 4gh
(gh — ON
As a consistency check, g=h=f =k reproduces (2.29).
2.5.3 Games in phenotype space
(2.33)
Antal et al (2008) proposed a model for the evolution of cooperation based on
phenotypic similarity. In addition to the usual strategies A and B, each player also has
a phenotype. The phenotype is given by an integer or, in other words, each player is
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
28
positioned in a one dimensional discrete phenotype space (Fig.lf). Individuals interact
only with those who share the same phenotype. The population size is constant and given
by N. Evolutionary dynamics can be calculated for DB updating or synchronous updating
(in a Wright-Fisher type process). There is an independent mutation probability for the
strategy of players, u, and for the phenotype of players, v. When an individual reproduces,
its offspring has the same phenotype with probability 1 — 2v and mutates to either one of
the two neighboring phenotypes with equal probability v. During the dynamics, the whole
population stays in a finite cluster, and wanders together in the infinite phenotype space
(Moran 1975, Kingman 1976).
The resulting expression for a is derived using the corollary. It is complicated
and depends on all parameters, including the two mutation rates, u and v. The expression
simplifies for large population sizes, where the main parameters are the scaled mutation
rates µ = Nu, v = Nv for BD updating (orµ = 2Nu, v = 2Nv for synchronous updating).
It turns out that a is a monotone decreasing function of µ, and a monotone increasing
function of v. Hence cooperation is favored (larger a) for smaller strategy mutation rate
and larger phenotypic mutation rate. In the optimal case for cooperation, µ —) 0, sigma
becomes only a function of the phenotypic mutation rate
1 + 4v
(+
+ 12v)
a — 2 + 4v
3+4v
(2.34)
The largest possible value of sigma is obtained for very large phenotypic mutation rate
v —) co, where
cr=l+V5.
(2.35)
This is the largest possible sigma for games in a one-dimensional phenotype space.
Note that this example has seemingly an infinite state space, which is not some-
thing we address in our proof, but a subtle trick turns the state space into a finite one. A
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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detailed description can be found in Antal et al (2008).
2.5.4 Games on sets
Tarnita et al (2009) propose a model based on set memberships (Fig.1g). They
consider a population of N individuals distributed over Al sets. lb obtain analytical results,
we also assume that each individual belongs to exactly K sets, where K < Al. If two
individuals belong to the same set, they interact; if they have more than one set in common,
they interact several times. An interaction is an evolutionary game given by (2.1).
The system evolves according to synchronous updating (Wright-Fisher process).
There are discrete, non-verlapping generations. All individuals update at the same time.
The population size is constant. Individuals reproduce proportional to their effective payoffs.
An offspring inherits the sets of the parent with probability 1 — v or adopts a random
configuration (including that of the parent) with probability v. Any particular configuration
of set memberships is chosen with probability vg.htif.). Similarly, the offspring inherits the
strategy of the parent with probability 1—u; with probability it, he picks a random strategy.
Thu.s, we have a strategy mutation rate, it, and a set mutation rate, v.
The resulting expression for a is complicated and depends on all parameters, in-
cluding the two mutation rates. The expression simplifies for large population size, where
the main parameters are the two effective mutation rates µ = 2Nu and v = 2Nv as well as
Al and K. We find
= 1+ v + K(ti2 +2v+ up) + M(3 + 2v + µ)
3+v+µ
K(v2 +2v-kust)+M(1+A)
(2.36)
Note that sigma is a one humped function of the set mutation rate v. There is an
optimum value of v, which maximizes sigma.
For low effective strategy mutation rate (µ
0) and effective set mutation rate
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
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v
1 we obtain the simplified expression of a
2 M
a=1+=1.
(2.37)
Note that for large values of xi, sigma decreases with v and increases with M/K.
For low effective strategy mutation rate and low effective set mutation rate v —. 0,
we obtained the following simplified expression for a
K
a= 1 + v3-(1 —
I)
(2.38)
Note that, on the other hand, for low values of v, a increases with v. Hence, there
will be an optimum set mutation rate.
2.6 Conclusion
We have studied evolutionary game dynamics in structured populations. We have
investigated the interaction between two strategies, A and B, given by the payoff matrix
A B
A (a
b)
B
c
d
We have shown that the condition for A to be more abundant than B in the stationary
distribution of the mutation-selection process can be written as a simple linear inequality
(2.39)
cra+b>c+ad.
(2.40)
This condition holds for all population structures that fulfill three natural assumptions, for
any mutation rate, but for weak selection. The parameter a captures the effect of population
structure on `strategy selection'. We say that `strategy A is selected over strategy B' if
it is more abundant in the stationary distribution of the mutation-selection process. It is
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Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
31
important to note that a does not capture all aspects of evolutionary dynamics in structured
populations, but only those that determine strategy selection.
The single parameter, a, quantifies the degree to which individuals using the same
strategy are more likely (a > 1) or less likely (a < 1) to interact than individuals using
different strategies. Therefore a describes the degree of positive or negative assortment
among players who use the same strategy (for the purpose of analyzing strategy selection).
Note that our theory does not imply that a must be positive; negative values of a are possible
in principle, although for all of the examples presented in this paper we have a > 0. The
value of a can depend on the population structure, the update rule, the population size,
the mutation rate, but it does not depend on the entries of the payoff matrix. For each
particular problem the specific value of a must be calculated. Here we have shown that
there always exists a simple linear inequality with a single parameter, a, given that some
very natural assumptions hold.
Appendix A : Calculations for the star
A.1. DB updating
We consider a star structured population of size N. A hub is the node lying in the
center that is connected to the other N — 1 nodes, each of which is called a leaf. Each leaf
is connected only to the hub.
We consider the two strategies, A and B. A state of the population is fully
described by the number of A-players in the hub and the number of A-players in the leaves.
Thus, for the star with N nodes we have 2N states which we will denote by (0, i) and (1, i),
where i = 0,
N —1 is the number of A players on the leaves. (0, i) means that there is a
EFTA00748898
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
32
B in the hub; (1,i) means that there is an A in the hub.
DB updating on a star satisfies our assumptions (i) and (ii). It can be shown (as
we do in general in Appendix B) that for the star, ,41) is linear in a, b, c, d. Thus, we know
that a single parameter condition must be satisfied for the star. However, it is hard to
calculate directly what 741) is for all states S. We use the symmetry of the star to deduce
the a for any mutation and weak selection.
Then, for DB updating we can write the following transition probabilities:
P(0), 0 —) (0, i — 1)) = Tri
—
P(0,0 —) Ai +1)) — uN N-1
(2.41)
P( (0, 0 —) (1,
=
+ (1 — a) N(N
1)
+ wN —
— 1
N —1 (b
d))
P ((O,
—) (0,i)) = (1 — u)N
1
(1+
(1+ wr
i_ i (d
b)))
P((1,i) —) (1,i — 1)) = urii
—
P((1,i) —) (1,i +1)) — N N-1
Pom (0,0) = w + (1 u) N(N
i
— 1)V
wN — 1(e
a))
N — — 1 I
P((1,i)
(1,1)) = (1— /Orli (1+
1
1 1 l+w N—i
1 (a c)))
—
N
So all these transition probabilities don't depend on a, b, c, d independently, but in
fact on b — d and a — a Thus, irs, the probabilities of finding the system in each state, also
depend only on a — c and b — d, and not on a, b, c, d independently.
Hence, we conclude that our expression (2.12) which gives the sigma condition
depends on a — c and b — d linearly. Thus, it must be of the form:
(2.42)
(a — c)g(N, u) +
— d)h(N,u)> 0
(2.43)
where g and h are functions of the parameters N and u.
EFTA00748899
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
33
However, this has to be precisely the sigma relation for the star (since it is derived
from (2.12)), and hence must be identical to aa+b> c+od (and here we know that a > 0).
This implies that the coefficients of a and —d must be equal (and respectively those of b
and —c). Hence we conclude that g(N,u) = mN,u) and hence a = 1, for any population
size N and any mutation rate u.
A.2. BD updating
Let xid be the probability that A fixates in the population given initial state is
(i, j). Also, let plj, gip
and di be the transition probabilities as in the diagram below.
4,o
1-
;
P;
X0,j-1 -e-
2 0,j
X0,j-1-1
xi,o
2 1,1-1
(4118;
x
j -1-
2 1,1+1
v
1-11-s;
We normalize these probabilities as follows:
_
Pi
qi
11
111 =
+ j,
02i
j _ if/
-
p'j
+
2
3
2 1,N-1
.9 • 3
Si =
2
3
(2.44)
Now we have the following diagram. We have pi + q1 =1 and rj + sj = 1 there.
X0,j-1
X0,j
x1,0
2 1,1-1
2 0,1+1
x1,1+1
rj
21,N-1
EFTA00748900
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
34
Direct calculation shows
= 41
/ [r
ib
/ J=.
efi
li=i
(2.45)
N-2
arr
-1
N-2
Pi
Er M
+
xio = ro/
42 (II —)
(1 —)
2=1
i=i ri
i= 1 r,
[
For BD updating, we obtain
iV — 1
2" —
+
N2 — 2N + 2
1
21,0 —
+ °(w)
(2.46)
N2 — 2N + 2
where
(N — 1)x0
N,1 + x1,0
1
A2b — A3e — .3/4 d)+ O(w2 ),
Pa=
+ wzoia
(N - 1)2
Z - 6N2(N2 - 2N + 2)
Al = N3 - 3N2 + 5N - 6,
A2 = 2N3 - 6N2 + 7N + 6,
(2.47)
A3 = N3 - 7N + 18,
A4 = 2N3 - 9N2 + 19N - 18
The result suggests that a leaf is (N — 1) times more advantageous than the hub.
As before we obtain the a-factor as
= A1 + A4
N3 — 4N2 + 8N - 8
(2.48)
a
A2 + A3
N3 - 2N2 + 8
Appendix B: Continuity and Linearity for irs
In this Appendix we will show that the probability irs that the system is in state S
is continuous at w = 0, infinitely differentiable and moreover that 4 1) is linear in a, b, c, d.
We show this for processes satisfying our assumptions. This part of the proof works not
only for constant death or constant birth updates, but for any update rules that do not
introduce any functions that do not have Taylor expansions at w = 0.
EFTA00748901
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
35
Note that given the effective payoff function 1+ w • payoff, we introduce w together
with a, b, c and d. Thus, our transition probabilities from state Si to state Si will be
functions Pii(wa,wb, wc,wd). So, unless we differentiate with respect to w or evaluate at
w = const, whenever we have a degree k term in w, it must be accompanied by a degree
k term in a, b, c or d and vice versa. Moreover, w can not be accompanied by a constant
term, i.e. a term that does not contain a, b, c or d.
The probability rs that the system is in state S also depends on w. For our
structures and update rules we will now show that rs is continuous and differentiable at
= 0. In order to find irs, we need the transition probabilities Pii to go from state Si to
state Si. Then the vector of probabilities r(S) is an eigenvector corresponding to eigenvalue
1 of the stochastic matrix P. The matrix P is primitive, i.e. there exists some integer k
such that Pk 7 0. This is because we study a selection-mutation process and hence our
system has no absorbing subset of states.
Since the matrix P is stochastic and primitive, the Perron-Frobenius theorem
ensures that 1 is its largest eigenvalue, that it is a simple eigenvalue and that to it, there
corresponds an eigenvector with positive entries summing up to 1. This is precisely our
vector of probabilities.
To find this eigenvector we perform Gaussian elimination (aka row echelon reduc-
tion) on the system Pv = v. Since 1 is a simple eigenvalue for P, the system we need to
solve has only one degree of freedom; thus we can express the eigenvector in terms of the
one free variable, which without loss of generality can be vn:
vh = -vnhi,
= -vnhi,
• • •
vn-1 = -vnhn-1
(2.49)
The eigenvector that we are interested in is the vector with non-zero entries which sum up
EFTA00748902
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
36
to 1. For this vector we have
1 = v„(—hi —
— hn_i + 1)
(2.50)
For our structures and update rules, the transition probabilities have Taylor ex-
pansions around w = 0 and thus can be written as polynomials in w. As before, since
any w is accompanied by a linear term in a, b, c, d, the coefficients of these polynomials
have the same degree in a, b, c, d as the accompanying w. Because of the elementary nature
of the row operations performed, the elements of the reduced matrix will be fractions of
polynomials (i.e. rational functions of w). Thus, hi above are all rational functions of W.
Therefore, from (4.89) we conclude that vn must also be a rational function of W. This
implies that in our vector of probabilities, all the entries are rational functions . Thus rs
is a fraction of polynomials in w which we write in irreducible form. The only way that
this is not continuous at W =
0 is if the denominator is zero at W = 0. But in that case,
lim,„_,0 aS = oo which is impossible since irs is a probability. Therefore, Ts is continuous
at w = 0.
Moreover, we can write
bos + bisw + O(w2)
irs —
coS + eigw + O(w2)
(2.51)
We have obtained this form for ws by performing the following operations: Taylor ex-
pansions of the transition probabilities and elementary row operations on these Taylor
expansions. Hence, any w that was introduced from the beginning was accompanied by
linear terms in a, b, c, d and no constants, and due to the elementary nature of the above
operations, nothing changed. So boS and cos contain no a, b, c, d terms whereas bls and els
contain only linear a, b, c, d and no degree zero terms. Differentiating rs once we obtain
(i)/
biscos — hose's + O(w)
irs kw/ —
cis +O(w)
(2.52)
EFTA00748903
ITS
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
37
We want to show the linearity of 4
) which is 4
)(0). Thus, we have
(1)
biscos — base's
4s
(2.53)
Since bog, cog contain no a, b, c, d and b1s, ciS are linear in a, b, c,d for all S and have no free
constant terms, we conclude that 4 1) is linear in a, b, c,d and has no free constant term.
EFTA00748904
(e)
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
38
•
•
•
•
•
•~
(a)
(b)
siandefd 01431101t
PhenotYPOSPaCe
(d)
(9)
Figure 2.1: Various population structures for which a values are known. (a) For the well-
mixed population we have a = (N — 2)/N for any mutation rate. (b) For the cycle we have
o = (3N — 8)/N (DB) and a = (N — 2)/N (BD) for low mutation. (c) For DB on the
star we have a = 1 for any mutation rate and any population size, N > 3. For BD on the
star we have a = (N3 — 4N2 + 8N - 8)/(N3 - 2N2 + 8), for low mutation. (d) For regular
graphs of degree k we have a = (k +1)1(k —1) (DB) and a =1 (BD) for low mutation and
large population size. (e) If there are different interaction and replacement graphs, we have
a = (gh+1)1(gh —1) (DB) and a = 1 (BD) for low mutation and large population size. The
interaction graph, the replacement graph and the overlap graph between these two are all
regular and have degrees, g, h and 1, respectively. (f) For `games in phenotype space' we
find a = 1+ .4 (DB or synchronous) for a one dimensional phenotype space, low mutation
rates and large population size. (g) For `games on sets' a is more complicated and is given
by (2.36). All results hold for weak selection.
EFTA00748905
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
39
2.5
2.0
I-- 1.5
8
0.5
10
1.5
0.5
00
o Sinuletkos
—liv
RI
-0.5
0.0
S
0.5
10
.1 o
0.0
S
05
1.0
25
1.0
0.5
1.0
0.0
S
0.5
1.0
Figure 2.2: Numerical simulations for DB updating confirm the linear inequality as + b >
c + ad. We study the payoff matrix a = 1, b = 5, c = T, and d = 0 for —1 < S < 1 and
0 < T < 2. The red line is the equilibrium condition T = S + a. Below this line A is
favored. (a) For a cycle with N = 5 and mutation rate, u = 0.2, we find a = 1.271. The
theoretical result for low mutation is a = 1.4. Thus, a depends on the mutation rate. (b)
For a star with N = 5 we find a = 1 for u = 0.1. (c) For a regular graph with k = 3 and
N = 6 we find a = 0.937 for u = 0.1. The prediction of (2.29) for low mutation is a = 1.
Here again a depends on the mutation rate. (d) For this random graph with N = 10 and
average degree k = 2 we find a = 1.636 for u = 0.05. For all simulations we calculate total
payoffs and use as intensity of selection to = 0.005. Each point is an average over 2 x 106
runs.
EFTA00748906
Chapter 2: Strategy selection in structured populations
40
1.5
1.0
-
0.5
0.0
S
15
10
1.
0.5
0
0.0
-0 5
-0.5
0.0
S
0.5
a.0
0.5
1.0
1.0
1.5
1.0
b- cis
Oo.o
-0.5
1.5
1.0
F.
S 05
0
00
0 Sinuleicas
—Linos It
-03
0.0
S
0.5
-1.0
-0.5
slops • 1.005=0.006
0.0
S
10
05
Figure 2.3: Numerical simulations for BD updating confirm the linear inequality as + b >
c + ad. We study the payoff matrix a = 1, b = 5, c = T, and d = 0 for —1 < S < 1
and 0 < T < 2. The red line is the equilibrium condition T = S + a. Below this line A
is favored. (a) For a cycle with N = 5 and mutation rate, u = 0.2, we find a = 0.447.
The theoretical result for low mutation is a = 0.6. Thus, a depends on the mutation rate.
(b) For a star with N = 5 we find a = 0.405 for u = 0.1. The theoretical result for low
mutation is a = 0.686. This shows that a depends on the mutation rate. (c) For a regular
graph with k = 3 and N = 6 we find a = 0.601 for u = 0.1. The theoretical prediction
for low mutation is a = 0.666. Here again a depends on the mutation rate. (d) For this
random graph with N = 10 and average degree k = 2 we find a = 0.559 for u = 0.05. For
all simulations we calculate total payoffs and use as intensity of selection w = 0.005. Each
point is an average over 2 x 106 runs.
1.0
EFTA00748907
Chapter 3
Evolutionary dynamics in
set-structured populations
Human society is organized into sets. We participate in activities or belong to
institutions where we meet and interact with other people. Each person belongs to several
sets. Such sets can be defined, for example, by working for a particular company, living in
a specific location, going to certain restaurants or holding memberships at clubs. There can
be sets within sets. For example, the students of the same university have different majors,
take different classes and compete in different sports. These set memberships determine the
structure of human society: they specify who meets whom, and they define the frequency
and context of meetings between individuals.
We take a keen interest in the activities of other people and contemplate whether their
success is correlated with belonging to particular sets. It is therefore natural to assume that
we do not only imitate the behavior of successful individuals, but also try to adopt their
set memberships. Therefore, the cultural evolutionary dynamics of human society, which
are based on imitation and learning, should include updating of strategic behavior and of
41
EFTA00748908
Chapter 3: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
42
set memberships. In the same way as successful strategies spawn imitators, successful sets
attract more members. If we allow set associations to change, then the structure of the
population itself is not static, but a consequence of evolutionary dynamics.
