Effects of toxicants on populations: a qualitative approach II. First order kinetics (Q799541)

[For part I see the preceding review, Zbl 0548.92018.] The effects of a chronic or of an acute dose of a toxicant in the environment on a population is studied by formulating a mathematical model. The state variables of the model are the concentration of toxicant in the environment of the population, the concentration of toxicant in an organism and the population biomass. It is assumed a logistic population model, a toxicant uptake from the environment following first order kinetics, and a linear dose-response function describing the toxicant- population interaction. In terms of the model parameter it is phrased whether the population is persistent or goes to extinction. For a special case of the model for which no organismic concentration loss to environment and no environmental degeneration of toxicant are assumed it is shown for the case of acute dosage of toxicant that there is a threshold value of terminal organismic concentration, dependent on the dose-response formulation, which determines persistence or extinction of the population.