We extend our earlier work using artificial agents to model multi-period games between competing brands in an oligopoly. We do so by developing a multiple-population genetic algorithm in order to allow customized agents for each brand. We also consider more competitors and more possible pricing actions per competitor than before, and we evaluate the robustness of our results by Monte Carlo meth...

Explaining the evolution and maintenance of cooperative breeding or eusociality remains a challenge. Surprisingly, fundamental ecological factors, specifically competition for limited resources and resource variance, are frequently ignored in models of animal sociality. We here develop a mathematical model that includes density-dependent population growth and quantify the influence of cooperati...

Individual specialisations, which involve the repetition of specific behaviours or dietary choices over time, have been suggested to benefit animals by avoiding competition with conspecifics and increasing individual foraging efficiency. Among seabirds, resident and benthic species are thought to be good models to study inter-individual variation as they repetitively exploit the same environmen...

With the decreasing trend in rice consumption in Japan, breeding for new types of rice plant, which is a major responsibility of breeders has also become a political issue. The need for restoring Japanese agriculture and maintaining self-sufficiency in rice production has always been tightly linked to economic partnership agreements and trade liberalization. As a result, rice production has bee...

1. Cooperatively breeding species are typically long lived and hence, according to theory, are expected to maximize their lifetime reproductive success through maximizing survival. Under these circumstances, the presence of helpers could be used to lighten the effort of current reproduction for parents to achieve higher survival. 2. In addition, individuals of different sexes and ages may follo...

Can above-belowground interactions help address issues of food security? We address this question in this manuscript, and review the intersection of above-belowground interactions and food security. We propose that above-belowground interactions could address two strategies identified by Godfray etal. (2010): reducing the Yield Gap, and Increasing Production Limits. In particular, to minimize t...