Multistable switches induced by prudent predation in three-species food web models with omnivory

Jiang Li, Xianning Liu and Yangjiang Wei

Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 2025, vol. 198, issue C

Abstract: In this work, we investigate a three-species Lotka–Volterra model incorporating omnivorous interactions, characterized by cross-trophic feeding behavior, and propose a novel predator strategy in which prudent predators avoid attacking aggressive individuals. Through rigorous mathematical analysis, we conduct a comprehensive examination of equilibrium existence and stability conditions, systematically investigating the emergence mechanisms of both transcritical and Hopf bifurcations. Numerical simulations not only validate our theoretical predictions but also reveal novel dynamical features: (i) Multiple bistable states, including point-point and point-limit cycle, may exist, which emphasizes the importance of initial conditions. (ii) Prudent predation can demonstrates remarkable chaos-mitigation capabilities, effectively suppressing chaotic oscillations through trophic regulation. These findings provide new insights into predator-mediated ecological stabilization mechanisms while significantly advancing our understanding of complex dynamics in multi-species trophic systems.

Keywords: Prudent predation; Food web model; Stability; Hopf bifurcation; Chaos (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:chsofr:v:198:y:2025:i:c:s0960077925005909

DOI: 10.1016/j.chaos.2025.116577

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