Table 1

Pay – off matrix for predator and parasite strategies.

parasite

predator

Mild

Virulent

Tolerant

Resistant

parasite

Mild

1-y

fr(1-y)+(1-fr)(1-x)

m

p* m

Virulent

fr(1-x)+(1-fr)(1-y)

(1-x)

v

p* v

predator

Tolerant

-y

-x

z

(1-fr) p *z + fr *z

Resistant

- p * y

- p* x

(1-fr)*z + fr (p* z)

p* z

The table differs from pay-off matrix tables for classical game theory models. The table accounts for two alternative strategies each for two different types of players namely parasite and predator. The pay-off of the parasite is not only decided by other parasites but also by the predator strategy and vice-versa. Therefore the complete pay-off of a mild parasite invading a virulent population in a tolerant host population is m * [fr(1-y)+(1-fr)(1-x)]. Others to be calculated similarly.

Jog and Watve BMC Ecology 2005 5:3   doi:10.1186/1472-6785-5-3