Existence-uniqueness and monotone approximation for a phytoplankton-zooplankton aggregation model (Q2505204)

The paper presents a nonautonomous model for the prey-predator interaction between a population of phytoplankton with aggregation structured by the size of aggregates and an unstructured population of (consumer) zooplankton. The equation for the density (with respect to size) of phytoplankton aggregates is a first order partial differential equation like the ones of size-dependent population dynamics where the individual (aggregates) growth speed represents the cell division whereas the typical non local boundary term corresponds here to new single cells originated by single cells breaking off an aggregate. Moreover, non-local ''collision-like'' terms take into account the change in the density of aggregates by the sticking of aggregates of different size. Finally, there is a density dependent death rate term for the mortality of aggregates due to natural causes, predation and breaking-off. On the other hand, the equation for the population number of zooplankton is an ordinary differential equation where the growth rate depends on phytoplankton availability. The mathematical results are based in a definition of solution in a weak sense, the definitions of upper and lower solutions, the proof of a comparison principle and the construction of monotone sequences of upper and lower solutions converging to the unique solution. Next, a proof of existence and uniqueness of solution of the initial value problem is achieved under the hypotheses of existence of a pair of nonnegative upper and lower solutions. Furthermore, the existence of such upper and lower solutions can be established for a large class of initial data. The last result is the time continuity of the total populations of phytoplankton and zooplankton.