A Fractional-in-Time Prey–Predator Model with Hunting Cooperation: Qualitative Analysis, Stability and Numerical Approximations

Abstract

A prey–predator system with logistic growth of prey and hunting cooperation of predators is studied. The introduction of fractional time derivatives and the related persistent memory strongly characterize the model behavior, as many dynamical systems in the applied sciences are well described by such fractional-order models. Mathematical analysis and numerical simulations are performed to highlight the characteristics of the proposed model. The existence, uniqueness and boundedness of solutions is proved; the stability of the coexistence equilibrium and the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation is investigated. Some numerical approximations of the solution are finally considered; the obtained trajectories confirm the theoretical findings. It is observed that the fractional-order derivative has a stabilizing effect and can be useful to control the coexistence between species.

Keywords

• Caputo fractional derivative
• Allee effect
• existence and stability
• Hopf bifurcation
• implicit schemes