Large mutations and small mutations have very different effects on evolution, illustrated by mixed strategies of asymmetric binary games.

Takashi Uehara
(Department of Biology, Kyushu University )

09/1/30, 15:50 at Room 3521 (5th floor of building 3 of the Faculty of Sciences)


We study the evolutionary effect of rare mutations causing large changes in traits. Here we consider asymmetric binary games between two players. The first player takes two alternative options with probability x and 1-x; and the second player takes options with probability y and 1-y. Due to natural selection and recurrent mutation, the population evolves to have a broad distribution of x and y. We analyze three cases showing qualitatively different dynamics, exemplified by (1) vigilance-intrusion game, (2) asymmetric hawk-dove game and (3) cleaner-client game. We found that the evolutionary outcome is strongly dependent upon the distribution of mutants’ traits, more than the mutation rates. For example in the vigilance-intrusion game, the evolutionary dynamics show a perpetual stable oscillation if mutants are always close to the parent (small-mutation mode), whilst the population converges to a stable equilibrium distribution if mutants can be quite different from the parent (large-mutation mode), even for extremely low mutation rate. When common small mutations and rare large mutations occur simultaneously, the evolutionary outcome is controlled by the latter.


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