"Plant-Soil feedbacks as bimatrix evolutionary games"Karagiannis-Axypolitidis, NikolaosWe use a bimatrix evolutionary game to model the way Plant-Soil feedbacks influence the competition between plant species subsequently growing in the same soil. The latter are selected by a set of categories defined in respect to the sign of the feedback. This feedback refers to the effect on plant's growth of the ability of a given plant or community to alter soil conditions, either abiotic or biotic. Our game describes the direct interaction between the plants and the soil ingredients and its implied result to the plants’ competition. The numerical results of the induced population dynamics along with a theoretical analysis based on well-known Evolutionary Game Theory, reveal whether Plant-Soil feedbacks favor the coexistence of species or just the absolute dominance of one of them. In fact, our results strengthen the general belief that negative Plant-Soil feedbacks are necessary for coexistence. |
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