Traveling waves in discrete models of biological populations with sessile stages

A common approach to describing invasions of non-native species into previously unoccupied habitat is to consider the speed of population expansion and the existence of traveling waves. Typical existence theorems for traveling waves require some compactness properties of the next-generation operator. Many realistic modeling assumptions, however, give rise to non-compact operators; for example the occurrence of sessile stages during the life cycle of an individual. Recent results have extended the existence theory of traveling waves to a large class of weakly compact operators, but conditions can be difficult to check and not easily accessible to theoretical ecologists. In this paper, we give a new proof for the existence of traveling waves in a large class of equations where the next generation operator is not compact, but rather the sum of an integral operator and a contraction. We illustrate our proof with a model for the dispersal of a plant species with a seed-bank and a model for dispersal of stream insects with larval stages.     

Effects of population dispersal and impulsive control tactics on pest management

In this paper, we firstly consider a Lotka–Volterra predator–prey model with impulsive constant releasing for natural enemies and a proportion of killing or catching pests at fixed moments, and we have proved that there exists a pest-eradication periodic solution which is globally asymptotically stable. Further, we extend the model for the population to move in a two-patch environment. The effects of population dispersal and impulsive control tactics are investigated, i.e. we chiefly address the question of whether population dispersal is beneficial or detrimental for pest persistence. To do this, some special cases are theoretically investigated and numerical investigations are done for general case. The results indicate that for some ranges of dispersal rates, population dispersal is beneficial to pest control, but for other ranges, it is harmful. These clarify that we can get some new effective pest control strategies by controlling the dispersal rates of pests and natural enemies.     

Controllability for systems governed by semilinear evolution inclusions without compactness

In this paper we study the controllability for a class of semilinear differential inclusions in Banach spaces. Since we assume the regularity of the nonlinear part with respect to the weak topology, we do not require the compactness of the evolution operator generated by the linear part. As well we are not posing any conditions on the multivalued nonlinearity expressed in terms of measures of noncompactness. We are considering the usual assumption on the controllability of the associated linear problem. Notice that, in infinite dimensional spaces, the above mentioned compactness of the evolution operator and linear controllability condition are in contradiction with each other. We suppose that the nonlinear term has convex, closed, bounded values and a weakly sequentially closed graph when restricted to its second argument. This regularity setting allows us to solve controllability problem under various growth conditions. As application, a controllability result for hyperbolic integro-differential equations and inclusions is obtained. In particular, we consider controllability of a system arising in a model of nonlocal spatial population dispersal and a system governed by the second order one-dimensional telegraph equation.     

Numerical solutions of integro-differential equations and application of a population model with an improved Legendre method

In this paper, an improved Legendre collocation method is presented for a class of integro-differential equations which involves a population model. This improvement is made by using the residual function of the operator equation. The error differential equation, gained by residual function, has been solved by the Legendre collocation method (LCM). By summing the approximate solution of the error differential equation with the approximate solution of the problem, a better approximate solution is obtained. We give the illustrative examples to demonstrate the efficiency of the method. Also we compare our results with the results of the known some methods. In addition, an application of the population model is made.     

Picard Iterations for Diffusions on Symmetric Matrices

Matrix-valued stochastic processes have been of significant importance in areas such as physics, engineering and mathematical finance. One of the first models studied has been the so-called Wishart process, which is described as the solution of a stochastic differential equation in the space of matrices. In this paper, we analyze natural extensions of this model and prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution. We do this by carrying out a Picard iteration technique in the space of symmetric matrices. This approach takes into account the operator character of the matrices, which helps to corroborate how the Lipchitz conditions also arise naturally in this context.     

Global attractivity of nonautonomous stage-structured population models with dispersal and harvest

The nonautonomous stage-structured single-species dispersal model with harvesting of mature individuals in an N-patch environment is considered, in which the individual members of the population have a life history that takes them through two stages, immature and mature. By using the theory of monotone and concave operators to functional differential equations, we establish conditions under which this population dynamical system admits a positive periodic solution which attracts all positive solutions.     

Finite difference solution of a singular boundary value problem for the p-Laplace operator

We are concerned about a singular boundary value problem for a second order nonlinear ordinary differential equation. The differential operator of this equation is the radial part of the so-called N-dimensional p-Laplacian (where p?>?1), which reduces to the classical Laplacian when p?=?2. We introduce a finite difference method to obtain a numerical solution and, in order to improve the accuracy of this method, we use a smoothing variable substitution that takes into account the behavior of the solution in the neighborhood of the singular points.     

