A simplified model for age-dependent population dynamics (Q1325024)

Going back to McKendrick, Lotka, and Von Foerster, the fundamental model for age-dependent population dynamics was developed by \textit{M. E. Gurtin} and \textit{R. C. MacCamy} [Arch. Rat. Mech. Anal. 54, 281-300 (1974; Zbl 0286.92005)]. This model has been widely studied, especially in the case where the mortality function is age-independent, a situation that may be thought to occur in a biochemical reaction tank. However, the contribution to mortality due to age can obviously not be ignored, and our purpose is to consider this model where an age component appears in the mortality function. Essentially, our approach is based on the use of weighting functions to reduce the McKendrick-Von Foerster equation to an equivalent system of ordinary differential equations very much along the lines pioneered by \textit{M. E. Gurtin} and \textit{R. C. MacCamy} [Math. Biosci. 43, 199-211 (1979; Zbl 0397.92025)]. We assume a certain form of the mortality function and also assume that fertility is age-dependent only. In Section 2, we show how the fundamental model can be reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations, and then indeed to a single differential equation from which all relevant information can be obtained. In Section 3 we illustrate the application of the theory to a population of the vole `Microtus agrestis'. In Section 4 we consider a harvesting control problem of bringing the population down to a specified level \(P_ 1\) and holding it at this position. It is shown that not all such levels are attainable. In Appendix 1 we validate the choice of the mortality function that is central to the method developed in Section 2. We show how for four diverse populations such a choice is indeed valid. Appendices 2 and 3 are merely technical. We discuss the nature of the roots of an important characteristic polynomial and take a brief look at the possibility of equilibrium positions existing.