Spatial pattern formation and delay induced destabilization in
predator-prey model with fear effect
Abstract
Recent field experiments showed that predators influence the prey
population not only by direct consumption but also by stimulating
various defensive strategies. The cost of these defensive strategies can
include energetic investment in defensive structures, reduced energy
income, lower mating success, and emigration which ultimately reduces
the reproduction of prey. To explore the effect of these defensive
strategies (anti-predator behaviors), a modified Leslie-Gower
predator-prey model with the cost of fear has been considered. Gestation
delay is also incorporated in the system for a more realistic
formulation. Boundedness, equilibria and stability analysis of the
temporal model are studied. By considering gestation delay as a
bifurcation parameter, the existence of Hopf-bifurcation around the
interior equilibrium point is discussed together with the direction,
stability and period of bifurcating solutions arising through
Hopf-bifurcation. The spatial extension of the proposed model
incorporating density-dependent cross-diffusion is also investigated and
the conditions for diffusion-driven instability are obtained. To
illustrate the analytical findings, detailed numerical simulations are
performed. Biologically realistic Turing patterns as hexagonal spots,
spots and stripes mixture, and labyrinthine type patterns are
identified. It is found that the fear level has a stabilizing impact on
delay induced destabilization and both stabilizing and destabilizing
effects on Turing instability.