An evolutionary Beverton-Holt model. (English) Zbl 1317.92062

Cushing, J. M.

AlSharawi, Ziyad (ed.) et al., Theory and applications of difference equations and discrete dynamical systems. ICDEA, Muscat, Oman, May 26–30, 2013. Berlin: Springer (ISBN 978-3-662-44139-8/hbk; 978-3-662-44140-4/ebook). Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics 102, 127-141 (2014).

Summary: The classic Beverton-Holt (discrete logistic) difference equation, which arises in population dynamics, has a globally asymptotically stable equilibrium (for positive initial conditions) if its coefficients are constants. If the coefficients change in time, then the equation becomes nonautonomous and the asymptotic dynamics might not be as simple. One reason the coefficients can change in time is their evolution by natural selection. If the model coefficients are functions of a heritable phenotypic trait subject to natural selection then, by standard methods for modeling evolution, the model becomes a planar system of coupled difference equations, consisting of a Beverton-Holt type equation for the population dynamics and a difference equation for the dynamics of the mean phenotypic trait. We consider a case when the trait equation uncouples from the population dynamic equation and obtain criteria under which the evolutionary system has globally asymptotically stable equilibria or periodic solutions.
For the entire collection see [Zbl 1297.39001].

MSC:

92D25	Population dynamics (general)
39A23	Periodic solutions of difference equations

Keywords:

Beverton-Holt difference equation; globally asymptotically stable equilibrium; heritable phenotypic trait; natural selection; periodic solutions