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Evolutionary Game Theory Between Ravens

The need for evolutionary game theory in biology started with a problem. The problem was to explain why animals are doing what they do in contests for resources. Game theory is a branch of mathematics and economics where players choose different actions to maximize their returns. Interestingly, game theory can be used in many diverse fields, including philosophy, psychology, and even biology. In the 1970’s scientists started applying game theory to animal behavior and observed a group of ravens’ unusual strategy for foraging for food. Classical game theory requires that all of the players make rational game choices-a strategic choice determined on the probable outcomes. It is important that each player must consider that whether or not his or her own strategic choice is appropriate.

Research from the University of Exeter explains how the behavior of ravens can be predicted by models and has successfully predicted the animal behavior in the world. Normally, individuals will search for carcasses and then a pair of adult ravens will defend the finds. Younger birds, however, will search individually on adult territories and will recruit each other to conquer adult protection. On the other hand, a study at Anglesey, a British island off the coast of Wales, found that the younger ravens scavenge for food in gangs-a coordination not seen before. The researchers built a mathematic model to understand the behavior and the techniques identified the most profitable behaviors. The study revealed that the two most profitable strategies to find food were 1) birds search independently and then recruit each other or 2) birds forage in gangs. The findings showed that gang scavenging should occur only when searching individually is no better. It was discovered that it would be efficient only if a raven was not able to thoroughly explore a landscape that could be done by a gang in a day. In addition, the availability of food was also a key factor. The island of Anglesey has food widely available compared to other wild locations. When there is a surplus of food, then foraging allows the ravens to gain social status.

Evolutionary Game Theory originated in 1973 by John Maynard Smith and George R. Price. The key point was that the success of a strategy is not just determined by the actual advantages of the strategy, but by how good the strategy is in the presence of other alternative strategies, and the frequency of those other strategies within the competing population. The object of the evolutionary game is to become more fit than the competitors. This example of game theory has allowed us to predict the behavior of animals in the world, and shows the potential to help understand different social structures.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224230705.htm

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