There have been many attempts to study the effect of population structure on evolu-
tionary and ecological dynamics. These approaches include spatial models in ecology [80],
[77], [76], [67], [24], [45], [151], [82], viscous populations [41], spatial games [104], [69], [95],
[137], [68], [47] and games on graphs (78], [115], [149], [130]. We see `evolutionary set theory'
as a powerful new method to study evolutionary dynamics in structured populations in the
context where the population structure itself is a consequence of the evolutionary process.
Our primary objective is to provide a model for the cultural evolutionary dynamics of hu-
man society, but our framework is applicable to genetic evolution of animal populations.
For animals, sets can denote living at certain locations or foraging at particular places. Any
one individual can belong to several sets. Offspring might inherit the set memberships of
their parents. Our model could also be useful for studying dispersal behavior of animals
142], [143].
Let us consider a population of N individuals distributed over Al sets (Fig 2.1).
Individuals interact with others who belong to the same set. If two individuals have several
sets in common, they interact several times. Interactions lead to payoff from an evolutionary
game. The payoff of the game is interpreted as fitness [86], [17], [55], [20], (113]. We can
consider any evolutionary game, but at first we study the evolution of cooperation. There
are two strategies: cooperators, C, and defectors, D. Cooperators pay a cost, c, for the
other person to receive a benefit, b. Defectors pay no cost and provide no benefit. The
resulting payoff matrix represents a simplified Prisoner's Dilemma. The crucial parameter
is the benefit-to-cost ratio, b/c. In a well-mixed population, where any two individuals
interact with equal likelihood, cooperators would be outcompeted by defectors. The key
EFTA00748909
Chapter $: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
43
question is if dynamics on sets can induce a population structure that allows evolution of
cooperation.
Individuals update stochastically in discrete time steps. Payoff determines fitness.
Successful individuals are more likely to be imitated by others. An imitator picks another
individual at random, but proportional to payoff, and adopts his strategy and set asso-
ciations. Thus, both the strategy and the set memberships are subject to evolutionary
updating. Evolutionary set theory is a dynamical graph theory: who-interacts-with-whom
changes during the evolutionary process (Fig 2.2). For mathematical convenience we con-
sider evolutionary game dynamics in a Wright-Fisher process with constant population size
[63]. A frequency dependent Moran process [110] or a pairwise comparison process [156],
which is more realistic for imitation dynamics among humans, give very similar results, but
some aspects of the calculations become more complicated.
The inheritance of the set memberships occurs with mutation rate v: with proba-
bility 1 — v the imitator adopts the parental set memberships, but with probability v a
random sample of new sets is chosen. Strategies are inherited subject to a mutation rate,
u. Therefore, we have two types of mutation rates: a set mutation rate, v, and a strategy
mutation rate, u. In the context of cultural evolution, our mutation rates can also be seen
as 'exploration rates': occasionally we explore new strategies and new sets.
We study the mutation-selection balance of cooperators versus defectors in a popu-
lation of size N distributed over Al sets. In the Supplementary Information (SI), we show
that cooperators are more abundant than defectors (for weak selection and large population
size) if blc >
—h)/(g—h). The term z is the average number of sets two randomly chosen
individuals have in common. For g we pick two random, distinct, individuals in each state;
if they have the same strategy, we add their number of sets to the average, otherwise we
add 0; g is the average of this average over the stationary distribution. For understanding
EFTA00748910
Chapter $: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
44
h we must pick three individuals at random: then h is the average number of sets the first
two individuals have in common given that there is a non-zero contribution to the average
only if the latter two share the same strategy. We prove in the SI that for the limit of weak
selection these three quantities can be calculated from the stationary distribution of the
stochastic process under neutral drift. Our calculation uses arguments from perturbation
theory and coalescent theory that were first developed for studying games in phenotype
space [4].
Analytical calculations are possible if we assume that each individual belongs to K
of M sets. We obtain exact results for any choice of population size and mutation rates (see
SI). For large population size N and small strategy mutation rate, it, the critical benefit to
cost ratio is given by
b
K
Al
v2 +3v +3
c
M — K (v + 2) + Al — If v(v +
(1)
Here we introduced the parameter v = 2Nv, which denotes an effective set mutation rate
scaled with population size: it is twice the expected number of individuals who change their
set memberships per evolutionary updating. Eq (1) describes a U-shaped function of v. If
the set mutation rate is too small, then all individuals belong to the same sets. If the set
mutation rate is too large, then the affiliation with individual sets does not persist long
enough in time. In both cases, cooperators have difficulties to thrive. But there exists an
intermediate optimum set mutation rate which, for K c Ai is given by v.* = O1117K. At
this optimum value of v, we find the smallest critical We ratio for cooperators to outcompete
defectors. If each individual can only belong to a small number of all available sets, K cc M,
then the minimum ratio is given by
(b
VT .
C
= 1 + 2
M .
(2)
Smaller values of K and larger values of Al facilitate the evolution of cooperation. For a
EFTA00748911
Chapter 3: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
45
given number of sets, M, it is best if individuals belong to K = 1 set. Larger values of
K make it harder for cooperators to avoid exploitation by defectors. But the extension,
which we will discuss now, changes this particular property of the model and makes it
advantageous to be in more sets.
Let us generalize the model as follows: as before defectors always defect, but now
cooperators only cooperate, if they have a certain minimum number of sets, L, in common
with the other person. If a cooperator meets another person in i sets, then the cooperator
cooperates i times if i ≥
otherwise cooperation is not triggered. L = 1 brings us back
to the previous framework. Large values of L mean that cooperators are more selective in
choosing with whom to cooperate. Amazingly, it turns out that this generalization leads to
the same results as before, but K is replaced by an `effective number of set memberships',
K. , which need not be an integer and can even be smaller than one (see SI). In Table 1,
we show C and the minimum b/c ratio for a fixed total number of sets, M, and for any
possible values of K and L. For any given number of set memberships, K, larger values
of L favor cooperators. We observe that belonging to more sets, K > 1, can facilitate
evolution of cooperation, because for given AI the smallest minimum b/c ratio is obtained
for K = L = M/2.
In Figure 2.3, we compare our analytical theory with numerical simulations of the
mutation-selection process for various parameter choices and intensities of selection. We
simulate evolutionary dynamics on sets and measure the frequency of cooperators averaged
over many generations. Increasing the benefit-to-cost ratio favors cooperators, and above a
critical value they become more abundant than defectors. The theory predicts this critical
b/c ratio for the limit of weak selection. We observe that for decreasing selection intensity
the numerical results converge to the theoretical prediction.
Our theory can be extended to any evolutionary game. Let A and B denote two
EFTA00748912
Chapter 3: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
46
strategies whose interaction is given by the payoff matrix [(R, 5), (T, P)]. We find that
selection in set structured populations favors A over B provided al?+5 > T + aP. The
value of a is calculated in the SI. A well-mixed population is given by a = 1. Larger values
of a signify increasing effects of population structure. We observe that a is a one-humped
function of the set imitation rate, v. The optimum value of v, which maximizes a, is close
to fi liff*. For K = L =1 the maximum value of a grows as vri, but for K = L = M/2
the maximum value of a grows exponentially with Al. This demonstrates the power of sets.
Suppose A and B are two Nash equilibrium strategies in a coordination game, defined
by R > T and P > S. If R+ S C T + P then B is risk-dominant. If R > P then A is Pareto
efficient. The well-mixed population chooses risk-dominance, but if a is large enough then
the set structured population chooses the efficient equilibrium. Thus evolutionary dynamics
on sets can select efficient outcomes.
We have introduced a powerful new method to study the effect of a dynamical pop-
ulation structure on evolutionary dynamics. We have explored the interaction of two types
of strategies: unconditional defectors and cooperators who cooperate with others if they are
in the same set or, more generally, if they have a certain number of sets in common. Such
conditional cooperative behavior is supported by what psychologists call social identity the-
ory [138]. According to this idea people treat others more favorably, if they share some
social categories [169]. Moreover, people are motivated to establish positive characteristics
for the groups with whom they identify. This implies that cooperation within sets is more
likely than cooperation with individuals from other sets. Social identity theory suggests
that preferential cooperation with group members exists. Our results show that it can be
adaptive if certain conditions hold. Our new approach can also be used to study the dy-
namics of tag based cooperation 11261, 11521, [64] : some of our sets could be seen as labels
that help cooperators to identify each other.
EFTA00748913
Chapter 3: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
47
In our theory, evolutionary updating includes both the strategic behavior and the
set associations. Successful strategies leave more offspring, and successful sets attract more
members. We derive an exact analytic theory to describe evolutionary dynamics on sets.
This theory is in evePllent agreement with numerical simulations. We calculate the minimum
benefit to cost ratio that is needed for selection to favor cooperators over defectors. The
mechanism for the evolution of cooperation [101] that is at work here is similar to spatial
selection [104] or graph selection [115]. The structure of the population allows cooperators
to `cluster' in certain sets. These clusters of cooperators can prevail over defectors. The
approach of evolutionary set theory can be applied to any evolutionary game or ecological
interaction.
EFTA00748914
Chapter 3: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
48
Figure 3.1: Evolutionary set theory offers a new approach for modeling popu-
lation structure. The individuals of a population are distributed over sets. Individuals
can belong to several sets. Some sets might contain many individuals, while others are
empty. Individuals interact with others who share the same sets. These interactions lead to
payoff from evolutionary games. Both the strategy ( = behavior in the game) and the set
memberships of individuals are updated proportional to payoff. Sets that contain successful
individuals attract more members. In this example, there are two strategies (indicated by
red and blue). The population size is N = 10, and there are ill = 5 sets.
EFTA00748915
Chapter 3: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
49
Figure 3.2: Evolutionary set theory is a dynamical graph theory. The set member-
ships determine how individuals interact. If two individuals have several sets in common,
then they interact several times. In this example, there are N = 5 individuals over M = 4
sets. Each individual belongs to K = 2 sets. The broken lines indicate the weighted inter-
action graph. The graph changes as one individual moves to new sets. The evolutionary
updating of strategies and set memberships happens at the same time scale.
EFTA00748916
Chapter 3: Evolutionary dynamics in set-structured populations
50
M=10
K=1
b/c=2.8339
1.1.15
K=2
b/c=3.4956
0.51 6=0.05
i).," 0.51 6=0.05
c 0.50
o-
0.50
u. 0.49
LI: 0.49
0.48
0.48
2.70
2.80
2.90
3.00
3.10
3.30
3.40
3.50
3.60
3.70
Benefit to cost ratio, b/c
Benefit to cost ratio, b/c
M=10
M=15
K=1
K=2
O)% 0.51 6=0.1
0.51 6=0.1
5 0.50
0
a)
0.50
u. 0.49
tr. 0.49
0.48
0.481
2.70
2.80
2.90
3.00
3.10
3.30
3.40
3.50
3.60
3.70
Benefit to cost ratio, b/c
Benefit to cost ratio, b/c
M=10
M=15
K=1
K=2
0.51 6=0.2
tis 0.51 6=0.2
cr
a) z 0.50
0.50
0.49
LI: 0.49
0.48
0.48
2.70
2.80
2.90
3.00
3.10
3.30
3.40
3.50
3.60
3.70
Benefit to cost ratio, b/c
Benefit to cost ratio, b/c
Figure 3.3: Agreement between numerical simulations and the analytical theory.
A population of size N=40 is distributed over M = 10 or M = 15 sets. Individuals can
belong to K = 1 or K = 2 sets. Each point indicates the frequency of cooperators averaged
over 5 x 108 generations. Increasing the benefit-to-cost ratio, b/c, favors cooperators. At
a certain b/c ratio cooperators become more abundant than defectors (intersection with
the horizontal line). We study three different intensities of selection, 6 = 0.05,0.1 and
0.2. There is excellent agreement between the numerical simulations and the analytical
prediction for weak selection, which is indicated by the vertical blue line. Other parameters
values are L = 1, ae = 0.002, v = 0.1, b = 1; c varies as indicated.
EFTA00748917
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51
K
L
K*
minimum b/c
1
1
1
2.17
2
1
2
3.13
2
2
2/9
1.42
3
1
3
4.29
3
2
5/4
2.30
3
3
1/12
1.24
4
1
4
5.80
4
2
64/21
4.35
4
3
19/21
2.09
4
4
1/21
1.18
5
1
5
7.94
5
2
605/126
7.44
5
3
45/14
4.58
5
4
5/6
2.02
5
5
51126
1.16
6
1,2
6
11.26
6
3
121/21
10.31
6
4
27/7
5.55
6
5
1
2.17
6
6
1/21
1.18
7
1,2,3,4
7
17.23
7
5
16/3
8.87
7
6
19/12
2.72
7
7
1/12
1.24
8
1,2,3,4,5,6
8
31.24
8
7
10/3
4.74
8
8
2/9
1.42
9
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 9
104.7
9
9
1
2.17
Figure 3.4: Table 1: The minimum benefit-to-cost ratio. Each individual belongs
to K sets. Cooperation is triggered if the other person has at least L sets in common.
For a fixed total number of sets,
= 10, we can vary K = 1, ...,9 and L = 1,...,K.
The effective number of set memberships, K. , is given by eq (54) in the SI. For a finite
population of N = 100 we calculate the minimum benefit-to-cost ratio that is needed for
selection to favor cooperators over defectors. For given K, cooperators are favored by
larger L and the smallest b/c ratio is obtained by L = K. The global minimum occurs for
L = K = M/2. Smaller values of IC imply smaller values of the critical b/c. The blue lines
indicate minimum b/c ratios that are less than the value for K = 1. The red line indicates
the global minimum. Note that various symmetries lead to identical K* values.
EFTA00748918
Chapter 4
Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set
Structured Populations
This `Supplementary Information' has the following structure. In Section 1 (Tvo-
lution of cooperation on sets') we discuss the basic model and derive a general expression
for the critical benefit-to-cost ratio. In Section 2 (Telonging to K sets') we calculate the
critical benefit-to-cost ratio for the model where all individuals belong to exactly K sets and
cooperators cooperate with all other individuals in the same set. In Section 3 ('Triggering
cooperation ') we generalize the basic model to the situation where cooperators are only
triggered to cooperate if the other individual has at least L sets in common. In Section
4 ('The minimum benefit-to-cost ratio') we calculate the optimum set mutation rate that
minimizes the critical benefit-to-cost ratio. The results of Sections 3 and 4 are derived
for large population size, N. In Section 5 ('Finite population size') we give the analytic
expressions for any N. In Section 6 (`liumerical Simulations') we compare our analytical
52
EFTA00748919
Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
53
results with computer simulations. In Section 7 (`General Payoff Matrix') we study the
competition between two strategies, A and B, for a general payoff matrix. In the Appendix
we give the analytic proof of our results.
4.1 Evolution of cooperation on sets
Consider a population of N individuals distributed over Al sets. Each individual
belongs to exactly K sets, where K < Al. Additionally, each individual has a strategy
E {OM, refered to as cooperation, 1, or defection, 0.
The system evolves according to a Wright-Fisher process [31], (27]. There are discrete,
non-verlapping generations. All individuals update at the same time. The population size is
constant. Individuals reproduce proportional to their fitness [86], [55]. An offspring inherits
the sets of the parent with probability 1 — v or adopts a random configuration (including
that of the parent) with probability v. Any particular configuration of set memberships is
chosen with probability vi(:). Similarly, the offspring inherits the strategy of the parent
with probability 1 — u; with probability u he adopts a random strategy. Thus, we have a
strategy mutation rate, u, and a set mutation rate, v.
If two individuals belong to the same set, they interact; if they have more than one
set in common, they interact several times. An interaction can be any evolutionary game,
but first we consider a simplified Prisoner's Dilemma game given by the payoff matrix:
C
D
C (b — c
—c
D
b
0
)
Here b > 0 is the benefit gained from cooperators and c > 0 is the cost cooperators
have to pay. The payoff gained by an individual in each interaction is added to his total
(4.1)
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Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
54
payoff, p. The fitness of an individual is f =1+6p, where 6 corresponds to the intensity of
selection 1114 The limit of weak selection is given by 6
0. Neutral drift corresponds to
6= 0.
A state S of the system is given by a vector s and a matrix H. s is the strategy
vector; its entry si describes the strategy of individual i. Thus, si = 0 if i is a defector and
it is 1 if i is a cooperator. H is an N x Al matrix whose ij-th entry is 1 if individual i
belongs to set j and is 0 otherwise. We will refer to row i of H as the vector hi; this vector
gives the set memberships of individual i.
Considering that two individuals interact as many times as many sets they have in
common and that we do not allow self-interaction, we can now write the fitness of individual
i as
fi = 1 + 6 E(hi ' hi)(—esi + bsi)
1o/
Thus, individual i interacts with individual j only if they have at least one set in
common (hi • hi
0). In this case, they interact as many times as they find themselves
in joint sets, which is given by the dot product of their set membership vectors. For each
interaction, i pays a cost if he is a cooperator (si = 1) and receives a benefit if j is a
cooperator (sj = 1).
Let Fe be the total payoff for cooperators, Fe = Ei si fi. Let FD be the total payoff
for defectors, FD = E 1(1 - si) fi. The total number of cooperators is E, s,. The total
number of defectors is N — E, st. Provided that the number of cooperators and that of
defectors are both non-zero, we can write the average payoff of cooperators and defectors
as
fC = E isif/
Et s/
fD
E'( 1 — Safi
N — E, st
(4.2)
(4.3)
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Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
55
The average fitness of cooperators is greater than that of defectors, fp > fp, if
E sifi(N — E > E s, E(1 _ st)f, •;
•
(4.4)
NE ad; >EstEfi
(4.5)
We rewrite equation (4.2) in a more convenient form, using the fact that hi • hi = K
for any i.
= + 6(E hi • k(—es, + hs,) _ K(h—
d
Then inequality (4.5) leads to
(4.6)
b— c
,
K(b —
N E
K(b —
bE sojhchr eE s,h,•n • > — E
E s, (4.7)
3
N
N
i,j,t
In order for cooperators to be favored, we want this inequality to hold on average,
where the average is taken in the stationary state, that is over every possible state S of the
system, weigthed by the probability irg of finding the system in each state.
b(E sis Ai •
— Cs
ihi • hi \ >bN—e(rEsiskh,•hi) K(b—c)(r sok)+
i,j
i,y,k
i,k
K(b — c)( Esi)
(4.8)
The angular brackets denote this average. Thus, for example,
( Esisih, • hj) E (E sisihi • hj) •
(4.9)
id
s
id
So far this has been an intuitive derivation. A more rigorous analytic derivation
which explains why we take these averages is presented in the Appendix; it also appears in
a different context in [4]. We further show in the Appendix that when we take the limit
of weak selection, the above condition (4.7) is equivalent to the one where we take these
EFTA00748922
Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
56
averages in the neutral stationary state (see equations (4.90), (4.92) and the discussion
following them). Neutrality means that no game is being played and all individuals have
the same fitness. Thus, we show that in the limit of weak selection the decisive condition is
b( Esisik . hoo _ c(Esik .ho
N
b— e(Esiskh, • hoo _ K
0 ( E sok)o
id
i,j,k
i,k
+
-
Esi
N
o
(4.10)
The zero subscript refers to taking the average in the neutral state, 6 = 0. For example,
the term (Lid sisjhi • hi)0 is
(Es
ts)h,•h3) 0 = (E
t,
S
i,2
sisihi • hi) • irr
(4.11)
Here 4 °) is the neutral stationary probability that the system is in state S. As before, the
sum is taken over all possible states S.
