Pattern formation induced by intraspecific interactions in a predator-prey system

Phys Rev E. 2019 Dec;100(6-1):062414. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.100.062414.

Abstract

Differential diffusion is a source of instability in population dynamics systems when species diffuse with different rates. Predator-prey systems show this instability only under certain specific conditions, usually requiring one to involve Holling-type functionals. Here we study the effects of intraspecific cooperation and competition on diffusion-driven instability in a predator-prey system with a different structure. We conduct the analysis on a generalized population dynamics that bounds intraspecific and interspecific interactions with Verhulst-type saturation terms instead of Holling-type functionals. We find that instability occurs due to the intraspecific saturation or intraspecific interactions, both cooperative and competitive. We present numerical simulations and show spatial patterns due to diffusion.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Diffusion
  • Ecological and Environmental Phenomena*
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Population Dynamics
  • Predatory Behavior*