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9-6 Differential Equation

The document discusses predator-prey systems, focusing on models that describe the interactions between two species, prey and predators, using a pair of linked differential equations known as the Lotka-Volterra equations. It explains how the populations of these species change over time based on their interactions, with specific examples and solutions provided for a case involving rabbits and wolves. The document also illustrates how to analyze these equations graphically and interpret the results in terms of population dynamics.

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Andrew Lin
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11 views22 pages

9-6 Differential Equation

The document discusses predator-prey systems, focusing on models that describe the interactions between two species, prey and predators, using a pair of linked differential equations known as the Lotka-Volterra equations. It explains how the populations of these species change over time based on their interactions, with specific examples and solutions provided for a case involving rabbits and wolves. The document also illustrates how to analyze these equations graphically and interpret the results in terms of population dynamics.

Uploaded by

Andrew Lin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Differential Equations

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.


9.6 Predator-Prey Systems

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.


Predator-Prey Systems
We have looked at a variety of models for the growth of a
single species that lives alone in an environment. In this
section we consider more realistic models that take into
account the interaction of two species in the same habitat.

We will see that these models take the form of a pair of


linked differential equations. We first consider the situation
in which one species, called the prey, has an ample food
supply and the second species, called the predators, feeds
on the prey.

Examples of prey and predators include rabbits and wolves


in an isolated forest, food fish and sharks, aphids and
ladybugs, and bacteria and amoebas. 3
Predator-Prey Systems
Our model will have two dependent variables and both are
functions of time. We let R(t) be the number of prey (using
R for rabbits) and W(t) be the number of predators (with W
for wolves) at time t.

In the absence of predators, the ample food supply would


support exponential growth of the prey, that is,

= kR where k is a positive constant

In the absence of prey, we assume that the predator


population would decline at a rate proportional to itself, that
is,
= –rW where r is a positive constant 4
Predator-Prey Systems
With both species present, however, we assume that the
principal cause of death among the prey is being eaten by
a predator, and the birth and survival rates of the predators
depend on their available food supply, namely, the prey.

We also assume that the two species encounter each other


at a rate that is proportional to both populations and is
therefore proportional to the product RW. (The more there
are of either population, the more encounters there are
likely to be.)

5
Predator-Prey Systems
A system of two differential equations that incorporates
these assumptions is as follows:
W represents the predator.
R represents the prey.

where k, r, a, and b are positive constants.

Notice that the term –aRW decreases the natural growth


rate of the prey and the term bRW increases the natural
growth rate of the predators.

6
Predator-Prey Systems
The equations in are known as the predator-prey
equations, or the Lotka-Volterra equations.

A solution of this system of equations is a pair of functions


R (t) and W (t) that describe the populations of prey and
predator as functions of time.

Because the system is coupled (R and W occur in both


equations), we can’t solve one equation and then the other;
we have to solve them simultaneously.

Unfortunately, it is usually impossible to find explicit


formulas for R and W as functions of t. We can, however,
use graphical methods to analyze the equations.
7
Example 1
Suppose that populations of rabbits and wolves are
described by the Lotka-Volterra equations with k = 0.08,
a = 0.001, r = 0.02, and b = 0.00002. The time t is
measured in months.

(a) Find the constant solutions (called the equilibrium


solutions) and interpret the answer.

(b) Use the system of differential equations to find an


expression for dW/dR.

(c) Draw a direction field for the resulting differential


equation in the RW-plane. Then use that direction field

to sketch some solution curves. 8


Example 1 cont’d

(d) Suppose that, at some point in time, there are


1000 rabbits and 40 wolves. Draw the corresponding
solution curve and use it to describe the changes in both
population levels.

(e) Use part (d) to make sketches of R and W as functions


of t.

Solution:
(a) With the given values of k, a, r, and b, the
Lotka-Volterra equations become

= 0.08R – 0.001RW
9
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

= –0.02W + 0.00002RW

Both R and W will be constant if both derivatives are 0,

that is,

R  = R(0.08 – 0.001W) = 0
W  = W(–0.02 + 0.00002R) = 0

One solution is given by R = 0 and W = 0. (This makes


sense: If there are no rabbits or wolves, the populations

are certainly not going to increase.) 10


Example 1 – Solution cont’d

The other constant solution is

So the equilibrium populations consist of 80 wolves and


1000 rabbits.

This means that 1000 rabbits are just enough to support


a constant wolf population of 80.

There are neither too many wolves (which would result


in fewer rabbits) nor too few wolves (which would result
in more rabbits).
11
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

(b) We use the Chain Rule to eliminate t:

so

(c) If we think of W as a function of R, we have the


differential equation

12
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

We draw the direction field for this differential equation


in Figure 1 and we use it to sketch several solution
curves in Figure 2.

Direction field for the predator-prey system Phase portrait of the system

Figure 1 Figure 2

13
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

If we move along a solution curve, we observe how the


relationship between R and W changes as time passes.

Notice that the curves appear to be closed in the sense that


if we travel along a curve, we always return to the same
point.

Notice also that the point (1000, 80) is inside all the solution
curves.

That point is called an equilibrium point because it


corresponds to the equilibrium solution R = 1000, W = 80.
14
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

When we represent solutions of a system of differential


equations as in Figure 2, we refer to the RW-plane as
the phase plane, and we call the solution curves phase
trajectories.

So a phase trajectory is a
path traced out by solutions
(R, W ) as time goes by.

A phase portrait consists


of equilibrium points and
typical phase trajectories,
Phase portrait of the system
as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2

15
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

(d) Starting with 1000 rabbits and 40 wolves corresponds to

drawing the solution curve through the point


P0(1000, 40).

Figure 3 shows this phase trajectory with the direction


field removed.

Phase trajectory through (1000, 40)


Figure 3 16
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

Starting at the point P0 at time t = 0 and letting t


increase, do we move clockwise or counterclockwise
around the phase trajectory?

If we put R = 1000 and W = 40 in the first differential


equation, we get

= 0.08(1000) – 0.001(1000)(40)
= 80 – 40
= 40

Since dR/dt > 0, we conclude that R is increasing at P0


and so we move counterclockwise around the phase
trajectory. 17
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

We see that at P0 there aren’t enough wolves to


maintain a balance between the populations, so the
rabbit population increases.

That results in more wolves and eventually there are so


many wolves that the rabbits have a hard time avoiding
them. So the number of rabbits begins to decline (at P1,

where we estimate that R reaches its maximum


population of about 2800).

This means that at some later time the wolf population


starts to fall (at P2, where R = 1000 and W  140). 18
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

But this benefits the rabbits, so their population later


starts to increase (at P3, where W = 80 and R  210 ).
As a consequence, the wolf population eventually starts

to increase as well.

This happens when the populations return to their initial


values of R = 1000 and W = 40, and the entire cycle
begins again.

(e) From the description in part (d) of how the rabbit and
wolf populations rise and fall, we can sketch the graphs
of R(t) and W(t). 19
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

Suppose the points P1, P2, and P3 in Figure 3 are


reached at times t1, t2, and t3.

Phase trajectory through (1000, 40)


Figure 3

20
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

Then we can sketch graphs of R and W as in Figure 4.

Graphs of the rabbit and wolf populations as functions of time

Figure 4

21
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

To make the graphs easier to compare, we draw the graphs


on the same axes but with different scales for R and W, as
in Figure 5. Notice that the rabbits reach their maximum
populations about a quarter of a cycle before the wolves.

Comparison of the rabbit and wolf populations


Figure 5 22

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