Cannibalism may control disease in predator population: result drawn from a model based study

In the present study, we propose and analyze a predator–prey system with disease in the predator population. To understand the role of cannibalism, we modify the model considering predator population is of cannibalistic type. Local and global stability around the biologically feasible equilibria are studied. The conditions for the persistence of the system are worked out. We also analyze and compare the community structure of the model systems with the help of ecological and disease basic reproduction numbers. Finally, through numerical simulation, we observe that inclusion of cannibalism in predator population may control the disease transmission in the susceptible predator population. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chaos in delay-induced Leslie–Gower prey–predator–parasite model and its control through prey harvesting

In this paper we analyze a delay-induced predator–prey–parasite model with prey harvesting, where the predator–prey interaction is represented by Leslie–Gower type model with type II functional response. Infection is assumed to spread horizontally from one infected prey to another susceptible prey following mass action law. Spreading of disease is not instantaneous but mediated by a time lag to take into account the time required for incubation process. Both the susceptible and infected preys are subjected to linear harvesting. The analysis is accomplished in two phases. First we analyze the delay-induced predator–prey–parasite system in absence of harvesting and proved the local & global dynamics of different (six) equilibrium points. It is proved that the delay has no influence on the stability of different equilibrium points except the interior one. Delay may cause instability in an otherwise stable interior equilibrium point of the system and larger delay may even produce chaos if the infection rate is also high. In the second phase, we explored the dynamics of the delay-induced harvested system. It is shown that harvesting of prey population can suppress the abrupt fluctuations in the population densities and can stabilize the system when it exceeds some threshold value.     

Effect of prey growth and predator cannibalism rate on the stability of a structured population model

The dynamics of a structured population model including cannibalism is analyzed. Hopf bifurcation threshold for the cannibalistic attack rate is detected. Linear and nonlinear stability analysis through the Lyapunov Direct Method is also provided. The effects of relevant parameters on the stability are discussed. In particular, cannibalism is found to have a stabilizing effect, whereas the prey growth effect is opposite. The result is emphasized by numerical simulations.     

The chaos and control of a food chain model supplying additional food to top-predator

The control and management of chaotic population is one of the main objectives for constructing mathematical model in ecology today. In this paper, we apply a technique of controlling chaotic predator–prey population dynamics by supplying additional food to top-predator. We formulate a three species predator–prey model supplying additional food to top-predator. Existence conditions and local stability criteria of equilibrium points are determined analytically. Persistence conditions for the system are derived. Global stability conditions of interior equilibrium point is calculated. Theoretical results are verified through numerical simulations. Phase diagram is presented for various quality and quantity of additional food. One parameter bifurcation analysis is done with respect to quality and quantity of additional food separately keeping one of them fixed. Using MATCONT package, we derive the bifurcation scenarios when both the parameters quality and quantity of additional food vary together. We predict the existence of Hopf point (H), limit point (LP) and branch point (BP) in the model for suitable supply of additional food. We have computed the regions of different dynamical behaviour in the quantity–quality parametric plane. From our study we conclude that chaotic population dynamics of predator prey system can be controlled to obtain regular population dynamics only by supplying additional food to top predator. This study is aimed to introduce a new non-chemical chaos control mechanism in a predator–prey system with the applications in fishery management and biological conservation of prey predator species.     

Impact of cannibalism on dynamics of a structured predator–prey system

Cannibalism, as a behavioral trait, is prevalent in many species. To have better understanding of their dynamics, we investigate a structured predator-prey system with predator cannibalism, where the prey population follows the logistic growth in the absence of the predator. We study the effects of the cannibalism attack rate and the corresponding benefit rate of cannibals on the model dynamics. Complex phenomena, including the bistability, the existences of two positive equilibria and stable/unstable periodic solutions, are found. We define quantities with clear biological meanings, and establish conditions determining the local and global dynamics of the model based on these quantities. Our results show that, under certain conditions, the final states of the populations depend on not only the related model parameters but also the initial conditions of the solutions.     

一类疾病在食饵中传播的生态-传染病模型分析

分析并建立疾病在食饵中传播的生态-传染病模型,且考虑易感食饵具有常数输入,捕食者种群以Logistic模型增长,讨论了系统解的有界性和各平衡点的存在性,以及局部渐近稳定性,通过构造适当的Lyapunov函数分析了各平衡点的全局渐近稳定性,并运用比较定理证明了系统的持久性.     

