Payoffs and strategies in territorial contests: ESS analyses of two ecotypes of the spider Agelenopsis aperta

摘要: Game-theoretic analyses were completed on the territorial contest behavior of two populations a desert spider that exhibit markedly different levels within-species competition. Numerical payoff matrices constructed from field data collected and demography each population. Payoffs expressed in terms expected future egg production. Three patterns might following assessment its weight relative to opponent value site considered: withdraw, display, or escalate. The model predicts for more harsh grassland habitat an evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) makes ownership decisive settling contests between opponents with small differences, whereas it otherwise assigns victory heavier opponent. Whereas empirical this population closely approximates predicted ESS, occupying favorable riparian deviates significantly. ESS prediction latter is intruding will withdraw if similar web-owner. Withdrawal common population, but so are display threat these actions not predicted. We hypothesize gene flow surrounding habitats preventing completely adapting local environment.