Global stability of prey-taxis systems (Q729904)

The paper under review deals with global boundedness and stability of the predator-prey system with prey-taxis \[ \begin{cases} u_t=\Delta u -\nabla\cdot(\chi u\nabla v) +\gamma uF(v)-uh(u) &\quad x\in \Omega,\;t>0,\\ v_t=D\Delta v-uF(v)+f(v) &\quad x\in \Omega,\;t>0,\\ \frac{\partial u}{\partial\nu}=\frac{\partial v}{\partial\nu}=0 &\quad x\in\partial\Omega,\;t>0,\\ u(x,0)=u_0(x),\;v(x,0)=v_0(x) &\quad x\in \Omega, \end{cases} \] where \(\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^2\) is a bounded and smooth domain, \(\nu\) stands for the outward normal to \(\partial\Omega\) and \(\chi\) is referred to as the prey-tactic coefficient measuring the strength of prey-taxis. The functions \(F(v),\) \(h(u)\) and \(f(v)\) satisfy suitable assumptions typical for predator-prey systems, while \(u_0,v_0\in W^{1,p}(\Omega)\) with \(p>2.\) By deriving an entropy-like equality and a boundedness criterion, the authors show that the intrinsic interaction between predators and prey is sufficient to prevent the population overcrowding even when the prey-taxis is included and strong. Moreover, appropriate Lyapunov functionals allow a proof that the prey-only steady state is globally asymptotically stable if the predation is weak, and the co-existence steady state is globally asymptotically stable under some conditions (like the prey-taxis is weak or the prey diffuses fast) if the predation is strong. The convergence rates of solutions to the steady states are obtained as well.