Oscillatory and transient dynamics of a slow-fast predator-prey system with fear and its carry-over effect (Q6100924)

The authors study a predator-prey model with Beddington-DeAngelis functional response [\textit{D. L. DeAngelis} et al., ``A model for trophic interaction'', Ecology 56, 881--892 (1975)] in which reproduction of prey is affected by predation-induced fear and its carry-over effect [\textit{X. Wang} and \textit{X. Zou}, Bull. Math. Biol. 79, No. 6, 1325-1359 (2017; Zbl 1372.92095)]. Under the assumption that the growth of prey occurs on a faster time scale than that of predator, geometric singular perturbation theory [\textit{N. Fenichel}, J. Differ. Equations 31, 53--98 (1979; Zbl 0476.34034)] can be applied to the corresponding non-dimensionalised planar fast-slow system to show the occurrence of a canard explosion [\textit{M. Krupa} and \textit{P. Szmolyan}, J. Differ. Equations 174, No. 2, 312--368 (2001; Zbl 0994.34032)]. Correspondingly, the authors observe relaxation oscillation, as well as canard-type dynamics that arises near a singular Hopf bifurcation in the system, showing that fear, in spite of being non-lethal \textit{per se}, may induce abrupt ecological transitions, such as population collapse or community reorganisation. They verify their findings numerically, through a detailed bifurcation analysis; their study is augmented by a summary of elementary properties of their model, such as uniform persistence, which do not necessarily assume a separation of scales.