Lotka-Volterra

Predator-Prey Problems
By: Alexandra Silva and Dani Hoover
Intro to Systems ESE 251
11/24/09
History
Alfred Lotka

-American -Italian mathematician

biophysicist -Proposed the
-Proposed the predator-prey model in
predator-prey model Vito Volterra
1926
in 1925
2-Species Models
Equations and Variables
X = ax bxy
Y = -cy + dxy
X: the population of prey
Y: the population of predators
a: natural growth rate of prey in the absence of
predation
b: death rate due to predation
c: natural death rate of predators in the
absence of prey
d: growth rate due to predation
Assumptions
The prey always has an unlimited supply of
food and reproduces exponentially
The food supply of the predators depend only
on the prey population (predators eat the prey
only)
The rate of change of the population is
proportional to the size of the population
The environment does not change in favor of
one species
Phase Plot of Predator vs. Prey
Set parameters 3
Phase plot

a=b=c=d=1
2.5
Set initial conditions:
x=2 (prey), y=2 2
Equilibrium point (1,1)

(predators) Y, predator
1.5

Equilibrium Point:
1

x=(c/d), y= (a/b)
0.5
Counter-clockwise
motion 0
0 0.5 1 1.5
X, prey
2 2.5 3
Steady-State Orbit explanation

A = Too many predators.

B = Too few prey.
C = Few predator and
prey; prey can grow.
D= Few predators,
ample prey.

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/cogsci/chao
s/workshop/2DS.html
 Phase Plot: Case 2 Phase plot
2

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2
When initial
Y, predator

0.8
1
conditions equal the
0.6 equilibrium point:
0.4

0.2 Parameters:
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
X, prey
1.2

Solution to L-V equations

1.4 1.6 1.8 2
a=b=c=d=1
2

1.8
Prey
Predator Initial conditions:
1.6

1.4 x=1 (prey), y=1

1.2
(predators)
population

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
time
 Phase plot
2.5

Phase Plot: Case 3 2

1.5

Y, predator
When parameters are
1

changed:
Parameters: 0.5

a=c=d=1, b=2 0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
X, prey

*Increase the death rate 4.5

Solution to L-V equations

Prey

due to predation 4 Predator

3.5

Initial Conditions: 3

x=2 (prey), y=2

population
2.5

(predator) 1.5

0.5

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
time
Phase Plot: Case 4

When a species dies Phase plot

600

out:
500
Parameters:
400
a=1, b=c=d=1

Y, predator
Initial Conditions: 300

x=50 (prey), y=500 200

(predator) 100

0
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50
X, prey

Prey dies, therefore

predator dies too.
3-Species Model (Super-predator)
Equations and Variables (for 3-
species model)
X= ax-bxy (prey-- mouse)
Y= -cy+dxy-eyz (predator-- snake)
Z= -fz+gxz (super-predator-- owl)
a: natural growth rate of prey in the absence of
predation
b: death rate due to predation
c: natural death rate of predator
d: growth rate due to predation
e: death rate due to predation (by super-predator)
f: natural death rate of super-predator
g: growth rate due to predation
Phase Plot of Prey vs. Predator vs.
Super-predator Phase plot Solution to L-V equations
5
Prey
4.5 Predator
Super Predator
5
4

4 3.5
Z, predator

population
3
3
2.5

2
2

1 1.5
2
4 1
1.5
3
1 0.5
2 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0.5 time
Y, super predator 1
X, prey

Parameters:
a=b=c=d=1, e=0.5, f=0.01, g=0.02

Initial Condition:
X=1, Y=1, Z=1
Problems with Lotka-Volterra Models
The Lotka-Volterra model has infinite cycles
that do not settle down quickly. These cycles
are not very common in nature.
Must have an ideal predator-prey system.
In reality, predators may eat more than one
type of prey
Environmental factors
Thank you
Thank you to Anatoly for helping us with this
presentation and helping us to make
programs in MATLAB.
Questions?
Sources:
http://www.cs.unm.edu/~forrest/classes/cs365/
CS%20365/Lectures_files/lotka-volterra.pdf
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/co
gsci/chaos/workshop/2DS.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotka%E2%80%93
Volterra_equation
http://isolatium.uhh.hawaii.edu/m206L/lab8/p
redator/predator.htm
http://www4.ncsu.edu/eos/users/w/white/www
/white/ma302/less10.PDF
http://www.cs.unm.edu/~forrest/classes/cs365/
CS%20365/Lectures_files/lotka-volterra.pdf