| Abstract: | A coupled pair of first order nonlinear discrete hierarchical age-structured models are applied to study two modes of intraspecific competitions; scramble and contest. The study focuses on several comparisons of the dynamical outcomes of the two competitions. For a constant resource, it is shown, using analytical and numerical approaches, that solutions of the contest model monotonically equilibrate, while solutions of the scramble model oscillate and become chaotic. It is also shown that the inherent net reproductive number of each population affects the comparison of equilibrium points in the two populations. By considering cases on the resource and model parameters, the local as well as the global stability of nontrivial equilibrium points are studied. The impact of a contest and a scramble consumer on a time dependent resource is considered numerically. |
