Global existence of classical solutions for a class of diffusive ecological models with two free boundaries and cross-diffusion

In this paper we consider a class of diffusive ecological models with two free boundaries and with cross-diffusion and self-diffusion in one space dimension. The systems under consideration are strongly coupled, and the position of each free boundary is determined by the Stefan condition. We first show local existence of the solutions for the ecological models under some assumptions, and then prove the global existence of the solutions under extra assumptions. Our approach to the problem is by suitable changes, fixed point theorems and various estimates. Applications of these results are given to a two-species diffusive predator–prey model and a two-species diffusive competition model.     

Periodic solutions for discrete predator–prey systems with the Beddington–DeAngelis functional response

Sufficient criteria are established for the existence of positive periodic solutions of discrete nonautonomous predator–prey systems with the Beddington–DeAngelis functional response using a continuation theorem.     

Positive periodic solution of two-species ratio-dependent predator–prey system with time delay in two-patch environment

In this paper, we are concerned with the existence of positive periodic solution to a class of two-species ratio-dependent predator–prey diffusion model with time delay. By using the continuation theorem of coincidence degree theory, we transform this problem into a problem of calculating the topological degree of a continuous mapping, and then some sufficient conditions of the existence of positive periodic solution is established for the system.     

Phase portraits,Hopf bifurcations and limit cycles of the Holling–Tanner models for predator–prey interactions

The phase portraits, existence and uniqueness of stable limit cycles and Hopf bifurcations of the well-known Holling–Tanner models for predator–prey interactions are studied. The ranges of the parameters involved are provided under which the unique interior equilibrium can be determined to be a stable (or an unstable) node or focus. The Hopf bifurcations and the existence and uniqueness of stable limit cycles of the models are obtained by computing the Lyapunov number involved. Our results confirm some previous results observed and suggested from the real ecological systems.     

Delay induced oscillation in predator–prey system with Beddington–DeAngelis functional response

The Beddington–DeAngelis predator–prey system with distributed delay is studied in this paper. At first, the positive equilibrium and its local stability are investigated. Then, with the mean delay as a bifurcation parameter, the system is found to undergo a Hopf bifurcation. The bifurcating periodic solutions are analyzed by means of the normal form and center manifold theorems. Finally, numerical simulations are also given to illustrate the results.     

Existence of a polycycle in non-Lipschitz Gause-type predator-prey models

We study Gause-type predator-prey models when the interaction between predator and prey is not locally-Lipschitz continuous in the absence of one of them. We shall show that in this case there appears a polycycle, which affects the existence of limit cycles for the system. We apply the results to study the existence of limit cycles for a classical Gause system.     

Permanence of variable coefficients predator–prey system with stage structure

We studied a finite delay predator–prey model with stage structure for predator. By analyzing right hand of function and the standard comparison theorem, some new sufficient conditions are derived for the permanence of population and some biological explanations are made.     

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.     

Persistence and global stability in a delayed predator–prey system with Michaelis–Menten type functional response

A delayed three-species predator–prey food-chain model with Michaelis–Menten type functional response is investigated. It is proved that the system is uniformly persistent under some appropriate conditions. By means of constructing suitable Lyapunov functional, sufficient conditions are derived for the global asymptotic stability of the positive equilibrium of the system.     

An impulsive predator–prey system with modified Leslie–Gower and Holling type II schemes

An impulsive predator–prey system with modified Leslie–Gower and Holling-type II schemes is presented. By using the Floquet theory of impulsive equation and small amplitude perturbation method, the globally asymptotical stability of prey-free positive periodic solution and the permanence of system are discussed. The corresponding threshold conditions are obtained respectively. Finally, numerical simulations are given.     

Bifurcations in a predator–prey model with general logistic growth and exponential fading memory

A multiparameter predator–prey system generalizing the model introduced in [6] is considered. The system studied in this paper corresponds to the type of models with exponential fading memory where the logistic per capita rate growth of the prey is given by an arbitrary function of class C^k, k ≥ 3. We prove that the model has a Hopf bifurcation and that there exist open sets in the parameter space such that the system exhibits singular attractors and asymptotically stable limit cycles. A numerical simulation is conducted in order to show the existence of critical attractor elements.As pointed out by Ayala et al. in [14], the Lotka–Volterra model of interspecific competition, which is based on the logistic theory of population growth and assumes that the intra and interspecific competitive interactions between species are linear, does not explain satisfactorily the population dynamics of some species. This is due to fact that the model does not take into account some important features of the population, which affect its dynamics. The model introduced in this paper provides independent conditions of these facts, for the existence of a Hopf bifurcation and the asymptotically stable limit cycles.     

