Hopf bifurcation and stability analysis of the Rosenzweig-MacArthur predator-prey model with stage-structure in prey

Abstract

We consider a stage-structure Rosenzweig-MacArthur model describing the predator-prey interaction. Here, the prey population is divided into two sub-populations namely immature prey and mature prey. We assume that predator only consumes immature prey, where the predation follows the Holling type II functional response. We perform dynamical analysis including existence and uniqueness, the positivity and the boundedness of the solutions of the proposed model, as well as the existence and the local stability of equilibrium points. It is shown that the model has three equilibrium points. Our analysis shows that the predator extinction equilibrium exists if the intrinsic growth rate of immature prey is greater than the death rate of mature prey. Furthermore, if the predation rate is larger than the death rate of predator, then the coexistence equilibrium exists. It means that the predation process on the prey determines the growing effects of the predator population. Furthermore, we also show the existence of forward and Hopf bifurcations. The dynamics of our system are confirmed by our numerical simulations.