Effect of emergent carrying capacity in an eco‐epidemiological system

The paper explores an eco‐epidemiological model of a predator–prey type, where the prey population is subject to infection. The model is basically a combination of S‐I type model and a Rosenzweig–MacArthur predator–prey model. The novelty of this contribution is to consider different competition coefficients within the prey population, which leads to the emergent carrying capacity. We explicitly separate the competition between non‐infected and infected individuals. This emergent carrying capacity is markedly different to the explicit carrying capacities that have been considered in many eco‐epidemiological models. We observed that different intra‐class and inter‐class competition can facilitate the coexistence of susceptible prey‐infected prey–predator, which is impossible for the case of the explicit carrying capacity model. We also show that these findings are closely associated with bi‐stability. The present system undergoes bi‐stability in two different scenarios: (a) bi‐stability between the planner equilibria where susceptible prey co‐exists with predator or infected prey and (b) bi‐stability between co‐existence equilibrium and the planner equilibrium where susceptible prey coexists with infected prey; have been discussed. The conditions for which the system is to be permanent and the global stability of the system around disease‐free equilibrium are worked out. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Consequences of refuge and diffusion in a spatiotemporal predator–prey model

In this investigation, we offer and examine a predator–prey interacting model with prey refuge in proportion to both the species and Beddington–DeAngelis functional response. We first prove the well-posedness of the temporal and spatiotemporal models which are restricted in a positive invariant region. Then for the temporal model, we analyse its temporal dynamics including uniform boundedness, permanence, stability of all feasible non-negative equilibria and show that refugia can induce periodic oscillation via Hopf bifurcation around the unique positive equilibrium; for the spatiotemporal model, we not only investigate its permanence, stability of non-negative constant steady states and Turing instability but also study the existence and non-existence of non-constant positive steady states by Leray–Schauder degree theory. The key observation is that the coefficient of refuge cooperates a significant part in modifying the dynamics of the current system and mediates the population permanence, stability of coexisting equilibrium and even the Turing instability parameter space. Finally, general numerical simulation consequences are given to illustrate the validity of the theoretical results. Through numerical simulations, one observes that the model dynamics shows prey refugia and self-diffusion control spatiotemporal pattern growth to spots, stripe–spot mixtures and stripes reproduction. The outcomes assign that the dynamics of the model with prey refuge is not simple, but rich and complex. Additionally, numerical simulations show that the other model parameters have an important effect on species’ spatially inhomogeneous distribution, which results in the formation of spots pattern, mixture of spots and stripes pattern, mixture of spots, stripes and rings pattern and anti-spot pattern. This may improve the model dynamics of the prey refuge on the reaction–diffusion predator–prey system.     

A Leslie–Gower predator–prey model with disease in prey incorporating a prey refuge

In this paper, a predator–prey Leslie–Gower model with disease in prey has been developed. The total population has been divided into three classes, namely susceptible prey, infected prey and predator population. We have also incorporated an infected prey refuge in the model. We have studied the positivity and boundedness of the solutions of the system and analyzed the existence of various equilibrium points and stability of the system at those equilibrium points. We have also discussed the influence of the infected prey refuge on each population density. It is observed that a Hopf bifurcation may occur about the interior equilibrium taking refuge parameter as bifurcation parameter. Our analytical findings are illustrated through computer simulation using MATLAB, which show the reliability of our model from the eco-epidemiological point of view.     

Rich dynamic of a stage-structured prey–predator model with cannibalism and periodic attacking rate

The dynamic behavior of a stage-structure prey–predator model with cannibalism for prey and periodic attacking rate for predator is investigated. Firstly, the permanence, locally and globally asymptotic stability analyses of the model with constant attacking rate are explored. After that, sufficient conditions for the permanence of the corresponding nonautonomous system with periodic attacking rate are obtained. Furthermore, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effects of periodic attacking rate. Simulation results show that the system with periodic attacking rate shows a rich behaviors, including period-doubling and period-having bifurcations, chaos and windows of periodicity.     

