A two-strain ecoepidemic competition model

Abstract

In this paper, we consider a competition system in which two diseases spread by contact. We characterize the system behavior, establishing that only some configurations are possible. In particular, we discover that coexistence of the two strains is not possible, under the assumptions of the model. A number of transcritical bifurcations relates the more relevant system’s equilibria. Coexistence via persistent oscillations is shown. Bistability is shown between a situation in which only the disease-unaffected population thrives and another one containing only the second population with endemic disease. An accurate computation of the separating surface of the basins of attraction of these two mutually exclusive equilibria is obtained via novel results in approximation theory. The behavior of the ecosystem in some of the parameter spaces is investigated.