Adaptive behaviour in a predator-prey model leads to multiple equilibrium states

Abstract

There is evidence that multiple stable equilibrium states are possible in real-life ecological systems. In order to verify a hypothesis that such a multitude of equilibrium states can be caused by adapting of animal behaviour to changes of environmental conditions, we consider a simple predator-prey model where prey changes a mode of behaviour in response to the pressure of predation. This model exhibits two stable coexisting equilibrium states with basins of attraction separated by a separatrix of a saddle point.