The effect of nonlinear environmental feedback on the outcomes of evolutionary dynamics

Abstract

In this paper, we construct a nonlinear evolutionary game model to analyze the cooperation mechanisms of the population based on a nonlinear relationship among environment and strategies. In the model, replicator dynamics and aspiration dynamics are used to explore the evolutionary outcomes of collective decision, respectively. The results suggest that the environment tends to become progressively more affluent as the number of cooperators increases, if there is a smaller intensity of environmental destruction of defectors. Interestingly, the enriched environments may attract more defectors. Hence, the population requires a higher level of vigilance against plentiful environments in response to the emergence of defectors. As opposed to replicator dynamics, aspiration dynamics can avoid the persistent oscillatory loops due to the level of aspiration. Further, we investigate the effect of complexity between the population strategy and the environment on the evolutionary outcomes. It is found that higher level of complexity can drive the environment closer to a state of affluence, but the population's strategy structure will not be modified. These insights into the relationship between environment and strategies further our understanding of the evolutionary mechanism of population and society.