The 3-D Hopf bifurcation in bio-reactor when one competitor produces a toxin (Q867967)

The paper starts with a four-dimensional chemostat model whose variables are the concentrations of one nutrient \(S\), two competitors \(x, y\) for this nutrient, and a toxin \(p\) produced by \(y\) to attack \(x\). The growth rates of both \(x\) and \(y\) are of saturation type, while the remaining coefficients such as the yields and the washout rate are assumed to be constant. This system is then approximated by a three-dimensional autonomous system for \(S, x, y\) that arises when \(p\) is replaced by its asymptotic expression in terms of \(y\) for large time. For this latter system, the existence of a stable limit cycle in the open positive octant is proved by verifying Hopf bifurcation. No limit cycles were found on the two-dimensional invariant boundary faces \(x=0\) and \(y=0\).