Evolutionary Stable Strategy (ESS) Equilibrium: Maximizing Fitness Through Root Competition

The evolutionary-stable-strategy (ESS) equilibrium is achieved when the roots of each individual, R1 and R2, proliferate in a way that each of the plants maximizes its own fitness-generating function independently from the neighbor. This means that each plant will invest in its root system in a way that allows it to obtain the most resources possible, even if this means competing with its neighbors. This competition for resources can lead to a situation where both plants are able to survive and reproduce, but neither is able to outcompete the other. This is known as an ESS equilibrium.