Approximating the ideal free distribution via reaction-diffusion-advection equations

We consider reaction-diffusion-advection models for spatially distributed populations that have a tendency to disperse up the gradient of fitness, where fitness is defined as a logistic local population growth rate. We show that in temporally constant but spatially varying environments such populations have equilibrium distributions that can approximate those that would be predicted by a version of the ideal free distribution incorporating population dynamics. The modeling approach shows that a dispersal mechanism based on local information about the environment and population density can approximate the ideal free distribution. The analysis suggests that such a dispersal mechanism may sometimes be advantageous because it allows populations to approximately track resource availability. The models are quasilinear parabolic equations with nonlinear boundary conditions.     

Stationary solutions of advective Lotka–Volterra models with a weak Allee effect and large diffusion

This paper is devoted to the Neumann problem of a stationary Lotka–Volterra model with diffusion and advection. In the model it is assumed that one population growth rate is described by weak Allee effect. We first obtain some sufficient conditions ensuring the existence of nonconstant solutions by using the Leray–Schauder degree theory. And then we study a limiting system (with nonlocal constraint) which stems from the original model as diffusion and advection of one of the species tend to infinity. Finally, we classify the global bifurcation structure of nonconstant solutions of the simplified 1D case.     

Coexistence and bistability of a competition model with mixed dispersal strategy

In this paper, we investigate a Lotka–Volterra competition model with Danckwerts boundary conditions in a one-dimensional habitat where one species assumes pure random diffusion while another one undergoes mixed movement (both random and directed movements). We focus on the joint influence of advection rate, intrinsic growth rate and interspecific competition coefficient on the competition outcomes. It turns out that there exist some critical curves which separate the stable region of the semitrivial steady states from the unstable one. The locations of these curves determine whether coexistence or bistability occurs. More precisely, there are various tradeoffs between advection rate, intrinsic growth rate and interspecific competition coefficient that allow the transition of competition outcomes including competition exclusion, coexistence and bistability. We illustrate our results in various parameter spaces.     

Population model with diffusion and supplementary forest resource in a two-patch habitat

A mathematical model is proposed to study the role of supplementary self-renewable resource on species population in a two-patch habitat. It is assumed that the density of forest resource biomass is governed by the logistic equation in both the regions but with the different intrinsic growth rate but the same carrying capacity in the entire habitat. It is further assumed that the densities of species population is also governed by the generalized logistic equations in both the regions but with different growth rates and carrying capacities. It is shown that the steady state solutions are positive, monotonic and continuous under both reservoir and no-flux boundary conditions. The linear and non-linear asymptotic stability conditions of non-uniform steady state are compared with the case of the model with and without diffusion in a homogeneous habitat.     

On the effects of nonlinear boundary conditions in diffusive logistic equations on bounded domains

We study a diffusive logistic equation with nonlinear boundary conditions. The equation arises as a model for a population that grows logistically inside a patch and crosses the patch boundary at a rate that depends on the population density. Specifically, the rate at which the population crosses the boundary is assumed to decrease as the density of the population increases. The model is motivated by empirical work on the Glanville fritillary butterfly. We derive local and global bifurcation results which show that the model can have multiple equilibria and in some parameter ranges can support Allee effects. The analysis leads to eigenvalue problems with nonstandard boundary conditions.     

Competitive exclusion in a nonlocal reaction–diffusion–advection model of phytoplankton populations

We continue our study on the global dynamics of a nonlocal reaction–diffusion–advection system modeling the population dynamics of two competing phytoplankton species in a eutrophic environment, where both populations depend solely on light for their metabolism. In our previous work, we proved that system (1.1) is a strongly monotone dynamical system with respect to a non-standard cone related to the cumulative distribution functions, and further determined the global dynamics when the species have either identical diffusion rate or identical advection rate. In this paper, we study the trade-off of diffusion and advection and their joint influence on the outcome of competition. Two critical curves for the local stability of two semi-trivial equilibria are analyzed, and some new competitive exclusion results are obtained. Our main tools, besides the theory of monotone dynamical system, include some new monotonicity results for the principal eigenvalues of elliptic operators in one-dimensional domains.     

Concentration profile of endemic equilibrium of a reaction–diffusion–advection SIS epidemic model

Cui and Lou (J Differ Equ 261:3305–3343, 2016) proposed a reaction–diffusion–advection SIS epidemic model in heterogeneous environments, and derived interesting results on the stability of the DFE (disease-free equilibrium) and the existence of EE (endemic equilibrium) under various conditions. In this paper, we are interested in the asymptotic profile of the EE (when it exists) in the three cases: (i) large advection; (ii) small diffusion of the susceptible population; (iii) small diffusion of the infected population. We prove that in case (i), the density of both the susceptible and infected populations concentrates only at the downstream behaving like a delta function; in case (ii), the density of the susceptible concentrates only at the downstream behaving like a delta function and the density of the infected vanishes on the entire habitat, and in case (iii), the density of the susceptible is positive while the density of the infected vanishes on the entire habitat. Our results show that in case (ii) and case (iii), the asymptotic profile is essentially different from that in the situation where no advection is present. As a consequence, we can conclude that the impact of advection on the spatial distribution of population densities is significant.     

Modelling the response of spatially structured tumours to chemotherapy: Drug kinetics

In this paper we consider the effects of a single anticancer agent on the growth of a solid tumour in the context of a simple mathematical model for the latter. The tumour is assumed to comprise a single cell population which reproduces and dies at a rate dependent on the local drug concentration. This causes cell movement and so establishes a velocity field within the tumour. We investigate the action of a single chemotherapeutic drug on the tumour and explore how different drug kinetics and treatment regimes may affect the final treatment outcome. A single infusion of drug is shown to be more effective than repeated short applications. We are able to construct asymptotic solutions to the model in the limit of a small drug degradation rate; these closely match solutions obtained numerically and provide additional insight into the behaviour of the tumour, in particular allowing the prediction of the strength of drug required to achieve tumour regression.     

Maximization of the total population in a reaction–diffusion model with logistic growth

This paper is concerned with a nonlinear optimization problem that naturally arises in population biology. We consider the effect of spatial heterogeneity on the total population of a biological species at a steady state, using a reaction–diffusion logistic model. Our objective is to maximize the total population when resources are distributed in the habitat to control the intrinsic growth rate, but the total amount of resources is limited. It is shown that under some conditions, any local maximizer must be of “bang–bang” type, which gives a partial answer to the conjecture addressed by Ding et al. (Nonlinear Anal Real World Appl 11(2):688–704, 2010). To this purpose, we compute the first and second variations of the total population. When the growth rate is not of bang–bang type, it is shown in some cases that the first variation becomes nonzero and hence the resource distribution is not a local maximizer. When the first variation becomes zero, we prove that the second variation is positive. These results implies that the bang–bang property is essential for the maximization of total population.     

Modeling and analysis of effects of awareness programs by media on the spread of infectious diseases

In this paper, a non-linear mathematical model for the effects of awareness programs on the spread of infectious diseases such as flu has been proposed and analyzed. In the modeling process it is assumed that disease spreads due to the contact between susceptibles and infectives only. The growth rate of awareness programs impacting the population is assumed to be proportional to the number of infective individuals. It is further assumed that due to the effect of media, susceptible individuals form a separate class and avoid contact with the infectives. The model is analyzed by using stability theory of differential equations. The model analysis shows that the spread of an infectious disease can be controlled by using awareness programs but the disease remains endemic due to immigration. The simulation analysis of the model confirms the analytical results.