Solving for b/c we obtain the critical benefit-to-cost ratio
(
b * _ (E1,5 Sihi •' hj)0 - k (a,,, sisihi •. hao — K(Ei ma + fir (a, sisi)0
a
(Eid siaihi • too — 71,(Eid,, soak • 400 — I{ (Ei si)o + ffr (a d sisi)o
(4.12)
Thus, we have expressed the critical b/c ratio in the limit of weak selection, only in
terms of correlations from the neutral stationary state. Now we can focus on the neutral
case to obtain the desired terms. Nevertheless, the results we derive hold in the limit of
weak selection, 6 —) 0.
The strategies and the set memberships of the individuals change independently. All
correlations in (4.12) can be expressed as averages and probabilities in the stationary state.
We will describe each necessary term separately.
First we consider the term
(Esi)
NPr(si = 1) = —2
.
o
(4.13)
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Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
57
This is simply the average number of cooperators. In the absence of selection this is
N/2.
Next we consider
(Esisi)o
N2Pr(si = sj = 1) = 2
—
N2 Pr(si = sj)
id
(4.14)
The first equality is self-explanatory. The second equality follows from the fact that in
the neutral stationary state the two strategies are equivalent. Thus we can interchange any
0 with any 1 and we can express everything in terms of individuals having the same strategy
rather than being both cooperators. Mks in the absence of selection, Pr(si = sj = 1) =
Pr(si = si)/2. We will use the same idea for all terms below.
Next, we consider the term
(Esih, • hi% = N20,, • h,
N2
=
(hi • h5)0
ij
(4.15)
The function 1.0 is the indicator function. It is 1 if its argument is true and 0 if it
is false. For the last two terms of the equality, i and j are any two individuals picked at
random, with replacement.
In the sum E ij sihi • hi, we add the term hi • hi only if si = 1; otherwise, we add 0.
Nevertheless, our sum has N2 terms. This leads to the first equality. To be more precise,
we should say that (E silt; • 1O0 = N2 •E[(14 • hj L i=1)0], where the expectation is taken
over the possible pairs (1, j). For simplicity, we will omit the expectation symbol.
We can think of the term (111 • hi 1 84=1)0 as the average number of sets two random
individuals have in common given that they have a non-zero contribution to the average only
if the first one is a cooperator. By the same reasoning as above, any i can be interchanged
with any j and thus we can obtain the second equality in (4.15). Thus, the term we end up
calculating is (hi • hj)0 which is the average number of sets two random individuals have in
common.
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Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
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58
The same reasoning leads to the final two correlations. We have
(Eso,h, • h1) = N20,,, • hi 1 8, = „i= 00 = T(ii
• hi 1 8,=8))o
(4.16)
i,j
Using the same wording as above, equation (4.16) is the average number of sets two
individuals have in common given that only individuals with the same strategy have a
non-zero contribution to the average.
Finally, we can write
(E mak; • hi)0 =N3(hi • hi 18,=„00 = Tyij • al 1 8, = ,00
(4.17)
i,j,i
For this term we need to pick three individuals at random, with replacement. Then,
(4.17) is the average number of sets the latter two have in common, given that they have a
non-zero contribution to the average only if the first two are cooperators.
Therefore, we can rewrite the critical ratio as
(
by
NOLi • h1)o — I (hi • hi 18,=00 — K + K • Pr(si = si)
e
r(hi • hi 3.„=00 — Noj • hi 1,,,=„40 — K + K • Pr(si =
(4.18)
For simplicity, we want to find the above quantities when the three individuals are
chosen without replacement. We know, however, that out of two individuals, we pick the
same individual twice with probability 1/N. Moreover, given three individuals i, j and 1,
the probability that two are the same but the third is different is (1/N)(1 — 1/N), whereas
the probability that all three are identical is 1/N2.
EFTA00748925
Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
59
Let us make the following notation
y= Pr(si = sj I i
j)
(4.19)
z=
(4.20)
9 = (hi • hi 1s,=a) I i 0 .i)0
(4.21)
h = (hj • hi 181=81 i
j 01)0
(4.22)
Then the quantities of interest in (4.18) become
1 N
N-1
Pil af = si )
N 2 + N
j
1
N — 1
(hi • hj)0 — KN
1
—
(hi • hi 18,") 0 = KTIT + N 1
(hi • in 18,=„1)0 = K ;12
(N - 1)(N - 2)h + N —1 (z + g +
N2
N2
The critical ratio can now be expressed in terms of z,g and h as
b\*
(N — 2)(z —
+ z — g
c)
(N —2)(g — h)— z + g
Note that y cancels. In the limit N
oo we have
Lb\* = z —h
ke)
g —It
(4.23)
(4.24)
(4.25)
(4.26)
(4.27)
(4.28)
For calculating the critical benefit-to-cost ratio in the limit of weak selection, it suffices
to find z, g and h in the neutral case: z is the average number of sets two randomly picked
individuals have in common; g is the average number of sets they have in common given
that only individuals with the same strategy have a non-zero contribution to the average.
For h we need to pick three individuals at random; then h is the average number of sets
the latter two have in common given that they have a non-zero contribution to the average
only if the first two have the same strategy.
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Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
60
In general these quantities cannot be written as independent products of the average
number of common sets times the probability of having the same strategy. However, if we
fix the time to their most recent common ancestor (MRCA), then the set mutations and
strategy mutations are obviously independent. If we knew that the time to their MRCA is
T = t, we could then write g, for instance, as the product:
(hi • hj I i
j, T = 00 • Pr(si = si I i
j, T =
(4.29)
Two individuals always have a common ancestor if we go back in time far enough.
However, we cannot know how far we need to go back. Thus, we have to account for the
possibility that T = t takes values anywhere between 1 and co. Note that T = 0 is excluded
because we assume that the two individuals are distinct. Moreover, we know that this time
is affected neither by the strategies, nor by the set memberships of the two individuals. It
is solely a consequence of the W-F dynamics.
We can calculate z,g and h provided that we know that the time to their MRCA
is T. We first calculate the probability that given two random individuals, i and j, their
MRCA is at time T = t:
Pr(T =
= (1 — N
N
(4.30)
Next, we calculate the probability that given three randomly picked individuals i, j
and k, and looking back at their trajectories, the first merging happens at time t3 while the
second one takes t2 more time steps. If we follow the trajectories of these individuals back
in time, the probability that there was no coalescence event in one time step is (1 —1/N)(1 —
2/N). Two individuals coalesce with probability 3/N(1 —1/N). When two individuals have
coalesced, the remaining two merge with probability 1/N during an update step. For the
probability that the first merging happens at time t3 > 1 and the second takes t2 > 1 more
EFTA00748927
Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
61
time steps, we obtain
(
2
1-
y2
Pr(t3, t2) = — [(1 - Tr)
-
Tr)] fa
-1 (
w
2
The probability that all three pat Is merge simultaneously at time t3 is:
2
Pr(t3,0) = A+.2 [(1 - 71 .1 ) (1
)113-1
-
(4.31)
(4.32)
We can calculate both the case of finite N and the limit N
co. The results for
finite N will be discussed in Section 5. Here we deal only with the N —• oo limit. In this
case, we introduce the notations r = LIN, r2 = t2/N and r3 = t3/N. We use a continuous
time description, with r, r2, 73 ranging between 0 and oo. In the continuous time limit, the
coalescent time distributions in (4.30) and (4.31) are given by
P(r) =
and
(4.33)
P(7'3, T2) = 3e- 0'3+70
(4.34)
Due to the non-overlapping generations of the W-F process, each individual is newborn
and has the chance to mutate both in strategy and in set configuration. In the N
co
and tz,v -. 0 limits, we can consider our process to be continuous in time, with strategy
mutations arriving at a rate P = 2Nu and set membership mutations arriving at a rate
v = 2Nv in the ancestry line of any two individuals.
4.2 Belonging to K sets
First, we find the probability that two individuals have the same strategy at time
t from their MRCA. Next we find the average number of sets two individuals have in
common, a quantity which is necessary for finding z, g and h. Finally, we calculate the
critical benefit-to-cost ratio.
EFTA00748928
Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
62
4.2.1 Probability that two individuals have the same strategy
The first quantity we need is the probability that two individuals have the same
strategy at time t from their MRCA. Imagining the two paths of two individuals i and j
starting from their MRCA, it is easy to note that two players have the same strategy at
time t if the total number of mutations which occurred in their ancestry lines is even. The
probability that an even number of mutations has occurred is
y(t) = Pr(si = sj T = t) =
(2t)
k.21
2)
1/4,2)
—
1 +
1 -
2
\ 2t-21 ( u
21
(
142t
1=0
(4.35)
In the continuous time limit, making the substitutions r = t/N and A = 2Nu, we obtain
1+
— 2 ,
2rN
y(r) = lint
N—.co
2
2N
The limits above are taken for µ = constant.
1 + co'
2
4.2.2
Average number of sets two individuals have in common
(4.36)
The first quantity we need is z = (hi • hi I i
j)0. As in the previous subsection, we
begin by calculating this probability given that the MRCA of the two individuals is at time
r. We use the notation
z(r)= (hi • hj l i 0 j, T=r)o
(4.37)
We can interpret z as the average number of sets two randomly chosen, distinct
individuals have in common. Then z(r) is this same average, but taken now only over the
states where T = r.
We start by finding the probability that two such individuals have 0 ≤ i ≤ K sets in
common. We then have two options at time r from their MRCA: neither of the two have
changed their configuration or at least one of them has changed his configuration. In the
second case, the two individuals become random in terms of the comparison of their set
memberships.
EFTA00748929
Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
63
Thus, we analyze the following possibilities:
• neither has changed with probability e- "T and in this case they still have K sets in
common;
• at least one has changed with probability 1 — e- n and in this case they can have
i E {0Y.. ,K} sets in common with probability:
(t- Ki)
(Z)
(4.38)
Hence, the probability that two individuals have i < K sets in common at time T = T
from their MRCA is
ii(T) = {
e-vr + (1- e-mr)/(x) if i = K
(1 - e-vr)(xi)(Airxiver) if < K
(4.39)
Our goal is to calculate the average number of sets they have in common. We obtain
K-1
• K)(
111111-Ki)
Z(T)= E i • irgr) = Ke- n + (1 - e- n) E
i=1
0.40)
K2) K2
= e -VT (K
Al
AI
4.2.3 Finding the critical ratio
Once we know the average number of sets two individuals have in common at time T
from their MRCA, we can again use the method of the coalescent to express z = (hi • hj I
i
,j)0 in the continuous time limit as
O0
,
z =
z(r)p(r) 11T
K(AI + ulf)
0
M(/ +1)
(4.41)
The next quantity we need is g =
• nj 1,1=8, I I
j)0. As explained above, this
can be interpreted as the average number of sets two distinct random individuals have in
common given that they have a non-zero contribution to the average only if they have the
EFTA00748930
Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
Evolutionary Dynamics in Set Structured Populations
64
same strategy. Let g(r) = (hi • hi 3.,,=s1 I i
j, T = r)0. Once we fix the MRCA, the set
mutations and strategy mutations are independent. Thus g(r) can be written as a product
of the probability that i and j have the same strategy and the average number of sets two
distinct individuals have in common. We can then write g(r) as
g(r) = z(r)y(r)
In the continuous time limit, we have
(4.42)
oo
K
+ vK
K
M — K
(4.43)
g =
z(r)y(r)p(r) dr = 2AI ks 1 + v
l+fc
+
+ 1 + v +
Finally, we need to find h = (hi • hi 1.8i=ai I i
j
00. This can be interpreted as
follows: we pick three distinct random individuals i, j and I and ask how many sets j and
I have in common on average, given that they have a non-zero contribution to the average
only if i and j have the same strategy. As before, we need to fix the time up to the MRCA
of the particular pairs of individuals. Let T(i,j) (respectively T(j, I)) be the time up to the
IvIHCA of i and j (respectively j and I). If we look back far enough, all three individuals
will have an MRCA (all their paths will coalesce). However, we do not know which two
paths coalesce first, so we have to analyze all possibilities (shown in the figure below). Let
r2 be the time up to the first coalescence and let r2 be the time between the first and the
second coalescence. Then, we can find T(i,j) and T(j,1) in each case
72
r3
rz
T3
t
3
t
t
3
t
z
t
3
i and j coalesce first
j and I coalesce first
i and i coalesce first
T(i, i) = T2 + T3
T(j,I) = r3
T(i,j) =
T3
TUM =r2 + r3
T(i,j)
= T2 + T3
TU,
= T2 +73
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Chapter 4: Supplementary Information for
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65
The possibility that all three coalesce simultaneously is included in these three cases (when
r2 = 0).
Let h(r3,r2) = (hi • hi 1,4=kt i
j
1)0. Once we fix the times to the MRCA's, the
set mutations and the strategy mutations become independent. Then we can write h(r3, T2)
as a product. We already know the probability y(r) that two individuals have the same
strategy at time r from their MRCA (4.36). Moreover, we know z(r), the average number
of sets they have in common if the time to their MRCA is T = T. So we only need to use
the times T(i,j) and T(j,1) calculated in each of the three cases.
With probability 1/3 we are in the first case, where i and j coalesce first and then they
coalesce with 1. In this case, we can write h(r3,r2) = y(r3)z(rs + r2). With probability 1/3
we are in the second case, where j and I coalesce first and then they coalesce with i. Then
h(rs, r2) = v(r3+1-2)z(r3). Finally, with probability 1/3 we are in the last case, where i and
/ coalesce first and then they coalesce with j. In this case h(r3O-2) = y(r3 + r2)z(r3 +v2).
We finally obtain the expression for h = (hi • tit 1.,=„) I I
j
l)0 by adding the
values in all three cases, multiplied by the corresponding probabilities.
h = — 3 0 dr3 dr2 [+r(r3)z( + r2) + y(r3 + r2).z(rz) + y(rj + r2)z(n + r2)]p(i, P2)
1
Joy
vx-2(3+10A+612+113+v2(2+,u)
+ 2v(2 + p)2)+
2M(1 + v)(1 + /4(1 + v + /4(3 + v + p)
IIIK(3 +
+ 6µ2 + 113
u 2(2
+ v(8 + Op + 2/12))
2M(I. + v)(1 + /4(1 + v + /4(3 + v +
(4.44)
Now we have calculated d, g and h. We can use (4.28) to obtain the critical b/c ratio
l
b
*
K
11,
-
1
K
v2 +3v+3+2(v+2)0+112
Ai
M-K(v+2+11)+ M
v(v+2+µ)
(4.45)
Note that the critical b/c ratio depends only on MIK and not on both M and K.
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For
0 we have
(b\*
K
Al v2 +3v +3
c
AI —If
O, + 2) + AI —If v(v +2)
(4.46)
If the benefit-to-cost ratio exceeds this value, then cooperators are more frequent
than defectors in the equilibrium distribution of the mutation-selection process.
4.3 Triggering cooperation
We will now study an extended model, where cooperation is only triggered if the
other person has L sets in common. We have 1 ≤ L < K. Setting L = 1 takes us back to
the previous framework.
In order to account for this conditional interaction, we define the following variable:
1 if hi • nj > L
=
0 otherwise
The fitness of individual i can be written as
(4.47)
A =
6 E 7„,, • hi(—esi+osi)
(4.48)
aoi
Everything follows exactly as before, with the only change that wherever we have the
product hi • hi, it will be replaced by ^yihi • hi. The quantity y(r) remains unchanged and
represents the probability that two random, distinct individuals have the same strategy at
time r from their MRCA. The quantity that is affected by the change is z(r) which now
becomes z(r) = (^AA • hi)o; this is now the average number of sets two individuals have
in common, provided that they have at least L sets in common. Implicitly, z , g and h will
change: instead of accounting for the average number of sets in common, they account for
the average number of sets in common, provided that there are at least L common sets.
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As before, we can express z,g and h as follows
oo
Z =
Z(T)p(T) dr
0
g =.1
00
00
Pr(si = si I T = r)("rijk • hi I T = r)op(r) dr = .1
z(r)y(r)p(r) dr
(4.50)
h = — o r
dr3
dr2 Iy(r3)z(r3 + r) + y(r3 + r2)z(r3) + y(r3 + r2)z(r3 + rz)IP(ra, P2)
3
(4.49)
(4.51)
We obtain the same expressions (4.27) and (4.28) in terms of these new z, g and h.
The only quantity that has changed and needs to be calculated is z(r) = eyiihrhi T = r)o.
The reasoning is as before, but we now need to account for the ^At We start by finding
the probability that two random individuals have 0 < i ≤ K sets in common. This follows
exactly as before: the probability that two individuals have i ≤ K sets in common at time
T = r from their MRCA is
r" + (1 — c")/(Z) if i = K
Mr) =
(4.52)
(1 — e- yr)(Ine lk-il)/(Z) if < K
Our goal is to estimate the quantity z(r) = (70/4 • hi I T = r)o. We know that
-yij = 0 if they have less than L sets in common. Only the cases when they have at least L
sets in common contribute to our average. Therefore, we have
Z(r) = (viihi • hj I T = 1)0 = Ei• iri(t)
(4.53)
We have already analyzed the case L = 1. We will now study the case 1 < L < K.
We denote:
If"=
i (
\
M —
\(AI
K
(
—
Kt , WO(
—KlkiK)\ =
L•kiK — 1) ks, K — if' i kK —1)\
iL
Note that K* need not be an integer and that for L =1 we obtain Ks = K.
Using (4.53) and (4.39), we can rewrite z(r) as
z(r) = K(1 — —)r"
K
+ I—
M
(4.54)
(4.55)
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The critical ratio (4.28) becomes
Ifs
Al
v2 +3v +3+ 2(v +2)µ + A2
cJ
M — Ift (v + 2 +
+ M — If*
v(v + 2 +p)
(4.56)
Since for L =1 we have K* = K, we recover the previous result, (4.45). For µ
we have
fb\*
K"
2‘
M
v2 + 3v -I- 3
ke)
M — K*
AI —If" v(v +2)
(4.57)
The critical benefit-to-cost ratio is the same as given by equation (4.46) but now K is
replaced by K", which is the 'effective' number of sets that each individual belongs to. The
smaller K" is, the smaller is the critical benefit-to-cost ratio. The critical benefit-to-cost
ratio depends on Mfr.
