Franklin Open (Sep 2023)

Fuzzy modelling on the depletion of forest biomass and forest-dependent wildlife population

  • Ibrahim M. Fanuel,
  • Silas Mirau,
  • Maranya Mayengo,
  • Francis Moyo

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4
p. 100033

Abstract

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This paper presents a system of non-linear differential equations describing the depletion of forest biomass and forest-dependent wildlife population caused by human population and its associated activities. The model incorporates the imprecise nature of the parameters, which are treated as triangular fuzzy numbers to reflect the inherent uncertainty. We utilised α cut to transform these imprecise parameters into intervals. Subsequently, employing the principles of interval mathematics, we effectively converted the related differential equation into a pair of distinct differential equations. By leveraging the signed distance of the fuzzy numbers, we further simplified the equations, resulting in a single differential equation, which led to the formulation of a defuzzified model. The existence of equilibrium points with their stability behaviour is presented. Furthermore, the existence of trans-critical bifurcation is analysed. Through numerical simulations, we observe significant differences between the solutions of system in crisp and fuzzy environments. These findings highlight the importance of using fuzzy models to accurately represent the dynamics of complex natural systems. Consequently, we conclude that fuzzy models provide a trustworthy representation of the dynamics of complex natural systems.

Keywords