A generalized model for the population dynamics of a two stage species with recruitment and capture using a nonstandard finite difference scheme

Abstract

The aim of this work is to formulate and analyze a new and generalized discrete-time population dynamics model for a two-stage species with recruitment and capture factors. This model is derived from a well-known continuous-time population dynamics model of a two-stage species with recruitment and capture developed by Ladino and Valverde and the nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) methodology proposed by Mickens. We establish positivity and asymptotic stability of the proposed discrete-time population dynamics model. As an important consequence, the population dynamics of the new discrete-time model is determined fully. Also, a set of numerical examples is conducted to illustrate the theoretical results and to demonstrate advantages of the new model. The theoretical results and numerical examples show that the proposed discrete-time model not only preserves correctly the population dynamics of the continuous one but is also easy to be implemented. However, some discrete-time models based on the standard Runge–Kutta methods fail to preserve the population dynamics of the continuous-time model. As a result, they generate numerical approximations which are not only non-negative but also unstable.