Classical predator–prey system with infection of prey population—a mathematical model

The present paper deals with the problem of a classical predator–prey system with infection of prey population. A classical predator–prey system is split into three groups, namely susceptible prey, infected prey and predator. The relative removal rate of the susceptible prey due to infection is worked out. We observe the dynamical behaviour of this system around each of the equilibria and point out the exchange of stability. It is shown that local asymptotic stability of the system around the positive interior equilibrium ensures its global asymptotic stability. We prove that there is always a Hopf bifurcation for increasing transmission rate. To substantiate the analytical findings, numerical experiments have been carried out for hypothetical set of parameter values. Our analysis shows that there is a threshold level of infection below which all the three species will persist and above which the disease will be epidemic. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predator–prey harvesting model with fatal disease in prey

A theoretical eco‐epidemiological model of a prey–predator interaction system with disease in prey species is studied. Predator consumes both susceptible and infected prey population, but predator also feeds preferentially on many numerous species, which are over represented in the predator's diet. Equilibrium points of the system are determined, and the dynamic behaviour of the system is investigated around equilibrium points. Death rate of predator species is considered as a bifurcation parameter to examine the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation in the neighbourhood of the coexisting equilibria. Numerical simulations are carried out to support the analytical results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling herd behavior in population systems

In this paper, we show that under suitable simple assumptions the classical two populations system may exhibit unexpected behaviors. Considering a more elaborated social model, in which the individuals of one population gather together in herds, while the other one shows a more individualistic behavior, we model the fact that interactions among the two occur mainly through the perimeter of the herd. We account for all types of populations’ interactions, symbiosis, competition and the predator–prey interactions. There is a situation in which competitive exclusion does not hold: the socialized herd behavior prevents the competing individualistic population from becoming extinct. For the predator–prey case, sustained limit cycles are possible, the existence of Hopf bifurcations representing a distinctive feature of this model compared with other classical predator–prey models. The system’s behavior is fully captured by just one suitably introduced new threshold parameter, defined in terms of the original model parameters.     

Novel dynamics of a predator–prey system with harvesting of the predator guided by its population

A predator–prey model was extended to include nonlinear harvesting of the predator guided by its population, such that harvesting is only implemented if the predator population exceeds an economic threshold. The proposed model is a nonsmooth dynamic system with switches between the original predator-prey model (free subsystem) and a model with nonlinear harvesting (harvesting subsystem). We initially examine the dynamics of both the free and the harvesting subsystems, and then we investigate the dynamics of the switching system using theories of nonsmooth systems. Theoretical results showed that the harvesting subsystem undergoes multiple bifurcations, including saddle-node, supercritical Hopf, Bogdanov–Takens and homoclinic bifurcations. The switching system not only retains all of the complex dynamics of the harvesting system but also exhibits much richer dynamics such as a sliding equilibrium, sliding cycle, boundary node (saddle point) bifurcation, boundary saddle-node bifurcation and buckling bifurcation. Both theoretical and numerical results showed that, by implementing predator population guided harvesting, the predator and prey population could coexist in more scenarios than those in which the predator may go extinct for the continuous harvesting regime. They could either stabilize at an equilibrium or oscillate periodically depending on the value of the economic threshold and the initial value of the system.     

Stability and bifurcation analysis for a fractional prey–predator scavenger model

In this study, we consider a fractional prey–predator scavenger model as well as harvesting by a predator and scavenger. We prove the positivity and boundedness of the solutions in this system. The model undergoes a Hopf bifurcation around one of the existing equilibria where the conditions are met for the occurrence of a Hopf bifurcation. The results show that chaos disappears in this biological model. We conclude that the fractional system is more stable compared with the classical case and the stability domain can be extended under fractional order. In addition, a suitable amount of prey harvesting and a fractional order derivative can control the chaotic dynamics and stabilize them. We also present an extended numerical simulation to validate the results.     

