Proposal of a population dynamics model of the Public Goods Dilemma in an Ant Colony

Abstract

This paper proposes a model of the dynamics of the public goods dilemma in an ant colony of the species Pristomyrmex punctatus, based on recent experimental results of Dobata and Tsuji. The proposed model, based on two predators competing for one prey, represents the interactions between the worker ant population, the cheater ant population (predators) and the public goods (prey) in the nest. The simulation results are qualitatively very similar to the experimental results obtained by Dobata and Tsuji. The model also allows the study and analysis of the long term behavior of the colony, with regard to extinction or coexistence.