The mechanism for the evolution of cooperation in our model is similar to the clus-
tering that occurs in spatial games [104] and games on graphs [115], [119]. Cooperators
cluster together in some sets and thereby gain an advantage over defectors. But the dif-
ference between evolutionary graph theory and evolutionary set theory is the following. In
evolutionary graph theory, both the interaction (which leads to payoff) and the evolutionary
updating must be local for cooperators to evolve. In evolutionary set theory, the interac-
tions are local (among members of the same set), but the evolutionary updating is global:
every individual can choose to imitate every other individual.
Our model is also very different from standard models of group selection. In standard
models of group selection, (i) each individual belongs to one group; (ii) there is selection
on two levels (that of the individual and that of the group); (iii) and there is competition
between groups resulting in turnover of groups. In contrast, in evolutionary set theory,
(i) individuals can belong to several sets; (ii) there is only selection on the level of the
individual; (iii) and there is no turnover of sets.
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4.4 The minimum benefit-to-cost ratio
The critical We ratio given by eqn (4.57) has a minimum as a function of v. To find
this minimum, we differentiate (ble)' as a function of v and set the result equal to zero.
We obtain
Al — 2 1/2 + 4V + 4
v
K*
v2 +6v+6
(4.58)
It is easy to show that the solution, vopt, of this equation satisfies the inequality
< v,,pt <
#.7 + 1. Consequently, when Al/K" is large, the optimum v is
v°P1—
Thus, for Al/K" large, we obtain
-)
=1+2
K
—
M
(4.59)
(4.60)
Figure S1 shows the critical benefit-to-cost ratio as a function of the effective set
mutation rate v = 2Nv for various choices of K and L. We use M = 10, N
oo and
—) 0. As a function of v, the benefit-to-cost ratio is a U-shaped function. If the set
mutation rate is too small, then all individuals belong to the same sets. If the set mutation
rate is too large, then set affiliations do not persist long enough in time. In both cases
the population behaves as if it were well-mixed and hence cooperators have difficulties to
thrive. In between, there is an optimum set mutation rate given by (4.59).
4.5 Finite population size
In order to do the exact calculation for finite population size, we start from equation
(4.27):
b\*
(N — 2)(z — h)+ z — g
kc)
(N — 2)(g — h)— z+ g
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We deal from the beginning with the general case, 1 < L < K. First we calculate the
probability that two individuals have the same strategy at time t from their MRCA. This
is given in (4.35) as
Y(t)
1 + (1Z u)2t
(4.61)
Next we calculate z(t) = (^yiihi • hi I T = t)0. The reasoning is the same as in the
continuous time case. We analyze the following possibilities:
• neither has changed with probability (1 — v)2t and in this case they still have K sets
in common;
• at least one has changed with probability 1— (1 — v)21 and in this case they can have
i E 0,...,10
sets in common with probability
(4.62)
Hence, the probability that two individuals have i ≤ K sets in common at time T = t
from their MRCA is given by
=
(1 - v)2t + (1 - (1 - v)29/(Ak4) if = K
(4.63)
We obtain:
—
— 1029M (tin / en if i <K
z(0 = (7414 • hi IT =
K*
= Ei • MO =
— K ri d0. —
+ K K*
—
(4.64)
O0:
limit
St,
This gives z = (71A; • hi)0, taking into account the fact that t ranges between 1 and
00
00
1
z.E(-yihi • 1i1 T = t)oPr(T = 0 = Ed(t) (1- AT.y-1
(4.65)
t=I
t=I
We find g and h similarly and use (4.27) to find the exact critical b/c in the u
0
(b) .
re(' +
(4.66)
leas + Mad
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where ozi,ct2,oi3, 0e4 are the following polynomials in v and N
of = (N — 1)N3v(2 — v)[v(2 — v)(—Nv(2 — v) + 4(1 — v)2) + (1 — v)2(5v2 — 10v + 4)
02 = —(N — 1)(1 — v)2[N2v(2 — v)(—Nv(2 — v) — 4v2 +8v — 3)-
- (1 — v)2(N(5v2 — 10v + 3) — 2(1 — 0 2)]
03 = —v(2 — v)IN4v(2 —
+ N2(1 — v)2(2N — 1)]
as = (1 — v)4(2(1 — v)2 — N(7v2 — 14v + 3)) — N2v(2 — v)(1 — v)2(—N2v(2 — v)-
- N(5v2 - 10v + 2) + 9v2 - 18v + 8)
The exact benefit-to-cost formula (4.66) gives perfect agreement with our numerical
simulations; see Fig. 3 of the main paper.
Figures S2 and S3 illustrate the critical benefit-to-cost ratio as a function of the
population size N and of the number of sets M for various choices of K and L. We use
v = 0.01 and n = 0.0002. As a function of N (Fig. S2), the benefit-to-cost ratio is a
U-shaped function. If the population size is too small then the effect of spite is too strong.
In the limit of N = 2, it never pays to cooperate. If the population size is too large (for
a fixed number of sets Al and a fixed set mutation rate v), then all the sets get populated
by defectors and cooperators can not survive. As a function of the number of sets Al (Fig.
S3), the benefit-to-cost ratio is a declining function. Adding more sets is always helpful for
the cooperators.
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b/c
10
b/c
35
30
25
20
15
10
S
10
IS
20
25
03)
(a)
15
20
V
Fig. S 4.1: Critical benefit-to-cost ratio as a function of the effective set mutation rate
v = 2Nv. The strategy mutation rate is u = 0.0002 and the population size is large,
N —) co. (a) Critical b/c ratios for L = 1,K = 1,2,3, and total number of sets AI = 10.
This shows that increasing K is worse for cooperation. (b) Critical b/c ratios for K = 1
and for L = 1,
, 5, K = 5, and Al = 10. This shows that larger K can be better for
cooperation, as long as L is sufficiently large.
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b/e
(0)
b/c
SO
60
40
20
— Lei
— L-2
— L-3
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000N
(b)
Fig. S 4.2: Critical benefit-to-cost ratio as a function of the population size N. The set
mutation rate is v = 0.01. The strategy mutation rate is a = 0.0002. (a) Critical b/c ratios
for L = K = M/2 and M = 6,8,10,20. (b) Critical b/c ratios for L = 1,2,3,4,5,K = 5
and M = 10.
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b/e
9.0
83
8.0
73
7.0
63
bit
83
8.0
73
7.0
63
—
—
—
20
40
60
(a)
(b)
leo m
— 41
—
60
80
tie
Fig. S 4.3: Critical benefit-to-cost ratio as a function of the number of sets M. The set
mutation rate is v = 0.01. The strategy mutation rate is u = 0.0002. (a) Critical b/c ratios
for L =1,K =1,2,3 and N = 20. (b) Critical b/c ratios for L =1,2,3,K = 3 and N = 20.
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4.6 Numerical simulations
We have performed numerical simulations in order to test the results of our analytical
theory (see Figure 3 of the main paper and Figure S3 here). We consider a population of
N individuals distributed over Al sets. Each individual is in K sets. There are two types
of strategies: cooperators, C, and defectors, D. Cooperators pay a cost, c, for another
individual to receive a benefit, b. The fitness of an individual is given by 1+ JP, where P
is the payoff of the individual. We simulate the Wright-Fisher process for a given intensity
of selection, 6.
In each generation we compute the fitness of each individual. The total population
size, N, is constant. For the next generation, each individual leaves offspring proportional
to its fitness. Thus, selection is always operating. Reproduction is subject to a strategy
mutation rate, u, and a set mutation rate v, as explained previously. We follow the popula-
tion over many generations in order to calculate an accurate time average of the frequency
of cooperators in this mutation-selection process.
In Figure S3 we show the time average of the frequency of cooperators as a function
of the benefit-to-cost ratio, b/c. We simulate the Wright-Fisher Process for four different
intensities of selection ranging from b = 0.05 to 0.4. The red points indicate the average
frequency of cooperators in the mutation selection process. Each point is an average over
t = 5 x 108 generations. As expected the average frequency of cooperators increases as
a function of b/c. We are interested in the value of b/c when cooperators become more
abundant than defectors (when their frequency exceeds 1/2.). The vertical blue line is
the critical b/c ratio that is predicted from our analytical theory for the limit of weak
selection, 6 -. 0. We observe excellent agreement between theory and simulations. For
weaker intensity of selection the critical value moves closer to the theoretical prediction.
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b/c-3.8277
0.520
5
• 0.510
6=0.05
0.500
▪ 0.490
3.70
0.520
5 0.510
0.500
▪
0.490
3.70
6 0 2
0.520
5
• 0.510
g 0.500
▪ 0.490
3.70
3.80
3.90
4.00
4.10
0.1
0.520
5 0.510
g 0.500
Is 0.490
3.70
3.80
3.90
4.00
4.10
3.80
3.90
4.00
4.10
Benefit to cost ratio. b/c
Fig. S 4.4: Numerical simulation of the mutation-selection process for population size
N = 80 and various intensities of selection ranging from S = 0.05 to IS = 0.4. The red dots
indicate the frequency of cooperators averaged over t = 5 x los generations. The cooperator
frequency increases as a function of the b/c ratio. For a certain ratio, cooperators become
more abundant than defectors (intersection with black horizontal line). The blue vertical
line is the theoretical prediction of the critical b/c ratio in the limit of weak selection,
(b/c)* = 3.8277. Parameter values: population size N = 80, number of sets M = 10,
number of set memberships K = 1, set mutation rate v = 0.1, strategy mutation rate
le = 0.004. We fix b = 1 and vary c.
4.7 General Payoff Matrix
Let us now study a general game between two strategies A and B given by the payoff
matrix
A B
A (R S)
B T P
(4.67)
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A derivation similar to the one presented in the Appendix leads to the following
condition necessary for strategy A to be favored over B
(R - S)g + (S - P)z 7 (R - S - T + 12)n + (S +T - 2P)h
(4.68)
The quantities z,g and h are as before and n is defined as follows
n = (IA • hi 1.,=„)=8, I i
j
1)
(4.69)
To interpret n, we pick three distinct individuals randomly. Then ,n is the average number
of sets the last two individuals have in common given that they hav a non-zero contribution
to the average only if all three have the same strategy. To calculate n we proceed similarly
as for h. We fix the times r3 up to the first coalescence and r2 extra steps up to the second.
We denote by y(r3,r2) the probability that the three individuals have the same strategy
given these times to the coalescence. We can now rewrite n as
co
00
n =
dr21
e-373 -721/(73, T2)IZ(T3)
z(r2 1-3)+ z(r2 + r3)]dr3
(4.70)
The only quantity we need to compute is y(r3, r2). Let us assume that i and j coalesce
first, and then they coalesce with I. As before, in order for i and j to have the same strategy,
the total number of mutations that happen up to their coalescence must be even. Therefore,
either both underwent an even number of mutations from their MRCA, or an odd one. If i
underwent an odd number, then in order for i and I to have the same number of mutations,
it must be that, in the remaining total time (which is r2+2r3) there must be an odd number
of mutations. Thus, in this case we can write the probability that all three have the same
strategy as
-1(1 - e- in)2(1 - e-i fra+T21)
(4.71)
When i undergoes an even number of mutations up to its coalescence with j, the
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probability that all three have the same strategy is similarly obtained as
(1 +e- in)2(1
(n+D2))
8
Thus, we can write
1O3,72)
e-119 2(1— rt (13+72)) +;(1 + e- 513)2(1+ ri(Ti+72))
(4.72)
(4.73)
Plugging into (4.70) we obtain the expression for n. Substituting z,g,h and n into
(4.68) and rearranging terms, we obtain
where
aR+S>T+aP
(4.74)
1+v+µ K*(/2 +2v + vp)+ M0+ 2v +
a
(4.75)
3 + v +
K * (v2 + 2v + 1/µ)+ Af (1 + A)
Note that if v
0, the condition a > 1 is equivalent to M > IC, which is always true.
Therefore, a is always larger than one when V 0 0. Furthermore, a is exactly one in the
following limits: when V -) 0, when v —) co or when MIK* —.1. In all of these cases, the
population is well-mixed.
For µ = 0, we obtain
a — 1 + v K* v(2 +
+ Al (3 + 2v)
3+v
lev(2+ v)+ M
(4.76)
We observe that a is a one-humped function of v. It attains a maximum, which we
denote by a„,,,x. To find the value of v for which this maximum is achieved we differentiate
(4.76) and set it equal to zero. We obtain the same expression as in (4.58). Therefore, it
has the same solution which satisfies OW
< vopt <
fie
."//f" + 1. For large MIK*, the
optimum v is viAi
t"*. Then we can write
amax
(1 +
3 +
(4.77)
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Thus, when M/K* is large, Erma? grows like MK*.
We can also calculate a„. for a fixed number of sets M. Since If* is a function of
L, K and M, each case has to be studied separately. For instance, if L = K = 1, then
K* = 1 and thus o,,,ar is proportional to VM for AI large enough.
If K ≥ 1 and L = K = M/2 we find r = M/ (2(5; 1 )). When M is large, M/Ks
is also large and thus a„. grows proportional to V2(Alli,;11)
2/11/2/Alibl. Thus, a„.
grows exponentially as a function of the number of sets, Al.
Figure 55 shows the dependence of offear on M. The decisive condition for strategy
A to be favored over B is aR+ S > T + oP (see eqn (4.74)). For a well-mixed population
we have o = 1. Larger values of a indicate greater deviation from the well-mixed case and
greater effect of the population structure. For o = 1, strategy A is selected if R+S > T+ P.
In a coordination game (R > T and S < P) this is the well-known condition of risk-
dominance. For large values of a, strategy A is selected if R> P. In a coordination game,
this is the well-known condition of Pareto efficiency. Therefore evolutionary dynamics in
set structured populations help to achieve the efficient equilibrium.
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10
is
20
(a)
Fig. S 4.5: amax as a function of the number of sets M. We define amax to be the maximum
value of a given by eqn (4.76). (a) L = K = 1. (b) L = K =
Appendix - Analytic proof
Let coi represent the average number of offspring of individual i. After one update
step (which is one generation) we have:
-
h
N
(4.78)
An individual is chosen to be a parent with probability given by its payoff relative
to the total payoff and this choice is made independently N times per update step. Using
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(4.2) we can rewrite the denominator
jj = N +
We are interested in the limit
co; =1+8 —csi
hi • E hj — K
[
i
of co as:
— c) E 35 (hj • E hi —
1
of weak selection, 6
0. Then, (4.78)
+ bhi • E sah, _ b
— c E sisjhj . h1
i#i
N 1,5,1
becomes
+O(62)
(4.79)
(4.80)
Let p denote the frequency of cooperators in the population. We think about an
update step as having two parts: a selection part and a mutation part. We want to study
the effect of mutation and selection on the average change in p. We denote by (Ap)sd the
effect due to selection, and by (Ap)mut the effect due to mutation. Since the average value
of p is constant, these effects must cancel:
(AP)sel
(AP)mut = 0
(4.81)
In what follows, we will show that (Ap)„.1 is continuous as a function of 6. Then, we
can write its Taylor expansion at 6 = 0 using the fact that when 6 = 0 both of the above
terms go to zero due to the symmetry of strategies in the neutral state
(Ap)set = 0 + 6(.Ap)2? + O(62)
(4.82)
Here (4)21 is the first derivative of (48,p).th with respect to 6, evaluated at 6 = 0.
Thus, when (Ap)(6.11 is positive, it means that there is an increase in the frequency
of cooperators due to selection. In this case, selection favors cooperators. If it is negative,
then selection favors defectors. Therefore, for the critical parameter values we must have
(Ap)(.11 = 0
(4.83)
This condition holds for arbitrary values of the mutation rates. As the mutation rate
goes to zero, the above equation corresponds to the equality of the fixation probabilities.
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We will next detail the calculation of the change due to selection which we can write
as
(AP).th = E(AP)s • irs
(4.84)
S
Here (a,p)s is the average number of A individuals in a given state S of the system and as
is the probability to find the system in that state. Next we detail the calculation of this
quantity.
Let si be the strategy of individual i, where si = 1 denotes A and si = 0 denotes B.
Then, in a given state S of the system, the expected change of p due to selection in one
update step is the number of offspring of A individuals minus the number of A individuals
in the previous generation, divided by the population size. Thus, it is given by
(AP)s = —
N (Esicoi — E
(4.85)
where we is the expected number of offspring of individual i.
Prom (4.80), we see that Loi is a polynomial in 6. Hence, (Ap)s is also a polynomial
in S and thus it is continuous and infinitely differentiable at 6 = 0. Hence, we can write the
Taylor expansion, using the fact that for the we function (4.80), (Ape = 0
(b,p)s = 0 + 6 d(ap)s
+ O(52) = wir E st
d6
6=0
dwi
O(52)
6=0
The probability rs that the system is in state S is also a function of S. We will show
that as is continuous and infinitely differentiable around S = 0 and thus that we can write
its Taylor expansion
(4.86)
ITS = IT(1 )
orr + O(52)
(4.87)
The 0 superscript refers to the neutral state, S = 0 and 741) is the first derivative of irs as
a function of 6, evaluated at S = 0.
Next we show that irs is continuous at S = 0 for all S. In order to find irs, we need the
transition probabilities P,7 to go from state Si to state Si. Then the stationary distribution
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is given by a vector of probabilities rs, which is a normalized eigenvector corresponding to
eigenvalue 1 of the stochastic matrix P. In our case, for the Wright-Fisher process with
mutation, there is no absorbing subset of states. From every state of the system you can
eventually reach every other state. This means that the matrix P is primitive, i.e. there
exists some integer k such that Pk 7 0.
For a primitive, stochastic matrix P, the Perron-Frobenius theorem ensures that 1
is its largest eigenvalue, that it is a simple eigenvalue and that it has a corresponding
unique eigenvector with positive entries summing up to 1. This is precisely our vector of
probabilities which gives the stationary distribution.
To find this eigenvector we perform Gaussian elimination (also referred to as row
echelon reduction) on the system Pv = v. Since 1 is a simple eigenvalue for P, the system
we need to solve has only one degree of freedom; thus we can express the eigenvector in
terms of the one free variable, which without loss of generality can be iv
V1 = - Vnal,
• • •
vi = - WA,
• • •
vn-1 = - van-1
(4.88)
The eigenvector that we are interested in is the vector with non-zero entries which
sum up to 1. For this vector we have
1 = vn(-al -
- an-1 + 1)
(4.89)
This proof is general for any primitive stochastic matrix. Let us now return to our
structure and the %VF process. In our case, the transition probabilities come from the fitness
f =1+8.payoff; they are fractions of such expressions and thus they are continuous at 6 = 0
and have Taylor expansions around 6 = 0. Thu.s, we can write all transition probabilities
as polynomials in S. Because of the elementary nature of the row operations performed,
the elements of the reduced matrix are fractions of polynomials (i.e. rational functions of
6). Thus, a; above are all rational functions of S. Therefore, from (4.89) we conclude that
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84
vn must also be a rational function of 6. This implies that in our vector of probabilities, all
the entries are rational functions.
