(Co)evolution Leads towards ROMAs

This paper investigates the dynamics of a simple coevolutionary system. It consists of a predator-prey system in which one population maximizes its distance to the members of the other population, while the second population tries to minimize the distance to the first population. This results in a coevolutionary pursuer-evader (PE) system whose dynamics can easily be visualised and studied. Next, a simple genotype-phenotype mapping is added to the system. This mapping - as well as other sources of increased selection - push the system towards regions of maximum adaptability (ROMAs). These ROMAs are a generalization of the concept "evolution to the edge of chaos".