On interacting populations that disperse to avoid crowding: The effect of a sedentary colony (Q793663)

A system of the type (1) \(u_ t=[u(u+v)_ x]_ x\), \(v=v(x)\), is considered in a one-dimensional habitat \(\Omega =(-L,L)\), \(L>0\), with boundary condition (2) \(u(u+v)_ x=0\) at \(x=\pm L\), \(t>0\), and initial condition (3) \(u(x,0)=u_ 0(x)\), -\(L\leq x\leq L\). That system describes the interaction between two species, one mobile \((=u)\) and the other sedentary \((=v)\), in which the mobile one disperss to avoid crowding (nonlinear diffusion), and both they are unable to cross the boundary of \(\Omega\). The authors study the set \({\mathcal E}\) of equilibrium solutions of (1)-(2) and show that it consists of a continuum of continuous functions. Any \(q\in {\mathcal E}\) is either positive in \({\bar \Omega}\) and is such that \(q+v\) is constant or is zero in intervals interspaced by intervals over which \(q+v\) is constant. Then results on the asymptotic behaviour are given. Every solution of the system with initial data \(u\circ\) converges to an equilibrium solution q such that \(\int_{\Omega}q=\int_{\Omega}u\circ.\) Moreover, if the mobile species is sufficiently large, with respect to the sedentary one, they eventually populate the entire \(\Omega\) ; a sufficient condition is given in order that the sedentary species blocks the migration of the mobile one. For the asymptotic behaviour a Lyapunov function is used. An alternative model for two species, one mobile and one sedentary, is given by \textit{N. Shigesada}, \textit{K. Kawasaki} and \textit{E. Teramoto} in J. Theoret. Bio. 79, 83-99 (1979).