Thus rrs is a fraction of polynomials in 6 which we write in irreducible form. The
only way that this is not continuous at 8 = 0 is if the denominator is zero at 6 = 0. But
in that case, lim,5_0 irs = co which is impossible since as is a probability. Therefore, irs is
continuous at 6 = 0.
Once we have the Taylor expansions for both (Ap)s and rrs we can substitute them
into (4.84) to obtain
(AAA = E(Ap)s Trs = 8 E d(Ap)s
74(9 + O(81
(4.90)
d6
= E (E sit
I
)
+O(62)
(4.91)
s
s
.5=o
(Esirs)
° Cal
(4.92)
The last line is just notation. The angular brackets denote the average and the 0
subscript refers to the neutral state S = 0. Note that we start by writing the average
change in the presence of the game in equation (4.90) and we end up with an expression
depending on the neutral state (4.92), but containing the parameters b and c. Therefore we
have shown that we only need to do our calculations in the neutral state.
Now using (4.80) in (4.92), the first derivative of the effect of selection in the stationary
state evaluated at 6 = 0 becomes
(Apc = N[-c (Esniiki • hi )
— K(b — c)(Es i) + Kb e (Esisj)
b — c
+ b (E sismihi • n.1) + N (E sisnik • ht)
(4.93)
As discussed above, the critical We ratio is obtained when equation (4.83) holds.
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From this we obtain
1 1
(
x
K
b * cid sot" - hog - A,-,E1,1,, sisaishi - heo — K(Ei silo + xi ‘E1,1 sisj)o
g
(Eid sisniihi • hi),„ - k (E4111sisivhi • hi)0 - if (E 1 81)0 + hr (ad gisi)0
(4.94)
Hence, we have derived the expression for the critical b/c ratio given by (4.12).
EFTA00748952
Chapter 5
Mutation—selection equilibrium in
games with multiple strategies
5.1 Introduction
Evolutionary game theory is the study of frequency dependent selection [87, 86, 55,
56, 113]. The individuals of a population can adopt one of several strategies, which can be
seen as genotypes or phenotypes. The payoff for each strategy is a linear function of the
relative frequencies of all strategies. The coefficients of this linear function are the entries
of the payoff matrix. Payoff is interpreted as fitness: individuals reproduce at rates that
are proportional to their payoff. Reproduction can be genetic or cultural.
Evolutionary game theory provides a theoretical foundation for understanding human
and animal behavior [132, 86, 36, 9, 7, 129]. Applications of evolutionary game theory
include games among viruses [159, 160] and bacteria [68] as well as host-parasite interactions
[106]. Cellular interactions within the human body can also be evolutionary games. As an
example we mention the combat between the immune system and virus infected cells [102,
86
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
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84, 14]. The ubiquity of evolutionary game dynamics is not surprising, because evolutionary
game theory provides a fairly general approach to evolutionary dynamics [100]. There is
also an equivalence between fundamental equations of ecology [81] and those of evolutionary
game theory [55].
Let us consider a game with n strategies. The payoff values are given by the n x rt
payoff matrix A = [au]. This means that an individual using strategy i receives payoff au
when interacting with an individual that uses strategy j. For understanding a game it is
useful to explore whether any of the strategies are Nash equilibria [94, 86, 147, 19]. Strategy
k is a strict Nash equilibrium if akk > ath for all i
k. Strategy k is a Nash equilibrium if
akk ≥ aik for all i. Another useful concept is that of an evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS)
[87, 86, 85]. Strategy k is ESS if either (i) akk > aik or (ii) akk =
and aki > ate holds
for all i
k. We have the following implications: if k is a strict Nash equilibrium then it
is an ESS; if k is an ESS then it is a Nash equilibrium. Both Nash and ESS, however, give
conditions on whether a strategy, which is played by the majority of players, outperforms
all other strategies. Hence they identify the `favored' strategy based on its performance at
large frequencies.
The traditional approach to evolutionary game dynamics uses well-mixed populations
of infinite size. In this case the deterministic selection dynamics can be described by the
replicator equation, which is an ordinary differential equation defined on the simplex S.
[147, 165]. Many interesting properties of this equation are described in the book by [55].
More recently there have been efforts to study evolutionary game dynamics in popu-
lations of finite size [125, 131, 65, 66, 32, 29, 133, 110, 142, 166, 152]. For finite populations
a stochastic description is necessary. Of particular interest is the fixation probability of a
strategy [110, 5, 75]: the probability that a single mutant strategy overtakes a homogeneous
population which uses another strategy. When only two strategies are involved, the strategy
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with higher fixation probability is considered to be more `favored' by selection. We can take
a game of n strategies and analyze all pairwise fixation probabilities to find which strategies
are favored by selection [63]. This concept, in some way, compares strategies at all relative
frequencies during the fixation process, as opposed to the Nash and ESS conditions.
The study of fixation probabilities, however, is only conclusive for small mutation
rates, which means most of the time all players use the same strategy. In this paper, we
propose a more general way of identifying the strategy most favored by selection: it is
the strategy with the highest average frequency in the long time average. For brevity we
call throughout this paper the average frequency of a strategy in the stationary state its
abutulance. The criteria for higher abundance can be used for arbitrary mutation rates.
Moreover, for small mutation rates this criteria can be formulated in terms of pairwise
fixation probabilities.
In particular, we focus on stochastic evolutionary dynamics in populations of finite
size N, although for simplicity we shall consider the large (but still finite) population size
limit. Evolutionary updating occurs according to the frequency dependent Moran process
[110, 142], but the Wright Fisher process [63] and the Pairwise Comparison process [137, 156]
are also discussed; the details of these processes are explained in the next sections. In
addition, we assume that individuals reproduce proportional to their payoffs but subject to
mutation with probability u > 0. With probability 1— u the imitator (or offspring) adopts
the strategy of the teacher (or parent); with probability u one of the n strategies is chosen
at random.
We study the case of weak selection. For the frequency dependent Moran process,
the payoff of strategy i is given by fi = 1 + car, which is the baseline payoff, 1, plus the
payoff
of strategy i obtained in the games, weighted by the intensity of selection 6 > 0.
Weak selection means 6 cc 1/N. In this case, although the frequencies of the strategies can
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89
widely fluctuate in time, all strategies have approximately the same abundance (average
frequency), 1/n, in the stationary distribution of the mutation-selection process. We are
interested in the deviation from this uniform distribution. To calculate this deviation we use
a perturbation theory in the selection strength, 6. Here we follow the methods developed
in [4] for studying two strategies in a phenotype space. Perturbation studies can also be
found in [127] for subdivided populations.
In this paper we study n-strategy games in a well mixed population of N players. We
consider that selection favors a strategy if its abundance (average frequency) exceeds 1/n.
Conversely, selection opposes a strategy, if its abundance is less than 1/n. We establish the
following results. For low mutation probability (u GG 1/N), we find that selection favors
strategy k if
Lk = —n E(akk + aki — aik — au) > 0.
For high mutation probability (u. > 1/N), selection favors strategy k if
n
n
Hk =
E Daki — aii) > O.
i=1 j=t
(5.1)
(5.2)
For arbitrary mutation probability the general expression for selection to favor strategy k
is
Lk + NUilk> 0.
Strategy k is more abundant than strategy j if
Lk + NUHk>
Ntlf f 3 .
(5.3)
(5.4)
All these results hold for large but finite population size, 1 <G N <G 1/8. They allow a
complete characterization of n x n games in the limit of weak selection. The equilibrium
frequencies of each strategy are also given in the paper.
We can gain some qualitative understanding of our low (5.1) and high (5.2) mutation
rate results. For low mutation rates, most of the time, all players use the same strategy
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
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until another strategy takes over. There are only two strategies involved in a takeover. A
single k-player fixates in all i-players with a higher probability than a single i-player into
k-players, if akk +ak; — aik —
0 [100]. For only two strategies present, a higher fixation
probability for k means that it is more abundant. Hence strategy k is the most abundant
among all strategies if it fixates well against all strategies, which then explains expression
(5.1). Conversely, for high mutation rates the frequencies of all strategies are close to 1/n
all the time. Hence the payoff of strategy k is roughly fk = 1 + (61n)E;=, akj. One has
to compare this payoff to the average payoff of the population (1/n) a
which leads to
expression (5.2).
The rest of the paper is structured as follows. In Section 5.2, we derive the gen-
eral conditions for strategy abundance for any mutation rates. Section 5.3 provides three
concrete examples. Possible extensions of our method to strong selection, more general
mutation rates, the Wright-Fisher and the Pairwise Comparison processes are discussed in
Section 5.4. We summarize our results in Section 5.5.
5.2 Perturbation method
Let us consider a well mixed population of N players. Each of them plays one of the
n > 2 strategies. The state of the system is described by the n-dimensional column vector
X, where Xi is the number of players using strategy i. The frequencies of strategies are
x = X/N. The payoff matrix is given by then x n matrix A = Lau], where au is the payoff
of an i-player playing against a j-player. The payoff of an individual using strategy i is f,
and the column vector f is given by f = 1 + 8Ax. Here 6 > 0 is the selection strength,
and
= 1 (for all i) is the baseline payoff. The term AX/N = Ax in the player's payoff
stands for the average contribution from all other players through the game. We included
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
91
self interaction here, since it does not make a difference in the large N limit. The total
payoff of the whole population is F = XTf = N(1 + 6xTAx). We assume weak selection
throughout this paper, by which we mean that (SN cc 1. The need for such weak selection
(as opposed to 6 cc 1) shall become clear at the end of this section.
The dynamics of the system is given by the frequency dependent Moran process. In
each time step a randomly chosen individual is replaced by a copy of an individual chosen
with probability proportional to its payoff. The offspring inherits the parent's strategy with
probability 1 — u, or adopts a random strategy with probability u > 0.
We shall show below that the condition for strategy k to be more abundant than the
average 1/n is equivalent to having a positive average change of its frequency during a single
update step. Hence we start deriving this latter quantity. In state X, the average number
of offspring (fitness) of a k-player due to selection is Wk = 1 — 1/N+ fk/F. We also included
the parent among the offspring, which explains the leading 1 on the right hand side. The
term —1/N describes its random death, while the term fk/F stands for the proliferation
proportional to payoff. For 6 —) 0, the fitness can be written as
wk = 1 +45N-1 [(Ax)k — xr Ax[ + O(6ZN-1),
In one update step, the frequency of k-players changes on average due to selection by
aar i = xkwk — xk = 8AxT[1 + O(6)],
(5.6)
where the first derivative with respect to 6 is
Axil) = N-1 xk[(Ax)k — xr Ax].
(5.7)
(5.5)
The state of the system, X, changes over time due to selection and mutation. In the
stationary state of the Moran process we find the system in state X with probability /95(X).
This stationary probability distribution is the eigenvector with the largest eigenvalue of the
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
92
stochastic transition matrix of the system [162]. The elements of the transition matrix
depend on 6 only through f = 1 + O(6). Note that there is no N dependence in the
correction term, since both A and x are independent of N. Consequently, the stationary
probabilities are continuous at 6 = 0, and we can write them as Po(X) = Pa.o(X)11+O(6))
for any state X. Hence by averaging Arskel in the stationary state, in the leading order in
6 we obtain
(Ax?')o E E Axrpo(x) = 8 EAxr)ps=0(x) x [1+ O(8)].
(5.8)
Thus, we can describe the stationary state of the system for small 6 by using the stationary
distribution in the absence of selection, 6 = 0. Since the correction term is independent of
N, the above formula remains valid even in the large population size limit. Using expression
(5.7) for Axil), the average change due to selection in the leading order can be written as
(aarl)s = 61V-1 (Xkl(AX)k
XTAXD
= 6N-1 (Eaki(skxj) — E aij(xkxixj)),
(5.9)
where (.) denotes the average in the neutral stationary state (6 = 0).
So far we have only considered selection. By taking into account mutation as well,
the expected total change of frequency in state X during one update step can be written as
U
1
A r tkot = A r akel(1
(
- 2k)
N n
(5.10)
The first term on the right hand side describes the change in the absence of mutation, which
happens with probability 1 — u. The second term stands for the change due to mutation,
which happens with probability u. In this latter case the frequency 24 increases by 1/nN
due to the introduction of a random type, and decreases by xk/N due to random death. In
the stationary state the average total change of the frequency is zero, (Ax109,5 = 0, that is
selection and mutation are in balance. Hence by averaging (5.10) we obtain the abundance
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
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(average frequency) in the stationary state expressed by the average change due to selection
as
1
1 — u
(xk).5 =
+ N
(AxEkle Xs •
(5.11)
We emphasize that this relationship is valid at any intensity of selection, although we are
going to use it only in the weak selection limit. From (5.11) it follows that the condition
(x4,5 > 1/n is in fact equivalent to
(aixThe > 0 .
(5.12)
That is, for strategy k to be more abundant than the average, the change due to selection
must be positive in the stationary state. Hence, as we claimed, instead of computing the
mean frequency, we can now concentrate on the average change (5.9) during a single update
step.
To evaluate (5.9) we need to calculate averages of the form (xkx5) and (xkxixj).
Since in the neutral stationary state all players are equivalent, exchanging indexes does not
affect the averages. For example (xixi) = (x3x3), and (xix2x2) = (xix3x3). By taking into
account these symmetries, only six different averages appear in (5.9)
(5.13)
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
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for allk0i0j0k.
Equation (5.9) then takes the form
Ne-l(Oaskel) =
s
(2121)nick + (x1x2) E aki
(212121)akk
i,i0k
(x1x2x2) > (aki+ aii + am) — (x122x3)E aij •
i,iok
kothok
Note that (xix2x3) is not defined for n = 2, but in that case the last sum in (5.14) is zero
anyway. Hence the following derivation is valid even for n = 2. By removing the restrictions
from the summations in (5.14), we can rearrange this expression into
NS-1(L4et),5 = akk((2121) — (x1x2) — (212120 + 3(212222) — 2(212223))
+ (x1x2) Eaki+uxix2x3)—(xix2x2))E(aki+aii+ ask)
— (x1x2x3)E au •
Let us now interpret these average quantities. We draw j players at random from
the population in the neutral stationary state, and define si as the probability that all of
them have the same strategy. We have (21) = n-1 because under neutrality a player has
1/n chance of having strategy one out of 71 possibilities. Moreover, we have (2121) = s2n-I,
because the first player has strategy one with probability 1/n and the second player uses
the same strategy with probability s2. Similarly (212121) = 53n-1 holds. The remaining
averages that appear in (5.15) can be written as
(5.14)
(5.15)
(2122) = ((1 - > 21)22) = (21) - (2121) - (n - 2)(2122)
2<i<n
(212222) = ((1 - E rox2x2)= (2121) — (212121) — (rt — 2)(212222)
2<i<n
(212223) = ((1 - > rox2x3)= ( 2 12 2) — 2(212222) — (n — 3)(212223)
2<i<n
where we used the normalization condition Ei xi = 1, and the symmetry relations (5.13).
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Thus, we can express all the averages in (5.13) in terms of only two probabilities, s2 and s3
, = re
,
82
(xis'? = —n
—
(x122)
n(n — 1)
83
=
(X1X2X2)
S2 - SS
n(n — 1)
1 — 382 + 2s3
(xix,2x8)
n(n — 1)(n — 2)
We note again that for n = 2 the last expression is ill defined, but it is not needed in that
case.
(5.16)
Up to this point everything was calculated for finite N. Although further discussion
for finite N is possible, it becomes quite unwieldy; hence for simplicity we consider only the
large N limit from here on. In Appendix 5.5 we calculate the values of s2 and 53 for N » 1,
which are given by (5.48) and (5.52), respectively. By substituting these expressions into
(5.16) we arrive at
(xi xi) = n(2 + 11)(n +
(xix2) =
+ µ}nC
(2421x1) = (n + µ)(2n +
(5.17)
(xix2x2) =1/(n +
(x1x2x3) = it2C ,
where C = INn3(1 + µ)(2 + µ)]-1 and µ = Nu is the resealed mutation rate. With these
correlations, (5.15) takes the form
(Ae el)6
2
Co.
— pn akk + µ(2 + µ)n E
- µn
2 id
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
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where rearranging the terms leads to
(
; 6)6 —
2 (11.
aki — %) + itnE(akk + aki
cra — aa)•
By defining
1 n ,
Lk =
2_,kakk+ aki — aik —
n
1
Hk = n 2 kaki
ii
we finally arrive at our main result
A soh. _
(Lk + PRO
(
Xk
nN (1 + A)(2 + A)
(5.18)
(5.19)
This expression is valid in the limit of large population size N >> 1, for weak selection
NO <1, with µ = Nu being constant. Condition (5.12) for strategy k to be more abundant
than the average 1/n is simply Lk + µHk > 0 as we already announced in (5.3). In the
low mutation limit (µ —. 0) the condition for abundance becomes Lk > 0, while in the
high mutation limit (µ —• co) it is 14 > 0. As a consequence of (5.11), strategy k is more
abundant than strategy j if Lk +Affk >L1+AHi. Note that any finite mutation probability
corresponds to the high mutation rate limit
—) co for our N
co limit.
By substituting (5.19) into (5.11) we obtain the abundances (average frequencies) in
the weak selection stationary state
Lk -I- N'11,Hk
(X06 =
[1+ 6N(1 /) (1 + Nu)( + Nu)]
(5.20)
This expression becomes exact in the N
co, NO —) 0 limit, if Nu = µ is kept constant. It
becomes clear at this point, that although we only used 0 « 1 to derive (5.19), we actually
need ON <1 to have frequencies close to 1/n in (5.20).
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5.2.1 Special case: Two strategies
For only two strategies (n = 2) the general formula (5.19) leads to
Su
(aaiel).5 = 8(1 + Nu) (an + ahz — a21 — az2)•
(5.21)
The peculiarity of the two strategy case is that the condition for higher abundance (mean
frequency) (5.12) of strategy one
an + alz — azt — azz > 0
(5.22)
does not depend on the mutation probability u. It has been shown in 13] that very similar
conditions hold for finite population size. With self interaction we obtain the same result,
but when self interaction is excluded, the condition becomes
(au + alz — a21 — az2)N — 2a11
2azz > 0
(5.23)
This condition does not depend on the mutation probability u either. Moreover, the above
conditions are also valid for arbitrary strength of selection for a general class of models,
in particular for the Moran model with exponential payoff functions or for the Pairwise
Comparison process [3]. Note that this law is well known for several models in the low
mutation rate limit 165, 110].
5.2.2
Low mutation rates
There is an intimate relationship between our conditions for high abundance and
fixation probabilities for low mutation ratesµ
1. In this limit, most of the time all players
follow the same strategy, and rarely a single mutant takes over the entire homogeneous
population (fixates). During fixation only two types of players are present. The fixation
probability pia is the probability that a single i-player overtakes a population of j-players.