A moving boundary problem with space-fractional diffusion logistic population model and density-dependent dispersal rate

In this article, we discuss a space-fractional diffusion logistic population model with Caputo fractional derivative and density-dependent dispersal rate. The numerical solution of the problem is obtained by using a finite difference scheme. The consistency and stability of the scheme for our solution to the problem are also discussed. The effect of the density-dependent dispersal rate and order of the space-fractional derivative are analyzed for the population density and expanding front (moving boundary).     

Global Attracting Behavior of Non-autonomous Stage-structured Population Dynamical System with Diffusion

A non-autonomous single species dispersal model is considered, in which individual member of the population has a life history that goes through two stages, immature and mature. By applying the theory of monotone and concave operators to functional differential equations, we establish conditions under which the system admits a positive periodic solution which attracts all other positive solutions.     

A REACTION–DIFFUSION EQUATION MODELING THE INVASION OF THE ARGENTINE ANT POPULATION,LINEPITHEMA HUMILE,AT JASPER RIDGE BIOLOGICAL PRESERVE

Abstract A continuous reaction–diffusion model is developed for the invasive Argentine ant population within a preserve in northern California. The model is a second‐order partial differential equation incorporating a logistic growth term. The dispersal distance traveled during the reproductive process of budding is used to estimate the diffusion coefficient. The model has two homogeneous steady states, one occurring at the propagation front where the Argentine ant population does not yet exist and one occurring where the population has reached carrying capacity. The traveling wave solutions of the model depict the population density for a given time and location. Using current research, parameter values for the model are estimated and a traveling wave solution for the average parameter values is numerically demonstrated.     

Aggregation and heterogeneity from the nonlinear dynamic interaction of birth,maturation and spatial migration

We consider a single species structured population distributed in two identical patches connected by spatial dispersal. Assuming that the maturation time for each individual is a random variable with a gamma distribution and that the spatial dispersal rate is constant, we obtain from a hyperbolic differential equation a system of six ordinary differential equations for the matured populations and their moments. Our qualitative analysis and numerical simulations show that the nonlinear interaction of birth process, the maturation delay and the spatial dispersal can lead to a new mechanism for individual aggregation in the form of the existence of multiple stable heterogeneous equilibria, even though the spatial dispersal is assumed to be proportional to the population gradients with a constant rate.     

The dynamical behavior of a predator–prey system with Gompertz growth function and impulsive dispersal of prey between two patches

In this paper, we investigate a predator–prey model with Gompertz growth function and impulsive dispersal of prey between two patches. Using the dynamical properties of single‐species model with impulsive dispersal in two patches and comparison principle of impulsive differential equations, necessary and sufficient criteria on global attractivity of predator‐extinction periodic solution and permanence are established. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the theoretical results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic analysis of pest control model with population dispersal in two patches and impulsive effect

In this paper, we investigate the pest control model with population dispersal in two patches and impulsive effect. By exploiting the Floquet theory of impulsive differential equation and small amplitude perturbation skills, we can obtain that the susceptible pest eradication periodic solution is globally asymptotically stable if the impulsive periodic τ is less than the critical value τ₀ . Further, we also prove that the system is permanent when the impulsive periodic τ is larger than the critical value τ₀. Hence, in order to drive the susceptible pest to extinction, we can take impulsive control strategy such that τ < τ₀ according to the effect of the viruses on the environment and the cost of the releasing pest infected in a laboratory. Finally, numerical simulations validate the obtained theoretical results for the pest control model with population dispersal in two patches and impulsive effect.     

Existence and uniqueness of solutions of differential equations with respect to non-additive measures

By taking Sugeno-derivative into account, first, we investigate the existence of solutions to the initial value problems (IVP) of first-order differential equations with respect to non-additive measure (more precisely, distorted Lebesgue measure). It particularly occurs in the mathematical modeling of biology. We begin by expressing the differential equation in terms of ordinary derivative and the derivative with respect to the distorted Lebesgue measure. Then, by using the fixed point theorem on cones, we construct an operator and prove the existence of positive non-decreasing solutions on cones in semi-order Banach spaces. In addition, we also use Picard–Lindelöf theorem to prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution of the equation. Second, we investigate the existence of a solution to the boundary value problem (BVP) on cones with integral boundary conditions of a mix-order differential equation with respect to non-additive measures. Moreover, the Krasnoselskii fixed point theorem is also applied to both BVP and IVP and obtains at least one positive non-decreasing solution. Examples with graphs are provided to validate the results.     

