Chris J. Scogings and Ken A. Hawick
Agent-based model, animat, camouflage, predation
Many real animals employ camouflage using either their natural appearance or by adapting their behaviour. We explore the effect on large scale animat agent populations when camouflage behaviour is an available option for predators. We find that individuals who adopt this behaviour are relatively successful in obtaining prey and thus prolonging their lives against threat of dying of hunger. Consequently in our simulation model predators have a longer life and a greater statistical chance of passing on this trait. However there is an interesting consequence for the overall system, whereby over-successful predation drives the coupled system of predators and prey downwards to lower population levels than without the camouflage trait.
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