Positive solutions of Neumann boundary value problems and applications to logistic type population models (Q2135280)

The paper is concerned with a Neumann problem of type \[ -u''+du=f(x,u) \mbox{ in }[0,T], \quad u'(0)=0=u'(T), \] where \(d>0\) is a constant and \(f:[0,T] \times \mathbb{R}_+ \to \mathbb{R}\) is a \(L^1\)-Carathéodory mapping which is allowed to take negative values. Under some additional suitable assumptions on \(f\), the authors obtain the existence of nonzero nonnegative or strictly positive solutions. By means of the Green's function, the problem is transformed into a Hammerstein integral equation and then the approach relies on a fixed point theorem for \(r\)-nowhere normal-outward maps. The applications focus on the solutions of some models of populations inhabiting in heterogeneous environment with perfect barriers, including as particular cases logistic type models.