Environmental feedback in spatial public goods game

Abstract

Abstract We study the evolution of cooperation on a two-dimension square lattice where local common resources are considered changeable depending on the actions of individuals. We build a simple modified model by introducing an exogenous variable on the basis of the traditional public goods game with two classical pure strategies of cooperation (C) and defection (D). In this approach, cooperation can be significantly promoted than that in the traditional model. We make a statistical analysis and discuss the conditions for the emergence and development of cooperation on lattices. We intuitively show in detail the evolutionary process of cooperation in infinite populations. However, it becomes stricter for cooperation to emerge and maintain than in well-mixed populations. Furthermore, we find that defectors still survive even though cooperators can possibly obtain the highest payoffs in a single game. The modified model can be applied in some scenarios with environmental feedback which expands the application of the traditional public goods game.