A Legendre spectral element method on a large spatial domain to solve the predator–prey system modeling interacting populations

Abstract

A Legendre spectral element method is developed for solving a one-dimensional predator–prey system on a large spatial domain. The predator–prey system is numerically solved where the prey population growth is described by a cubic polynomial and the predator’s functional response is Holling type I. The discretization error generated from this method is compared with the error obtained from the Legendre pseudospectral and finite element methods. The Legendre spectral element method is also presented where the predator response is Holling type II and the initial data are discontinuous.