Dynamic complexities in predator–prey ecosystem models with age-structure for predator

Natural populations, whose generations are non-overlapping, can be modelled by difference equations that describe how the populations evolve in discrete time-steps. In the 1970s ecological research detected chaos and other forms of complex dynamics in simple population dynamics models, initiating a new research tradition in ecology. However, in former studies most of the investigations of complex population dynamics were mainly concentrated on single populations instead of higher dimensional ecological systems. This paper reports a recent study on the complicated dynamics occurring in a class of discrete-time models of predator–prey interaction based on age-structure of predator. The complexities include (a) non-unique dynamics, meaning that several attractors coexist; (b) antimonotonicity; (c) basins of attraction (defined as the set of the initial conditions leading to a certain type of an attractor) with fractal properties, consisting of pattern of self-similarity and fractal basin boundaries; (d) intermittency; (e) supertransients; and (f) chaotic attractors.     

Two limit cycles in a Leslie–Gower predator–prey model with additive Allee effect

In this work, a bidimensional continuous-time differential equations system is analyzed which is derived from Leslie type predator–prey schemes by considering a nonmonotonic functional response and Allee effect on population prey. For ecological reason, we describe the bifurcation diagram of limit cycles that appear only at the first quadrant in the system obtained. We also show that under certain conditions over the parameters, the system allows the existence of a stable limit cycle surrounding an unstable limit cycle generated by Hopf bifurcation. Furthermore, we give conditions over the parameters such that the model allows long-term extinction or survival of both populations.     

Global dynamics of a predator–prey model with defense mechanism for prey

Recently, Venturino and Petrovskii proposed a general predator–prey model with group defense for prey species (Venturino and Petrovskii, 2013). The local dynamics had been studied and showed that the model might undergo Hopf bifurcation, and have an extinction domain. In this paper, we dedicate ourselves to the investigation of the global dynamics of the model by establishing the conditions of the nonexistence of periodic orbits, and the existence and uniqueness of limit cycles.     

Effects of prey over–undercrowding in predator–prey systems with prey-dependent trophic functions

The local dynamics of a two-trophic chain in the presence of both overcrowding and undercrowding effects on prey growth is investigated. The starting point is given by a general predator–prey system, in which the prey growth rate and the trophic interaction function are defined only by some properties determining their shapes; in particular, the prey growth function is assumed to model a strong Allee effect. A stability analysis of the system using the predation efficiency as bifurcation parameter is performed; conditions for the existence and stability of extinction and coexistence equilibrium states are determined, and peculiar features of the dynamics exhibited by the system are presented, with particular attention to limit cycles and bistability situations. Results are compared with those obtained when overcrowding and undercrowding effects are considered separately.     

One and three limit cycles in a cubic predator–prey system

A cubic differential system is proposed, which can be considered a generalization of the predator–prey models, studied recently by many authors. The properties of the equilibrium points, the existence of a uniqueness limit cycle, and the conditions for three limit cycles are investigated. The criterion is easy to apply in applications. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一个群体防卫捕-食系统的定性分析

该文对一个群体防卫捕一食系统进行了较全面的定性分析．讨论了分界线的相对位置，得到了极限环的存在性、唯一性以及分界线环的存在性，首次证明了群体防卫捕一食系统可以至少存在两个或三个极限环．     

Complicated dynamics of a predator–prey system with Watt-type functional response and impulsive control strategy

Based on the classical predator–prey system with Watt-type functional response, an impulsive differential equations to model the process of periodic perturbations on the predator at different fixed time for pest control is proposed and investigated. It proves that there exists a globally asymptotically stable prey-eradication periodic solution when the impulse period is less than some critical value, and otherwise, the system can be permanent. Numerical results show that the system considered has more complicated dynamics involving quasi-periodic oscillation, narrow periodic window, wide periodic window, chaotic bands, period doubling bifurcation, symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcation, period-halving bifurcation and “crises”, etc. It will be useful for studying the dynamic complexity of ecosystems.     

A stage-structured food chain model with stage dependent predation: Existence of codimension one and codimension two bifurcations

Stage-structured predator–prey models exhibit rich and interesting dynamics compared to homogeneous population models. The objective of this paper is to study the bifurcation behavior of stage-structured prey–predator models that admit stage-restricted predation. It is shown that the model with juvenile-only predation exhibits Hopf bifurcation with the growth rate of the adult prey as the bifurcation parameter; also, depending on parameter values, a stable limit cycle will emerge, that is, the bifurcation will be of supercritical nature. On the other hand, the analysis of the model with adult-stage predation shows that the system admits a fold-Hopf bifurcation with the adult growth rate and the predator mortality rate as the two bifurcation parameters. We also demonstrate the existence of a unique limit cycle arising from this codimension-2 bifurcation. These results reveal far richer dynamics compared to models without stage-structure. Numerical simulations are done to support analytical results.     

On the number of limit cycles in general planar piecewise linear systems of node–node types

We investigate the existence and number of limit cycles in a class of general planar piecewise linear systems constituted by two linear subsystems with node–node dynamics. Using the Liénard-like canonical form with seven parameters, some sufficient and necessary conditions for the existence of limit cycles are given by studying the fixed points of proper Poincaré maps. In particular, we prove the existence of at least two nested limit cycles and describe some parameter regions where two limit cycles exist. The main results are applied to the PWL Morris–Lecar neural model to determine the existence and stability of the limit cycles.