Complex dynamics of an eco-epidemiological model with different competition coefficients and weak Allee in the predator

The paper explores an eco-epidemiological model with weak Allee in predator, and the disease in the prey population. We consider a predator-prey model with type II functional response. The curiosity of this paper is to consider different competition coefficients within the prey population, which leads to the emergent carrying capacity. We perform the local and global stability analysis of the equilibrium points and the Hopf bifurcation analysis around the endemic equilibrium point. Further we pay attention to the chaotic dynamics which is produced by disease. Our numerical simulations reveal that the three species eco-epidemiological system without weak-Allee induced chaos from stable focus for increasing the force of infection, whereas in the presence of the weak-Allee effect, it exhibits stable solution. We conclude that chaotic dynamics can be controlled by the Allee parameter as well as the competition coefficients. We apply basic tools of non-linear dynamics such as Poincare section and maximum Lyapunov exponent to identify chaotic behavior of the system.     

Turing pattern formation in a three species model with generalist predator and cross-diffusion

In a natural ecosystem, specialist predators feed almost exclusively on one species of prey. But generalist predators feed on many types of species. Consequently, their dynamics is not coupled to the dynamics of a specific prey population. However, the defense of prey formed by congregating made the predator tend to move in the direction of lower concentration of prey species. This is described by cross-diffusion in a generalist predator–prey model. First, the positive equilibrium solution is globally asymptotically stable for the ODE system and for the reaction–diffusion system without cross-diffusion, respectively, hence it does not belong to the classical Turing instability scheme. But it becomes linearly unstable only when cross-diffusion also plays a role. This implies that cross–diffusion can lead to the occurrence and disappearance of the instability. Our results exhibit some interesting combining effects of cross-diffusion, predations and intra-species interactions. Furthermore, we consider the existence and non-existence results concerning non-constant positive steady states (patterns) of the system. We demonstrate that cross-diffusion can create non-constant positive steady-state solutions.     

Waves analysis and spatiotemporal pattern formation of an ecosystem model

In this paper, we consider a predator–prey model given by a reaction–diffusion system. This model incorporates Holling-type-II (Michaelis–Menten) and modified Leslie-Gower functional responses. We show the existence of qualitatively different types of system behaviors realized for various parameter values. Our model is investigated with methods of the qualitative theory and the theory of bifurcations. We generalize the traveling waves existence method for populations dynamics with positive derivative densities, to the predator–prey system in which growth densities may change sign. Parallel to this is a discussion and an analysis of alternative model outcomes such as complex pattern formation and spatio-temporal chaos behavior.     

Pattern formation and control of spatiotemporal chaos in a reaction diffusion prey–predator system supplying additional food

Spatiotemporal dynamics of a predator–prey system in presence of spatial diffusion is investigated in presence of additional food exists for predators. Conditions for stability of Hopf as well as Turing patterns in a spatial domain are determined by making use of the linear stability analysis. Impact of additional food is clear from these conditions. Numerical simulation results are presented in order to validate the analytical findings. Finally numerical simulations are carried out around the steady state under zero flux boundary conditions. With the help of numerical simulations, the different types of spatial patterns (including stationary spatial pattern, oscillatory pattern, and spatiotemporal chaos) are identified in this diffusive predator–prey system in presence of additional food, depending on the quantity, quality of the additional food and the spatial domain and other parameters of the model. The key observation is that spatiotemporal chaos can be controlled supplying suitable additional food to predator. These investigations may be useful to understand complex spatiotemporal dynamics of population dynamical models in presence of additional food.     

Cycles,chaos, and noise in predator–prey dynamics

In contrast to the single species models that were extensively studied in the 1970s and 1980s, predator–prey models give rise to long-period oscillations, and even systems with stable equilibria can display oscillatory transients with a regular frequency. Many fluctuating populations appear to be governed by such interactions. However, predator–prey models have been poorly studied with respect to the interaction of nonlinear dynamics, noise, and system identification. I use simulated data from a simple host–parasitoid model to investigate these issues. The addition of even a modest amount of noise to a stable equilibrium produces enough structured variation to allow reasonably accurate parameter estimation. Despite the fact that more-or-less regular cycles are generated by adding noise to any of the classes of deterministic attractor (stable equilibrium, periodic and quasiperiodic orbits, and chaos), the underlying dynamics can usually be distinguished, especially with the aid of the mechanistic model. However, many of the time series can also be fit quite well by a wrong model, and the fitted wrong model usually misidentifies the underlying attractor. Only the chaotic time series convincingly rejected the wrong model in favor of the true one. Thus chaotic population dynamics offer the best chance for successfully identifying underlying regulatory mechanisms and attractors.