Positive solutions for large elliptic systems of interacting species groups by cone index methods. (Q1426085)

The paper deals with the existence of positive solutions for certain systems of four nonlinear coupled elliptic differential equations subject to zero Dirichlet boundary conditions, where components can be interpreted as concentrations of interacting chemicals or population densities, the latter convention being adopted by the author. The species are divided into two groups, with a pair of species within each group, which interact with a predator-prey and cooperating relations. Using the topological cone index method, the author proves existence of positive coexistence solutions and obtains sufficient conditions in terms of the signs of principal eigenvalues of certain simple appropriately related operators on only one component. Although it is assumed for simplicity that the interacting terms are of Lotka-Volterra type, the method can be extended to more general reactions as well as other types of boundary conditions.