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Hence we have effectively 71 states of pure strategies, where a state of pure strategy j changes
to a state of pure strategy i at rate µpia/n.
Let us first consider n = 2 strategy games, where we label the two strategies as k and
i. In the stationary state there are rare transitions between pure k-player and pure i-player
states, and (xk)Pik = (xi)Pki with (xk) + (xi) = 1. Hence we can write
(xk) = [1 + 2(Pki — Pik)]
(5.24)
since all fixation probabilities are 1/N in the leading order of 6. On the other hand, the
abundance (5.20) for two strategies and ow mutations becomes
(xk}
(x = 2 k
2
( 1 + _NaLk)
(5.25)
Consequently, we can express 6./..k as
2 (akk + aki
aik
a11) = Ph — Pik-
(5.26)
This equality can also be derived independently from the exact expression of the fixation
probability [110]
Pki =
[1 + 6N ,akk
2aki — elk — 264
(5.27)
For n strategies, by using (5.1) and (5.26), we can express Lk with pairwise fixation
probabilities as Lk = (2/6n) EE Pki —
The condition Lk > 0 for strategy k to be more
abundant than 1/n can be written as
EPki > E Pik
(5.28)
This condition can be interpreted as follows: strategy k is more abundant than 1/n in the
low mutation rate limit if the average fixation probability of a single k-player into other
pure strategy states is larger than the average fixation probability of other strategies into a
pure strategy k population. For these averages we take all strategies with the same weights.
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5.3 Examples
Here we provide three applications of our results for three strategy games. First in
5.3.1 we study the effect of Loners on Cooperators and Defectors. Then in 5.3.2 we show
how mutation alone can make a strategy more abundant. Finally in 5.3.3 we study the
repeated Prisoner's Dilemma game.
5.3.1 Cooperators, Defectors, Loners
To see the difference between our weak selection and a traditional game-theoretic
approach, let us consider the following example. We start with a Prisoner Dilemma game
between cooperators (C) and defectors (D), given by the payoff matrix
C
V
C (10 1 )
(5.29)
D 11 2
Clearly, defectors dominate cooperators, so we expect that defectors are more abundant in
a stationary state. Indeed, from condition (5.22) we obtain
an +
—
— a22 = —2 <0.
(5.30)
Thus strategy D is more abundant than C for any mutation rate.
Surprisingly, the introduction of loners (C), which do not participate in the game
[46], can dramatically change the balance between C and D. Consider the following game:
C
D L
C
10 1 0
D 11
i
2
0
•
(5.31)
£
0
0
0
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
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Loners are dominated by cooperators and defectors. Elimination of the dominated strategy
leads to a game between C and D, in which V is winning. Thus, standard game theoretic
arguments predict that strategy V is the most abundant. However, these arguments fail
for weak selection, where it is not enough to know that a strategy dominates another, but
also how strong this dominance is. In pairwise interactions, the advantage of C over G is
significantly larger than that of V over G as can be seen from the matrices:
C
C (10 0
0
0
(
0
0
2
0 )
.0
(5.32)
This advantage of C can overcompensate the disadvantage it has against D, therefore the
abundance of C can be the highest.
Indeed, the relevant quantities for low mutation rates are
LD = 4
and
Lc = —4.
(5.33)
Thus, both C and D have larger abundance than the neutral value 1/3. But since Le > LD,
strategy C has the highest abundance. The introduction of loners causes the reversal of
abundance between C and D when the mutation rates are small. In other words we can say
the loners favor cooperators.
For high mutation rates the relevant quantities are
He = 1,
HD = 5 —'
and
114 = —!
3
3
(5.34)
Hence, according to (5.3), both C and V have an abundance larger than 1/3 for any mutation
rate. For high mutation rates, however, since He < HD, strategy V becomes the most
abundant. In fact, C is the most abundant for p < µ" E 2, but it is V forµ > µ".
EFTA00748967
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
101
10
8
Payoff Parameter A
6
4
32 > SS> 31> xj.
Si
S2 S3
(
0 13)
S2
0
A
8
S3
0
7
9
X2 >
>%>x 3
xi > 22
>
) >
211 >
I
x,>%> 23 > 22
xi >x3alos›x2
22 > %>32>x,
Xs > XI > $.$2. 22
2 '
0.01
0.1
I
10
Mutation Rate µ
x2 > x.s> rS>x,1
100
Fig. 5.1: Strategy abundance (mean frequency) in the game given by the payoff matrix
(5.35). Colored lines show the critical conditions under which one of the three strategies
exceeds an abundance of 1/3. For small mutation rates, S1 is favored over S3, but for large
mutation rate, S3 is favored over Si. All three strategies have equal abundance at the
intersection of all boundaries.
5.3.2 Reversing the ranking of strategies by mutation
As a second example, we address the game
S1
S2 33
Sl
1
0
13
52
0
A
8
(5.35)
S3
0
7
9
where A is a free parameter. For A < 7, 32 is dominated by S3. Moreover, Si dominates S3,
and SI and 52 are bistable. Thus, classical game theoretic analysis shows that for A < 7,
all players should choose Si. It turns out that this state is also the only stable fixed point
of the replicator equation for A < 7.
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
102
However, the above reasoning does not apply for weak selection. The relevant quan-
tities for low mutation rates are
6
3
A
2A
3
— 9
3
3
A
=
L2 =
and
L3 —
(5.36)
and for high mutation rates they are
4 — A
Hn =
9
2A 9 — 14
10 9 — A
—
and
H3 —
(5.37)
Thus, we expect thresholds where the abundance of a strategy crosses 1/3 at A = 3, A = 4.5,
and A = 6 for small mutation rates and at A = 4, A = 7, and A = 10 for high mutation
rates. For each mutation rate and each value of A, our conditions determine the order of
strategies. Fig. 5.1 shows the change of these thresholds with the mutation rate. There are
six possibilities for ordering of these three strategies. In each of these cases, there can be
one or two strategies with an abundance larger than 1/3. Therefore, there are 12 ways for
ordering the strategies relative to 1/3. In this concrete example, all of these 12 regions can
be obtained by varying the parameter A and the mutation rate A. For example if we fix
A = 4.6, just by changing the resealed mutation rate, we obtain six different orderings of
the strategies relative to 1/3, as one can see in Fig. 5.1.
In order to verify our results we performed simulations of the Moran model with the
payoff matrix (5.35), at A = 4.6. In figure 5.2, we compare the simulated frequencies of
strategies to the theoretical frequencies given by (5.20). The theory becomes exact in the
N
co, N8
0, and
= Nu constant limit. As shown in figure 5.2, already at N = 30,
and 6 = 0.003, which corresponds to NJ = 0.09, we find an excellent agreement with the
theory.
EFTA00748969
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
103
0.340
60 0.336
8
<.o 0.332
0.328
0.1
0.2
0.5
1.0
2.0
5.0
Mutation Rate µ
10.0
20.0
Fig. 5.2: Simulation results for strategy abundances as a function of the resealed mutation
rate µ = Nu in the game of payoff matrix (5.35), at A = 4.6. The population size is N = 30
and the selection strength is 6 = 0.003, which means NS = 0.09. The solid lines are the
theoretical curves given by (5.20), and the dotted line marks the average abundance 1/3.
The intersections of the lines are located at the critical values given by (5.3) and (5.4). The
highest possible value of the mutation rate at this system size is A = 30, which corresponds
to mutation probability u = 1, where all densities are equal.
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
104
5.3.3 Cooperators, Defectors, and Tit-for-Tat
As a third example, we discuss the interaction of 'always cooperate' (ABC), `always
defect' (AIID), and 'tit-for-tat' (TFT) strategies in the repeated Prisoner's Dilemma game
1111, 17]. Each pair of players plays In > 2 rounds. TFT follows its opponent strategy in
the previous round, but cooperates in the first round. Acting as a cooperator costs c for a
player, but one gets benefit b from playing with a cooperator. Hence, the payoff matrix is
given by
AIIC
AHD
ITT
A11° (b — c)m
—cm (b — c)m
AIID
bm
0
b
•
TFT
(b — c)m
—c
(b — c)m
For low mutation rates, the relevant quantities are
LAIID
3
LAIIC = —2e3m
—b(m —1) + c(3m +1)
(5.38)
(5.39)
b(m — 1)— c(m +1)
LTFT
3
•
The most apparent consequence is that for low mutation rates cooperators never exceed
the abundance of 1/3. This is not surprising, since ABC is a fairly dull strategy: the mean
AHD and the cleverer TFT is expected to perform better. As we increase the benefit to cost
ratio We, the order of abundance of these strategies change at several particular values.
For 21 < 1-73-±1 only the abundance of AHD is larger than 1/3. For
2a±-1
c
m-1,
m-1
m-1
the abundance of both AIID and TFT is above 1/3, with AHD still dominating TFT. For
becomes more abundant than AHD, for 6 > '3221±-1 the abundance of AIID
m-i
m1
drops below 1/3, and for be > 5,71
, it is even smaller than the abundance of AIIC.
EFTA00748971
HAIID
9
b(m - 1) - c(m +
HTFT-
9
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
105
(a) Low mutation rates
TFT
ANC
AIID
(b) High mutation rates
PJIC
A„,
4
6
3m
;'.
6
5m+ I
2(m- 0
6
m+2
-1
MID
Fig. 5.3: Strategy abundance in the interaction between AK, AHD, and TFT in the prob-
ability simplex S3. Dark areas are inaccessible to the evolutionary dynamics. Red lines
show thresholds where a strategy abundance crosses 1/3, the thresholds are given in terms
of b/c. Blue lines depict thresholds where two strategy abundances are identical. (a) For
small mutation rates, the abundance of Al1C is never above 1/3 and it is never greater than
the abundance of ITT. (b) For high mutation rates, the abundance of Alle is above 1/3 in
the yellow shaded area, but again it never exceeds the abundance of TFT.
For high mutation rates, the relevant quantities are
Om —1)— c(4m — 1)
HAIIC
9
—2b(m — 1) + c(5m + 1)
(5.40)
Surprisingly, now the abundance of Alle can exceed 1/3 for high mutation rates. Again,
as we increase the benefit to cost ratio b/c, the abundances change order at particular
b/c values, which values are different for the high and low mutation rate limits. For high
mutation rates, when be < ta-+--
m_1, only the abundance of AIID exceeds 1/3. For ta-±-".? < ac <
also the abundance of TFT is larger than 1/3, but does not exceed the abundance
of AIID. For 2S"
<
<
b
2rm+_1), AIID is less abundant than TFT. At
27,t+1), the
ta-
abundance of AIID drops below 1/3 and it becomes identical to the abundance of MC
at
= j--3t—n
Finally, for 0. >
n
•W
even the abundance of ARC exceeds 1/3, but it
ta-i•
m- ,
EFTA00748972
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
106
always remains below the abundance of TFT. The relations between the strategies and
these thresholds are depicted in Fig. 5.3.
The most interesting region is
>
where the abundance of AIIC exceeds 1/3
(the yellow region in Fig 5.3b). This is not possible for low mutation rates. High mutation
rates and the TFT strategy can facilitate AI1C to increase its abundance above average.
5.4 Outlook
In this section we discuss possible extensions and limitations of our method. First in
5.4.1 we address the strong selection limit. Then in 5.4.2 we consider more general mutation
rates. Finally in 5.4.3 two alternative dynamics are studied.
5.4.1 Strong selection
Can we say something without the weak selection assumption? As we mentioned in
Section 5.2.2, for only two strategies condition (5.19) is valid for any intensity of selection in
a wide class of models [3]. We can also argue that our condition (5.2) is valid for very high
mutation probabilities, namely for ti
1, for arbitrary strength of selection. In this case
players pick random strategies most of the time, hence the frequencies of all strategies are
close to 1/n. This implies that the payoff of a k-player is approximately fk = (1/n) a aki,
while the total payoff of the whole population is F = (1/n)2 Ee l at7. Strategy k performs
better than average when fk > F, which is indeed our general condition for large mutation
rates (5.2). Since the system is almost neutral due to high mutation, we hardly need to
assume anything about the dynamics. Note that u —) 1 implies a stronger mutation rate
than µ
oo, since the latter corresponds to any fixed mutation probability u in the N
cc
limit.
The situation is more complex in the low mutation rate limit for arbitrary strength
EFTA00748973
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
107
of selection. If the mutation rate is sufficiently small we can assume that there are at most
two strategies present in the system at any given time [35]. Then we can use the fixation
probabilities, or their large N asymptotic values [5, 155], and describe the system effectively
as a Markov process on n homogeneous strategy states. This description, however, can lead
to very different conditions for arbitrary selection and for weak selection. Note also that
if two strategies j and k tend to coexist, all < aka and aft > akk, the time spent in the
mixed strategy state is exponentially large in N 15]. Hence in this case, the effective Markov
process description is only valid for extremely small mutation probabilities u « cu e, where
A is a constant.
5.4.2
More general mutation rates
Throughout this paper we have considered uniform mutations: each strategy mutates
with the same probability u to a random strategy. In this section we extend our method
to a more general class of mutation rates. For uniform mutation rates strategies have equal
abundances in the absence of selection, and we have studied the effect of selection on this
uniform distribution. Conversely, for non-uniform mutation rates strategies typically have
different abundances already in the absence of selection. It can be still of interest to study
whether selection increases or decreases these neutral abundances. In principle the pert ttr-
bation theory presented in this paper can be repeated for general mutation probabilities,
the discussion however becomes unwieldy.
Here we present an easy generalization to a specific class of mutation rates. Imagine
that each player mutates with probability u, but instead of uniformly adopting a new strat-
egy, it adopts strategy j with probability pi > 0. We can approximate these probabilities
(up to arbitrary precision) by rational numbers pi = mi/M, with Iv! = Ei m1, and all
raj
1. Then instead of our n-strategy game, we consider an Al-strategy game, where
EFTA00748974
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
108
each original strategy j is represented naj times. Instead of the n x rt payoff matrix, it is
straightforward to construct the M x M payoff matrix, with which all our formulas (5.1),
(5.2) or (5.3) automatically apply.
5.4.3 Alternative processes
Although we have focused on the Moran model in this paper, the results are almost
identical for the Wright-Fisher (W-F) process and for the Pairwise Comparison process. In
the W-F model, each player of a new (non-overlapping) generation chooses a parent from
the previous generation with probability (abbreviated as w.p.) proportional to the parent's
payoff. The offspring inherits the parent's strategy w.p. 1 —u, or adopts a random strategy
w.p.
The expected number of offspring of a k-player in the next generation due to selection
is 'Ok = N fkl F, in a given state. In the weak selection limit 6 —) 0 it becomes
wk = 1 + 6[(Ax)k - xTAx].
(5.41)
This is the same as the analog expression (5.5) for the Moran process, apart from the extra
N factor. That N factor is due to the definition of time: time is measured in single player
update steps in the Moran model, while in generations in the W-F model. For the neutral
correlations, the only difference between the two models in the large N limit is that in the
W-F model both linages can have mutations in each step. Hence all the neutral correlations
.92 and 53 are the same as in the Moran model of appendix 5.5, provided we use µ = 2Nu.
Consequently, (Aar ),5 becomes N times larger than for the Moran process (5.19), and
2Nu.
Taking into account mutations as well, the expected total change of frequency in one
EFTA00748975
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
109
generation is
g-1
A 4
aat
=ark A
g
°
(1
11)
+ u
1 — xk
(5.42)
similarly to (5.10). Hence the average frequency of k-players in the stationary state is
1
1
(xthrs — n +
(48,x771).s
(5.43)
which is identical to (5.11) apart from an extra N factor. Since we also have an extra
N factor in (Axns for the W-F process, these factors cancel out, and we obtain the
same stationary density (5.20) as for the Moran process but with 2Nu instead of Nu
(similarly to [4]). This also implies that the condition for greater abundance (5.3) becomes
Lk +2ArteRk > 0.
Conversely, the results are identical for the Moran and the Pairwise Comparison
process. In this latter model we pick randomly a pair of players, say a type j and a type k.
The j-player then adopts strategy k w.p. .F(fj — fk), otherwise the k-player adopts strategy
j. Here .F(y) = 11 + St'
is the Fermi function, and the fitnesses are defined as f = Ax.
The above comparison of the pair of players takes place w.p. 1 — u. Instead, w.p. u one of
them adopts a random strategy.
Let us calculate directly the change of the frequency of k-players due to selection
Axr1 in state X. The number of k-players changes if we pick a k-player and aj# k player,
which happens w.p. 2242j. Then the frequency p c increases by 1/N w.p.
— fk), and
decreases by 1/N w.p. F(fk — fj). This leads to
Arld = 2x
Cj [F(h —
l(fic — h)]
which, in the leading order of small 6, becomes
I
64
62k
Ac = mi„ Exot - = rr uk - E xis
jOk
(5.44)
(5.45)
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Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
110
With the above definition of fitness we arrive at the same expression we obtained for the
Moran process (5.6) and (5.7). Since without selection this model is equivalent to the Moran
model, all neutral correlations s2 and 53 are also the same. Mutations in this model have
the same effect as in the Moran model (5.10). Consequently all results we obtained for the
Moran model are valid for the Pairwise Comparison process as well.
5.5 Discussion
We have studied evolutionary game dynamics in well-mixed populations with n strate-
gies. We derive simple linear conditions which hold for the limit of weak selection but for
any mutation rate. These conditions specify whether a strategy is more or less abundant
than 1/n in the mutation-selection equilibrium. In the absence of selection, the equilibrium
abundance of each strategy is 1/n. An abundance greater than 1/n means that selection
favors this strategy. An abundance less than 1/n means that selection opposes this strategy.
We find that selection favors strategy k if Lk + NuHk 7 0, where Lk and Ilk are linear
functions of the payoff values given by eqs (1) and (2). The population size is given by N
and the mutation probability by u. Furthermore, if Lk + Artilik > L1
Nilifj then the
equilibrium abundance of strategy k is greater than that of strategy j. In this case, selection
favors strategy k over j.
The traditional approach to study deterministic game dynamics in large populations
is based on the replicator equation [55], which describes selection dynamics of the average
frequencies of strategies. (Note the formal similarity between (5.7) and the replicator equa-
tion). This method, however, neglects fluctuations around the averages. In this paper we
have taken into account stochastic fluctuations, and derived exact results in the limit of
weak selection. We find the average frequencies of strategies in the stationary state, and
EFTA00748977
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
111
conditions for a strategy to be more abundant than another strategy. Our conditions are
valid for arbitrary values of the mutation rates. For small mutation rates these conditions
describe which strategy has higher fixation probability [110].