A Side-by-Side Single Sex Age-Structured Human Population Dynamic Model: Exact Solution and Model Validation

A side-by-side single sex age-structured population dynamic model is presented in this paper. The model consists of two coupled von Foerster-McKendrick-type quasi-linear partial differential equations, two initial conditions, and two boundary conditions. The state variables of the model are male and female population densities. The solutions of these partial differential equations provide explicit time and age dependence of the variables. The initial conditions define the male and female population densities at the initial time, while the boundary conditions compute the male and female births at zero-age by using fertility rates. The assumptions of the nontime-dependence of the death and fertility rates and a specific factorization of the migratory balances allow us to obtain exact solutions for male and female population densities. In addition, the hypotheses about the mathematical structure of the input variables are formulated, and the exact solution of the model is obtained. Next, the model is applied to the case study of Spain for the time period 1996–2004. Model validation demonstrates that this approach is a powerful prediction tool. Code and data are available upon request.     

An integral operational matrix based on Jacobi polynomials for solving fractional-order differential equations

This paper aims to construct a general formulation for the Jacobi operational matrix of fractional integral operator. Fractional calculus has been used to model physical and engineering processes that are found to be best described by fractional differential equations. Therefore, a reliable and efficient technique for the solution of them is too important. For the concept of fractional derivative we will adopt Caputo’s definition by using Riemann–Liouville fractional integral operator. Our main aim is to generalize the Jacobi integral operational matrix to the fractional calculus. These matrices together with the Tau method are then utilized to reduce the solution of this problem to the solution of a system of algebraic equations. The method is applied to solve linear and nonlinear fractional differential equations. Illustrative examples are included to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the presented technique.     

Mathematical analysis of a nonlinear PDE model for European options with counterparty risk

In this work, we analyze a nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) model for the total value adjustment on European options in the presence of a counterparty risk. We transform the nonlinear PDE into an equivalent one, involving a sectorial operator, and prove the existence and uniqueness of a solution.     

A semigroup approach to the Gnedenko system with single vacation of a repairman

We investigate the Gnedenko system with one repairman who can take vacations. Our main focus is on the time asymptotic behaviour of the system. Using C ₀-semigroup theory for linear operators we first prove the well-posedness of the system and the existence of a unique positive dynamic solution given an initial value. Then by analysing the spectral distribution of the system operator and taking into account the irreducibility of the semigroup generated by the system operator we show that the dynamic solution converges strongly to the steady state solution. Thus we obtain asymptotic stability of the dynamic solution.     

Improvement of random coefficient differential models of growth of anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria by combining Bayesian inference and gPC

The time evolution of microorganisms, such as bacteria, is of great interest in biology. In the article by D. Stanescu et al. [Electronic Transactions on Numerical Analysis, 34, 44–58 (2009)], a logistic model was proposed to model the growth of anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria. In the laboratory experiment, actual data for two species of bacteria were considered: Rhodobacter capsulatus and Chlorobium vibrioforme. In this paper, we suggest a new nonlinear model by assuming that the population growth rate is not proportional to the size of the bacteria population, but to the number of interactions between the microorganisms, and by taking into account the beginning of the death phase in the kinetic curve. Stanescu et al. evaluated the effect of randomness into the model coefficients by using generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) expansions, by setting arbitrary distributions without taking into account the likelihood of the data. By contrast, we utilize a Bayesian inverse approach for parameter estimation to obtain reliable posterior distributions for the random input coefficients in both the logistic and our new model. Since our new model does not possess an explicit solution, we use gPC expansions to construct the Bayesian model and to accelerate the Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm for the Bayesian inference.     

NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL SPRUCE BUDWORM REACTION-DIFFUSION EQUATION WITH DENSITY DEPENDENT DIFFUSION

The spruce budworm model is one of the interesting single species reaction-diffusion problems describing insect dispersal behavior. In this paper, we investigate a two-dimensional model with linear diffusion dependence and a convective wind. This system has been successfully solved using an operator splitting method for various domains and initial conditions. The numerical results show that populations can grow and diffuse in such a way as to produce steady state outbreak populations or steady state inhomogeneous spatial patterns in which they aggregate with low population densities.