Qualitative analysis of a predator-prey system with limit cycles (Q1261979)

A two-dimensional predator-prey system of a very general nature is analyzed, mainly with respect to the existence of limit cycles. The system is of the form \[ \dot s=h(s)-x f(s)-y g(s), \quad \dot x=x F(x/s), \] where \(s(t)\) is the prey density, \(x(t)\) a specialist predatory density and \(y\) a generalist predator density, independent of time. There are (fairly general) conditions on the functions \(h,f,g,F\). It is shown that (specialist) predator-prey cycles described by this model are likely to be stabilized by increasing generalist predation. If the generalist predation is sufficiently high the system has a unique equilibrium point which is globally asymptotically stable. Examples are given showing that if the half-saturation of the generalist predators is not high compared to the density of the prey, then multiple equilibria and multiple limit cycles may occur.