Tridiagonal competitive-cooperative Kolmogorov systems (Q1355049)

It is well known that in two-dimensional competitive or cooperative ecological models utilizing autonomous ordinary differential equations, nontrivial positive periodic solutions cannot exist. However, in three-dimensional competitive or cooperative systems, or competitor-mutualist systems, nontrivial positive periodic solutions can in general exist. It is the main purpose of this paper to show that in special cases of three or higher dimensions of competitive or cooperative or combined competitive-cooperative systems, namely, in the case of tridiagonal systems, no such nontrivial periodic solution can exist. It is shown that the omega limit set of a bounded solution is either an equilibrium or is contained in the boundary of the positive cone and itself contains a cycle of equilibria. Examples of models of competition and mutualism are given to illustrate our results.