Throughout the paper we have considered large population size, N, in order to sim-
plify the presentation. But in principle all calculations can be performed for any given pop-
ulation size N and mutation probability u (see for example [4]). The mutation probability
is a parameter between 0 and 1. In a social context, mutation can also mean `exploration':
people explore the strategy space by experimenting with new strategies [153]. A high muta-
tion probability seems to be appropriate for social evolutionary dynamics. Our conditions
can be applied for the initial analysis of any evolutionary game that is specified by an n x n
payoff matrix.
Appendix. Probabilities s2 and s3
This section is valid for any number n > 1 of strategies. We calculate the probabilities
82 and 53 in the neutral (6 = 0) stationary state. First consider the simpler s2, that is the
probability that two randomly chosen players have the same strategy. We shall use the
Moran model and apply coalescent ideas [71, 72, 73, 164, 48, 4]. Coalescence means that
different family lines collide in the past. A key fact behind this idea is that there is always a
common ancestor of multiple individuals in finite populations. In the absence of mutations,
any two players have the same strategy in the stationary state, because they both inherit
their strategy from their common ancestor. In the presence of mutations, two players may
have different strategies due to mutations after the branching of their ancestral lineage.
Therefore, tracing the lineage of two players backward in time and finding the most recent
common ancestor, from which two family lines branch, enable us to estimate the similarity
EFTA00748978
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
112
of two players in strategies.
Consider two different individuals and let us trace their lineages backward in time.
In the neutral Moran process, two lineages coalesce in an elementary step of update (i.e.
two players share the same parent) with probability 2/N2. Here and thereafter we assume
that the population size is large, hence we can use a continuous time description, where the
resealed time is T = t/(N2/2). In the resealed time, the trajectories of two players coalesce
at rate 1. Following the trajectory of an individual back in time, we see that mutations
happen at rate µ/2 = Nu/2 to each trajectory.
The coalescence time r2 is described by the density function
.f2(T2) = 8-72 .
(5.46)
Immediately after the coalescence of two players we have two players of the same strategy.
What is the probability 52(r) that after a fixed time r they have again the same strategy?
With probability (abbreviated as w.p.) cTM' none of them mutated, so they still have the
same strategy. Otherwise at least one of them mutated, hence they have the same strategy
w.p. 1/n. The sum of these two probabilities gives
1 — e- PT
82(r) = e- Pr +
(5.47)
Now we obtain the stationary probability s2 by integrating this expression with the
coalescent time density of (5.46) as
00
n +
82 = J sz(r)Mildr — n(1 + µ)
(5.48)
Next we calculate the probability 53 that three randomly chosen players have the
same strategy. Any two trajectories of three players coalesce at rate 1, hence there is a
coalescence at rate 3. The coalescence of two out of the three trajectories then happens at
EFTA00748979
Chapter 5: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with multiple strategies
113
time Ty, described by the density function
f3(73) = 3e 37.
(5.49)
The remaining two trajectories then coalesce at time Ty earlier, with density function (5.46).
Before the first coalescence at time 73 backward, the two players have the same strategy
w.p. s2, and of course they are different w.p. 1— s2, where s2 is given by (5.48). Hence just
after this coalescence event we have either three identical players w.p. s2, or two identical
and one different player otherwise. Now we shall see what happens in these two scenarios.
If we have three identical players then they are also identical after time T w.p.
s3(r) = 7 [I + 3(n — 1)e - s". + (rt — 1)(n —
.
(5.50)
To derive this expression note that w.p. a l in none of the players have mutated, hence they
have the same strategy. Then w.p. 3(1 —
fr)e- in one of them has mutated, hence they
are the same w.p. 1/n. Otherwise at least two of them mutated hence they are the same
w.p. 1/n2. By collecting these terms one obtains (5.50).
Similarly, if after the first coalescence only two players share the same strategy and
one has a different strategy, the probability of all three having the same strategy after time
TiS
sr (7) = n- 2 [I.
(n -
- (n - 2)e-
•
(5.51)
Now we can simply obtain s3 by first integrating over the coalescent time distribution
(5.49) for the two different initial conditions, and then weighting them with the probabilities
of the initial conditions, namely
n2(1 + 14(2 + IL)
00
00 sr (o h (T)ch. _ (n +
(2n + ii)
(5.52)
s3 = s2
s;(0/3(T)d7 + (I - 52) f
EFTA00748980
Chapter 6
Mutation-selection equilibrium in
games with mixed strategies
6.1 Introduction
Evolutionary game dynamics is the study of frequency dependent selection (May-
nard Smith & Price 1973, Maynard Smith 1982, Hofbauer & Sigmund 1988, Weibull 1995,
Samuelson 1997, Cressman 2003). The fitness of individuals is not constant but depends
on the composition of the population. Constant selection can be seen as adaptation on
a constant fitness landscape, but for frequency dependent selection the fitness landscape
changes as the population moves over it (Nowak & Sigmund 2004). The classical approach
to evolutionary game dynamics is based on the replicator equation (Taylor Sc Jonker 1978,
Hofbauer et at 1979, Zeeman 1980, Hofbauer & Sigmund 1988, 1998). The population is
well-mixed and infinitely large. Any two individuals are equally likely to interact. The
fitness of individuals is given by the expected payoff from all interactions. The dynamics
are described by deterministic differential equations.
114
EFTA00748981
Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
115
Evolutionary game theory represent the foundation for a mathematical approach
to evolution. Evolutionary games occur whenever the reproductive success of individuals
depends on interaction with other individuals, which is almost always the case. Therefore,
evolutionary game theory permeates every area of biology including viral and bacterial
evolution (Turner Sc Chao 1999, Kerr et al 2002), host parasite interactions (Anderson
& May 1991, Nowak & May 1994), the evolution of metabolic pathways (Pfeiffer et al
2001), theoretical approaches to immunology (Nowak et al 1991, 1995), and the study of
animal and human behavior (Parker 1974, Enquist & Leimar 1983, McNamara & Houston
1986, Milinski 1987, Fudenberg & Tirole 1991, Binmore 1994, Hammerstein Sc Selten 1994,
Ohtsuki & Iwasa 2004, Nowak St Sigmund 2005). Understanding the evolution of animal
communication and human language requires evolutionary game theory (Nowak & Krakauer
1999, Nowak et al 2002). The Lotka-Volterra equation, which is a fundamental concept in
ecology describing the interaction of species in an ecosystem, is equivalent to the replicator
equation of evolutionary game dynamics (Hofbauer Sc Sigmund 1998).
Typically a game is formulated in terms of pure strategies, which can be stochastic
or deterministic. A payoff matrix describes the outcome of an interaction between any
two pure strategies. Sometimes these pure strategies are the only options available to the
players. But in other situations it could be natural that players have the possibility to use
'mixed strategies'. A mixed strategy is a vector whose entries specify the probability for
using each one of the pure strategies. A game with just pure strategies need not have a
Nash equilibrium. But a game with pure and mixed strategies always has a Nash equilib-
rium (Nash, 1950). Mixed strategies allow a certain kind of randomization which could be
advantageous in certain games (Sklansky 2005).
Consider a game with n pure strategies. The payoff values are given by the n x rt
payoff matrix A = (%). This means that an individual using pure strategy i receives payoff
EFTA00748982
Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
116
au when interacting with an individual that uses pure strategy j. Let us now consider mixed
strategies. A player can choose to play pure strategy i with probability pi. A mixed strategy
is thus given by a stochastic vector p = (p1,... ,p„) with 0 ≤
< 1 and pi +
+
= 1.
We denote the set of all such mixed strategies by Sn; this is a simplex in li.n. The unit
vectors ei correspond to the pure strategies. The payoff of a mixed strategy p against a
mixed strategy q is given by the function A(p,
= pAqT.
We focus on stochastic evolutionary dynamics in well-mixed populations of finite size
(Schaffer 1988, Kandori et al 1993, Kandori & Rob 1995, Schreiber 2001, Nowak et al 2004,
Taylor et al 2004, Wild and Taylor 2004, Traulsen et al 2005, Antal & Scheuring 2006, Imhof
& Nowak 2006, Lessard & Ladret 2007). Evolutionary updating occurs according to the
frequency dependent Moran process (Nowak et al, 2004; Taylor et al, 2004) or the frequency
dependent Wright-Fisher process (Imhof & Nowak, 2006). Reproduction is proportional to
fitness and subject to a mutation rate u. With probability 1 — u the offspring inherits the
strategy of the parent. With probability u, the offspring chooses one of the mixed strategies
uniformly at random. The rate at which mutations occur in the population is µ = Nu.
A state of our system describes the strategy of each individual. Our state space is SZ.
We look at the stationary distribution of the mutation-selection process and ask what are
the average stationary frequencies (abundances) of each strategy (Antal et a 2009b, Antal
et al 2009c, Tarnita et al 2009a, Tarnita et a 2009b). Then, we ask which strategies are
favored, on average, by selection. We study the case of weak selection. For the frequency
dependent Moran process, the effective payoff of an individual is given by f = 1+ 8. payoff.
Here cS determines the intensity of selection. Weak selection means 8 -. 0. lb obtain results
in the limit of weak selection, we use a perturbation theory method also employed in Antal
et al 2009b, Antal et al 2009c and Tarnita et a 2009a.
For the game dealing only with the it pure strategies in a finite well-mixed population,
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
117
Antal et al 2009c obtained the following result. In the limit of weak selection, all strategies
have approximately the same abundance, 1/n, in the stationary distribution of the mutation-
selection process. There are only minor deviations from this uniform distribution. One
can say that selection favors a strategy if its abundance exceeds 1/n. Selection opposes a
strategy if its abundance is less than 1/n. It has been show that for low mutation probability
1/N), selection favors strategy k if
1 r n ,
Lk = —
n L i(akk + aki — aik — au) > 0
1=1
For high mutation probability (u» 1/N), selection favors strategy k if
(6.1)
1
n
n
Hk
E E(a kj — NJ) > 0
(6.2)
i=1 j=1
For arbitrary mutation probability, u, the general expression for selection to favor strategy
kis
Lk + µHk > 0
(6.3)
where µ = Nu is the rate of mutation. Moreover, strategy k is more abundant than strategy
j if and only if
Lk + µHk > Lj + µHj
(6.4)
Finally, the abundance of strategy k is:
1
+ IiHk
= -n (1 + 0/(1 u) (1+
Lk 11)(2 + A)
(6.5)
All these results hold for large, but finite population size, N. They are shown in Antal et
al 2009c.
In this paper we analyze the same questions but for games with mixed strategies.
By analogy with Antal et al. 2009c, we use global mutation rates. Hence, if a mutation
occurs, then a mixed strategy is chosen at random from a uniform distribution over the
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
118
simplex 5,,. For a mixed strategy p = (p1,...,p„) with 0 ≤
≤ 1 and pi +
+ p„ = 1,
let i p be the probability density function of a player using strategy p. Thus, for any set of
strategies B C S„, the stationary frequency (abundance) of individuals that have strategies
in B is fE i pdp. In the game of n pure strategies, one determines which strategy is favored
by comparing its abundance to the average, 1/n. In the game with mixed strategies, the
equivalent condition for a strategy to be favored is that its abundance (density) is greater
than the mean, ip > 1.
We establish the following results. For low mutation (ti GG 1/N), strategy p is favored
by selection if and only if
4, =
[A(p, p) + A(p,
— A(q, p) — A(q, q)] dq > 0
(6.6)
where is. dq =
.f l
---q4-2 dq„_1...dq2dgi. Note that condition (6.6) gives
a quadratic hypersurface in p. For high mutation (ti >> 1/N), the condition for strategy p
to be favored by selection is
HP =
[A(p,
— A(r, q)] dqdr > 0
(6.7)
S. S.
Note that (6.7) gives a hyperplane in p. For any mutation probability u, strategy p is
favored by selection if and only if
Lp
µlip
>
0
(6.8)
where µ = Nu is the mutation rate. Moreover, strategy p is favored over strategy q if and
only if
Lp +
µHp
> L, +AC;
(6.9)
Finally, the abundance (density) of strategy p is:
Lp +
p
=
1
+ (SN (1
11)(1+ o)(2 + p.)
(6.10)
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All these results hold for large, but finite population size, 1 GG N <G 1/u. They allow a
characterization of games with mixed strategies, in the limit of weak selection and for global
mutation.
To gain some qualitative understanding of our results, let us first discuss the con-
ditions for low and high mutation. When the mutation is low, all players use the same
strategy, until a mutant strategy appears. This mutant strategy either takes over or dies
out before any new mutant appears. Thus, for low mutation, only two strategies are in-
volved in a takeover at a time. This explains why the low mutation condition is an average
over all pairwise comparisons, A(p,
+ A(p,
— A(q,
— A(q, q). Conversely, for high
mutation rates, the densities of all strategies are close to 1 all the time. Hence, the payoff
of strategy p is fs. A(p, q)dq. Strategy p is favored if its payoff is greater than the average
payoff of the population, which is fs. fs A (r, q)drdq. This difference is equivalent to (6.7).
Note that the condition for high mutation rate holds for any intensity of selection, while
the other conditions require weak selection.
The rest of the paper is structured as follows. In Section 2 we derive the general
conditions for strategy selection for any mutation rates. Games with two pure strategies
are analyzed in Section 3, and the Hawk-Dove game is considered as an example. In section
5, we give a relaxed Prisoner's Dilemma as an example of a mixed game with 3 strategies.
In Section 5 we present a few results for games with 71 pure strategies. Our findings are
discussed in Section 6.
6.2
Mixed games with 2 strategies
We consider a well-mixed population of N individuals. Each of them plays a mixed
strategy, based on n pure strategies. The payoffs of the n pure strategies are given by the
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
120
n x rt matrix A = (%). The payoff of a mixed strategy p = (ph
,p„) C Sn playing
another mixed strategy q =
C 5„ is given by the function
A(p, q) = pAqr = E %Aga
(6.11)
id
First, we discuss the n = 2 case and then turn to the general n case, which is completely
analogous.
When n = 2, a mixed strategy is given by p = (p,1 — p) E S2 where p is the
probability to play strategy 1. The simplex 52 is a line segment of length 1. The left end,
corresponds to p = 0 which is the pure strategy 2 and the right end corresponds to p = 1
which is the pure strategy 1. We partition the [0,1] interval into segments of length 1/m,
as shown in Fig. 6.1, and allow only m + 1 types of mixed strategies. This means that
strategy k = [klm,(m — k)/m], plays the pure strategy 1 with probability klm, and pure
strategy 2 with probability (m — k)/m. We are interested in the stationary abundance of
these strategies.
Now, we have turned our continuous problem into a discrete one with m + 1 pure
strategies, where we can use (6.1) and (6.2) to write
1
ntia
Lk = m+
A(k,k) + floc)) - A(i,k) - A0,0
i=0 m m
Hk =
1 > Aoc,n_ A(i,j)
(nt + 1)2 1=0 5=0
and use (6.5) to obtain the frequency of strategy k. Taking the limit m —• co, the sums in
(6.5) converge to the integrals
(6.12)
4=j
[A (p, p) + A (p, q) — A(q, p) — A(q, q)1 dg
h
hlP =
1 /1 [A(p,q) - A(q, r)1 dgdr
o
o
(6.13)
with p = j/m, and we obtain the abundance (6.10). Thus, the condition that the abundance
of p is greater than 1 is equivalent to (6.8), as claimed.
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
121
1/m
(1.0)
(0,1)
(1-1/m, Wm)
OSIIm
Fig. 6.1: Partition of the interval [0,1] into segments of length 1/m.
For general n, completely analogously to the n = 2 case, we first partition each coor-
dinate of the simplex S„ into m equal parts, and use the corresponding discrete strategies.
In Fig. 6.2, we show a partition of the simplex S3 by triangles. We can use the the pure
strategy formulas (6.1), (6.2), (6.5) for this problem, and then take the m -. oo limit to
obtain (6.6), (6.7), and (6.10). Hence we conclude as before that the condition for strategy
p to be favored by selection is indeed (6.8).
(0,0,1)
•
AVA
OO♦
AVAVAVA
♦VO♦VAVA
AT
11/m
AVAVAVAVAVAVA
AVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
avAVAVAVAV•vAvAVAVA
AVAVAVAV•V•VAVAVAVAVAVA
(1.0,0)
(0,1,0)
Fig. 6.2: Covering of the simplex S3 by triangles of side length 1/m.
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
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6.3 Mixed games with two pure strategies
Consider the game between two strategies A and B. The payoff matrix is given by
A B
Ara
b)
B
c
d
In addition to the two pure strategies, we have mixed strategies p = (p,1—p) where p is the
probability to play strategy A and 1 — p is the probability to play strategy B. The payoff
of strategy p against strategy q is given by (6.11):
(6.14)
A(p, q) = apg + bp(1— g) + c(1 — p)q + d(1 — p)(1 —
(6.15)
Then condition (6.6) that strategy p is favored by selection, in the limit of low mutation
becomes
1
Lp
=
—
— b — c + d)(p +
+ 2(b — d)] dg
= p2(a — b — c+ d)+2p(b — d)— al (a +2b — c — 2d) > 0
For p = (0,1), which is the pure strategy B, we obtain:
(6.16)
a+2b<c+2d
(6.17)
This condition is equivalent to PA C 1/N, where PA is the fixation probability of an A
mutant in a population of B individuals (Nowak et al 2004a, Ohtsuki et al 2007, Imhof et
al 2006, Lessard and Ladret 2007). The above condition can thus be interpreted as follows:
in a 2 x 2 game with mixed strategies, pure strategy B is favored if pure strategy A is not
an advantageous mutant in a pure B population, pA<11N. By symmetry, for p = (1,0),
which is the pure strategy A, (6.16) becomes 2a + b > 2c + d. This condition is equivalent
to pa < 1/N. Thus, in a 2 x 2 game with mixed strategies, A is favored if B is not an
advantageous mutant, pEr C 1/N.
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
123
Now we can ask when strategy A is better than strategy B. For this we need to
compare LA to La; we conclude that A is favored over B if and only if a + b > c+ d. This
is the usual risk-dominance condition of strategy A over strategy B (Kandori et al 1993,
Nowak et al 2006, Antal et al 2009a). Thus, adding the mixed strategies does not change
the ranking of the two pure strategies. If a + b > c + d then A is more abundant than
B in the stationary distribution of the mutation-selection process with or without mixed
strategies. This result will be generalized for games with n pure strategies in Lemma 2.
Next we analyze the case of high mutation. Condition (6.7) becomes
flp = 4
—1(2p — 1)(a + b — c — d)> 0
(6.18)
As before, the condition that selection favors p = (1,0), which is the pure strategy A is
a+b>c+d
(6.19)
This is the usual condition for risk dominance of strategy A over strategy B. By symmetry,
the condition that pure strategy B is favored by selection is a + b < c + d, which is the
usual risk-dominance condition of B over A. Note that for high mutation, adding mixed
strategies does not change the selection conditions for the pure strategies. This result will
be generalized for games with 71 pure strategies in Lemma 3. Moreover, for high mutation
rate, if a+b > c+d, then all strategies with p > 1/2 are favored. Thus, if A is risk dominant
over B, all mixed strategies that play A with higher probability than B are favored. By
synunetry, if B is risk-dominant over A, i.e. a + b < c+ d, then strategies which are more
likely to play B (i.e. p < 1/2) are favored.
