Population games on dynamic community networks

Abstract

In this letter, we deal with evolutionary game theoretic learning processes for population games on networks with dynamically evolving communities. Specifically, we propose a novel mathematical framework in which a deterministic, continuous-time replicator equation on a community network is coupled with a closed dynamic flow process between communities that is governed by an environmental feedback mechanism, resulting in co-evolutionary dynamics. Through a rigorous analysis of the system of differential equations obtained, we characterize the equilibria of the coupled dynamical system. Moreover, for a class of population games with two actions and symmetric rewards a Lyapunov argument is employed to establish an evolutionary folk theorem that guarantees convergence to the evolutionary stable states of the game. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate and corroborate our findings.