Analysis of a sterile insect release model with predation (Q794957)

The paper contains a discussion of the effect of a sterile release program applied to a species which is regulated by some predator population. The predator-prey interaction is described by a modified version of the Lotka-Volterra model which takes account of a constant- rate influx of sterilized insects into the prey population. For the model all possible equilibrium points are listed as well as conditions for local stability and the existence of limit cycles. By studying the changes in the stability characteristics of the system with increasing release rate results were found which show in what situations the sterile insect method is supported by the existence of predators. Furthermore optimal control techniques are used to determine (by numerical methods) the release rate such that a certain cost function related to the sterile insect release program is minimized.