In general, for any mutation rate it, the condition for strategy p = (p,1 — p) to be
favored by selection can be deduced from (6.8) to be
p2(a—b—c+d)+24—d+51(a+b—c—d)]i.(a+2b—c-2d)-51(a+b—c—d)> 0 (6.20)
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124
(s)
Best
Worst
(b)
Best
0
Worst
Worst
(e)
Best
•
•
PA
•
•
PA
Worst
Worst
(b)
Best
Worst
(c)
Best
Worst
(0)
Best
Fig. 6.3: The first column corresponds to the case a + d < b + c. The parabola is concave.
The only possibilities are: (a) the tip of the parabola is to the left of the interval [0,1];
(b) the tip is inside but only the right root is inside as well; (c) the tip and both roots are
inside; (d) the tip and the left root are inside; (e) the tip is to the right of the interval. The
green segment shows which strategies are favored. The green dot marks the best strategy.
The second column corresponds to the case a+d> b + c. The parabola is convex.
This condition describes a parabola. The mixed strategy corresponding to the tip of the
parabola is /5 = (p, - 23) where
b—d+t(a+b—c—d)
p
a—b—c+d
(6.21)
We are interested in the part of this parabola supported by the interval [0,1]. Based on
where p is situated relative to the interval [0, 1] as well as on the sign of the coefficient of
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
125
p2 in (6.20), the relevant part of the parabola can have several shapes, as shown in Fig 6.3.
6.3.1 A resealed payoff matrix
For a non-degenerate (a
d) payoff matrix (6.14), a > d can always be achieved
by renaming the strategies. Moreover, under weak selection adding an overall constant to
all elements or multiplying all elements by the same positive number does not affect the
dynamics; it only changes the intensity of selection 6. Hence we can define an equivalent
payoff matrix (see also Antal et al 2009b)
with only two parameters
b — d
c — a
c, =
s —
a — d
a — d
(6.22)
(6.23)
This means that each specific game given by numerical values in (6.14) corresponds to a
point in the (a, #) plane. A class of games then corresponds to a particular region in this
plane. In Figure 6.3.1 we show a few common games in the (a,#) plane. For example all
Prisoner's Dilemma games belong to the second quarter plane a < 0,0 > 0. In the Hawk
Dove game we first have to flip the Hawk and the Dove strategies to obtain a matrix with
a > d. Then the corresponding region is 0 < a < 1 and # > 0. Moreover, the simplified
Hawk-Dove game (6.26), which is the subject of the next subsection, is given by a = bit
and $ = 1 — bk. Hence, in the (a,#) plane, the simplified Hawk-Dove game is given by
the line segment /3 = 1 — a, with 0 < a < 1.
Now we present the same analysis as before for mixed strategies in 2 x 2 games using
the simplified payoff matrix. For any finite mutation rate, µ, we have three different regions
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
126
Prisoner's
dilemma
Snraw drift
.0(
Hawk-Dgye
Stag hunt
Harmony
1
Fig. 6.4: Schematic phase diagram in the (a,0) plane. The four regions bounded by black
lines correspond to four different games. The dashed line corresponds to the simplified
Hawk-Dove game (6.26).
in the (a, 0) parameter space, as depicted in Fig. 6.5. The optimal strategy is
pure A,
pure B,
for 0 < a and 0 < a p+4
for 0 > a and 0 >
ft
mixed A and B, for 0 < al=+4 and Q > p4
In the mixed case the optimal value of p is given by
a
4_
ct— 13
P = oi-F0
4 a+0
(6.24)
(6.25)
In the small mutation rate limitµ -. 0, the mixed phase extends to the quarter-plane a > 0,
> 0. For large mutation ratesµ —• co, however, the mixed phase disappears.
6.3.2
Example: Hawks and Doves
As an example, we consider the Hawk-Dove game (Maynard-Smith 1982, Houston
Mcishunara 1988, Houston Sc McNamara 1991, IvIesterton-Gibbons 1994, Killingback
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
127
mixed
pure B
(a)
mixed
a.1
pure B
(b)
(c)
Fig. 6.5: This phase diagram shows the type of the most abundant strategy in the (a,)3)
plane for some finite mutation rate µ. It can be pure A, pure B, or a mixed stochastic
strategy. The angle of the boundary of the mixed region opens up symmetrically to 90
degree for µ
0, and closes symmetrically to the line /3 = a for µ —) co. In this last case,
the mixed region disappears.
Doebeli 1996, Nakamaru & Sasaki 2003), which is given by the payoff matrix
H
D
H
b /
D
0
The two strategies are hawk (H) and dove (D). While hawks escalate fights, doves retreat
when the opponent escalates. The benefit of winning the fight is b. The cost of injury is
c. We have 0 < b < c. If two hawks meet, then the fight will escalate. One hawk wins,
while the other is injured. Since both hawks are equally strong, the probability of winning
or losing is 1/2. Hence, the expected payoff for each of them is (b - c)/2. If a hawk meets
a dove, the hawk wins and receives payoff b, while the dove retreats and receives payoff 0.
If two doves meet, there is no injury, but one of them wins eventually. The expected payoff
is b/2. Since b < c, neither strategy is a Nash equilibrium. If everyone else plays hawk,
then it is better to play dove and vice versa. Hence, hawks and doves can coexist. At the
stable equilibrium, the frequency of hawks is given by b/c.
Next we consider mixed strategies that play hawk with probability p and dove with
probability 1— p. The strategy space is given by the interval [0,1]. The pure strategies are
(6.26)
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
128
p = 0 (D) and p = 1 (H). The evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) is given by the mixed
strategy that plays hawk with probability ps. b/c. No other strategy can invade this ESS
under deterministic evolutionary dynamics. We can now study the Hawk-Dove game with
the methods developed in the previous section. Using (6.20), we can write the condition
that the mixed strategy p = (p,1 — p) is favored
—p2c
p [2b
(1) — ID] — (13 —
— 12 (13
2) > °
(6.27)
The first observation is that the ESS strategy p* = (12%1 — e) is always favored. We can
see this by substituting p. into (6.27) and noting that it is always positive. However, pt is
not always the best strategy. In (6.27) the leading coefficient is —c < 0; hence the parabola
is concave, as in Fig. 6.3 (a.e). Thus, the best strategy is either the tip of the parabola or
one of the two pure strategies. The tip of the parabola is given by
= p*
+ 2 ) — 4
(6.28)
For
0 we have p = b/c = p. which always belongs to the interval [0,1]. Forµ > 0
we can compare the tip of the parabola to the ESS strategy. We conclude that 13 > p* if
and only if b/c > 1/2, while 13 < pt if and only if b/c < 1/2. Note that f. = pt if and
only if either µ
0 (which is the low mutation case) or b/c = 1/2. Thus if the ESS leans
more towards one pure strategy, increasing the mutation rate pushes the best strategy even
closer towards that pure strategy.
For low mutation,
0, the parabola looks like Fig. 6.3 (b), (c) or (d). The favored
strategies always form a neighborhood around p*. If b/c < 1/3 then this neighborhood
includes pure dove, p = 0. If 1/3 < b/c < 2/3 then this neighborhood includes neither
pure dove nor pure hawk. If 2/3 < b/c then this neighborhood includes pure hawk, p = 1.
The best strategy is always e.
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
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For high mutation, the condition for strategy p = (p,1 — p) to be favored is (2p —
1)(2b — c) > 0. Therefore, If b/c C 1/2 then the best strategy is pure dove, p = 0. If
1/2 < bit then the best strategy is pure hawk, p = 1. The mixed ESS, p*, is always favored
but is never the best strategy.
When mutation is neither low nor high, we have a mixture of the above to cases. All
situations of Fig. 6.3 (a-e) are possible.The mixed ESS, p*, is always favored, but is never
the best strategy. The tip of the parabola, 13, is given by (6.28) and is different from ps.
(i) if b/c < µ/(2µ + 4), then 13 < 0, which means pure dove, p = 0, is the best strategy.
(ii) if µ/(2µ + 4) < b/c <
+ 4)(2µ + 4), then 0 < p < 1. In this case, 13, is the best
strategy and the favored strategies form a neighborhood around it. There are three
cases: (i') either pure dove or (ii') pure hawk or (iii') neither of them are part of this
neighborhood.
(iii) if b/c > (µ + 4)/(2µ + 4), then ;I > 1, which means pure hawk, p = 1, is the best
strategy.
Note that lower b/c values favor doves, while higher b/c values favor hawks. This
makes sense, because b/c is the ratio of the benefit gained from winning the fight over the
cost of possible injury. If this ratio is small, then it is better not to escalate fights (which
means to play dove). It is interesting to note that the mixed ESS of classical game theory,
ps, is always one of the strategies that is favored by selection, but is never the best strategy
for any positive mutation rateµ > 0.
These results agree with the general picture of Section 6.3.1. Note that (after flipping
the H and D strategies), the simplified Hawk-Dove game (6.26) corresponds to the segment
$ = 1— a, with 0 < a C 1 on the plane of Fig. 6.4. Then the region where mixed strategies
are favored is described by (6.24), and it can be seen on Figure G.S.
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
130
6.4 A mixed 3-game: Cooperators, Defectors, Loners
Consider a game with three pure strategies whose interactions are given by the fol-
lowing matrix:
C
D
L
C b — c —c 0 '
A= D
b
0
0
(6.29)
L
0
0
0 /
where b > c > 0. The game between cooperators and defectors is the usual simplified
Prisoner's Dilemma. The third strategy is a loner strategy: loners do not play the game;
hence, they pay no cost and receive no benefit.
Let us first analyze these strategies using the result of Antal et al 2009c. Then the
conditions for C, D and L respectively to be selected for are
Lc = (13 — 3c) > 0
(6.30)
LD
= g > 0
(6.31)
LL = 3(—b+c)> 0
(6.32)
Clearly, loners L are never selected for; C is selected for iff b/c > 3 and D is always
selected for. Moreover, C is favored over D if and only if Lc > LD which is equivalent to
b/c > 5. Finally, C is favored over L iff b/c > 2. So there is a parameter region where C
is worse than L.
In the mixed strategies setup, the payoff of strategy p = (ph,p2,1 —
— p2) against
strategy q = (qi, q2, 1 -
- q2) is
A(p, q) = ptAq = bqi (pi + p2) - cpi (qi + Q2)
(6.33)
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
131
Using (6.6) we conclude that, in the limit of low mutation and weak selection, strategy
p is favored if
4,
24
= —1 (b(-3 + 12/4 +O2 +4p1(-1 +3p2)) + c(3 -12g+42- 4pi (1 +3p2))) > 0 (6.34)
Thus, the conditions for a pure C = (1, 0,0), pure D = (0, 1, 0) or pure L = (0,0,1)
to win are:
Lc = +4(5b — 130) > 0
(6.35)
LD
= a(b + 7e) > 0
(6.36)
LL = 2+4(-3b + 3c) > 0
(6.37)
One can then immediately deduce the low mutation conditions for each of these
strategies to be favored in general, or to be favored over each other. Since b > c > 0, it
is clear that i t < 0 always; so the Loner strategy is never selected for. Moreover, C is
selected if and only if b/c > 13/5 = 2.6. Note that this condition is weaker than in the case
of pure strategies, when C is selected if b/c > 3. Hence, adding mixed strategies helps the
cooperators. Clearly, D is always selected.
Finally we can also conclude that C is favored over D if and only if L0 > Li) which is
equivalent to b/c > 5. Note that this condition is the same as in the case of pure strategies.
Moreover, one can show that for b/c > 5, cooperation is the best strategy overall (see Fig.
6.7).
As before, we find that L is never selected. However, one surprising result is that
unlike in the pure case, in the mixed case L is never the worst strategy. The worst strategy is
either a mixture between cooperative and loner behavior or pure cooperation. The mixture
is given by (p, 0,1 - p) where p = (b + c)/6(b — c) (see Fig. 6.6, 6.7). Note that since
p > 0, the loner strategy L will never be the worst strategy. However, p could be greater
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
132
than 1 which implies that the worst strategy could be cooperation C. This happens when
b/c < 7/5 = 1.4 (see Fig. 6.8). As in the pure analysis, C is worse than L for b/c < 2.
One question is which of the two strategies C or L is predominant in the worst mixed
strategy, i.e. we want to know when the probability p = (b +
— c) to play C is
greater than 1/2. This is precisely when b/c c 2 which is the condition for C to be the
worst strategy in the pure case.
Fig. 6.6: Defection is the best strategy. C is selected for. Mixed between C and L is the
worst. pi is the probability to cooperate. p2 is the probability to defect. (0,0) is L. In red
we have our surface and in blue the plane 0.
The same analysis can be done for high mutation. In the pure case, using the results
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
133
Fig. 6.7: Cooperation is the best strategy.
in Antal et al 2009c we obtain the conditions:
He
= 9 (b — 4c)
Ho
= ti (13 + 2c)
HL = i(-2b +
(6.38)
(6.39)
(6.40)
(6.41)
Thus, we can conclude that in the limit of high mutation, L is never selected, D is
always selected and C is selected only if b/c > 4. Moreover, we can conclude that C is
never better than D. Finally, C is better than L unless b/c < 2.
Next, we allow all mixed strategies. Then the high mutation condition for strategy
p to be selected is
P = —1 (c(2 — 6p1) + b(-2 + 3pi + 3p2)) > 0
6
(6.42)
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
134
p1
0.0
1.0
Fig. 6.8: Cooperation is the worst strategy.
In particular, C, D or L are selected if and only if:
HC
=
(b - 44c) > 0
(6.43)
AD
= a(b+2e) >0
(6.44)
EL, = 3+6(-2b+240> 0
(6.45)
(6.46)
Note that these conditions are the same as the ones in the pure analysis, up to a
scaling by a constant. Hence, the conclusions are as before: D is always the best strategy;
C can be selected for if b/c > 4; L is never selected for. C could be worse than L for
b/c < 2. Note that in the high mutation case the worst strategy is either L or C (unlike
the low mutation case).
Finally one can use the general formula for any mutation rate to obtain a linear
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
135
combination of these behaviors.
6.5 Mixed games with n pure strategies
In this section we present a few results which characterize the general behavior of
pure strategies. In an n x n game with only pure strategies, the condition that strategy k
is favored is given by (6.1).
Lemma 1. In the limit of weak selection and low mutation in an n x 71 game with mixed
strategies, the condition that pure strategy ek is favored is
Lot — (n+1)! [E ((n + 1)akk + (n + 1)4; —
+ 1)aik — du) — E au] > 0
(6.47)
The proof is by induction. From this lemma, it is immediate that the comparison
conditions Li > Li and Le, > ifej are equivalent. Hence, we can make the following
statement.
Lemma 2. In the limit of weak selection and low mutation, the relative ranking of pure
strategies in a game with mixed strategies is the same as that in a game with just the pure
strategies. Hence, adding mixed strategies does not change the relative ranking of the pure
strategies.
Proof. A direct proof for this statement is immediate. To find the difference Le, —Lei,
one simply needs to integrate:
S„A(ei,e0
+ A(ei,q) — A(q, ei) — A(ej, ej) — A(ei,
+ A(q, ej) dq
(6.48)
We note that: A(ei,ei) = nu, 11(ei,(1) = Ek qkaik and A(q,ei) = Ek qkakil where tie =
1 —
—
All these functions are linear and hence easily integrable over the simplex
Se,. For example, we have k
qi = 1/(n + 1)!.
K
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
136
Lemma 3. In the limit of weak selection and high mutation the conditions He > 0 and
He, > 0 are equivalent and they can be written as
1
1 n
e,'
Laid > 0
(6.49)
The proof is again immediate by induction. Thus, in the limit of weak selection and
high mutation, the condition for a pure strategy i to be favored in a mixed game is the
same as in the pure game. Note that this lemma is stronger than Lemma 2. In the high
mutation case, the conditions that the pure strategies are favored are exactly the same for
both the mixed and the pure game. In the low mutation case, only the relative behavior of
the pure strategies is the same between the two cases. The actual conditions for selection
are different between the mixed game and the pure game.
For any mutation, the condition for a strategy to be favored is simply a linear com-
bination between the low mutation and high mutation behaviors. Hence, combining the
results in the lenunas 2 and 3, we conclude that: in the limit of weak selection, for any
mutation rate, the relative ranking of the pure strategies is not affected by introducing
mixed strategies.
6.6 Conclusion
We have presented a method to study games with mixed strategies in finite sized
populations under stochastic evolutionary dynamics. We assume that individuals reproduce
at a rate that is proportional to the payoff earned in the game. Reproduction is subject to
mutation. We characterize the average abundance of each mixed strategy in the mutation-
selection equilibrium. Strategies that are favored by selection are more abundant than
average. Strategies that are opposed by selection are less abundant than average. If strategy
A is more abundant than strategy B in the mutation-selection equilibrium, then we say that
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
137
A is favored over B.
Our results allow a simple and straightforward characterization of games with mixed
strategies. The crucial condition for low mutation rate (6.6) is based on averaging over
all pairwise comparisons. The crucial condition for high mutation rate (6.7) is based on
evaluating the fitness of each strategy at the point where all strategies are equally abundant.
Intriguingly, the condition for any mutation rate is simply a linear combination of the
conditions for low and high mutation rates. We have no intuitive explanation why this
condition is linear in the mutation rates.
Although our results provide interesting new insights into evolutionary game dynam-
ics, our approach has limitations. (i) We can only consider the case of weak selection. This
means the fitness of an individual is 1+6•payoff where ö is small. One way to interpret weak
selection is to say that the game under consideration provides only a small contribution to
overall fitness. Another way to explain weak selection is the following: when choosing to
update their strategies, players make random choices that are weakly affected by payoff;
this means players do not really know what is going on. Both of these aspects are in fact
very realistic and will apply in many situations. Hence weak selection is an important case
to be studied. (ii) We consider only global mutation. A new mutant is picked at random
from a uniform distribution of the strategy space, which is given by the simplex S.. Such
a mutation model is often used in population genetics; it is called `house of cards'. The
location of the mutant in strategy space does not depend on the parent. (iii) We calcu-
late the average abundance of each mixed strategy in the stationary distribution of the
mutation-selection process, but we do not in fact calculate the stationary distribution over
the entire state space. Our stochastic process has state space Sff: for each of the N players
we must specify which strategy (in SO is being used. Instead of calculating the stationary
distribution over S., we calculate the average abundance of each mixed strategy. With this
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Chapter 6: Mutation-selection equilibrium in games with mixed strategies
138
method though, we are able to decide whether a strategy is favored or not by selection in
the stationary state.
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