A numerical study of the formation of spatial patterns in twospotted spider mites

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to study the formation of spatial patterns in a predator–prey system with Tetranychus urticae as prey and Phytoseiulus persimilis as predator. Logistic Lotka–Volterra predator–prey equations are solved numerically with two different response functions, two initial conditions and one data set. The spatial patterns are generated by introducing diffusion-driven instability in the predator–prey system. Among all parameters involved in predator–prey equations, only the predator interference parameter is varied to generate diffusion-driven instability leading to spatial patterns of population density. Spatial patterns are further generated with the inclusion of prey-taxis in the predator–prey system. Routh–Hurwitz’s conditions for stability are used to create instability with prey-taxis in the system. It is shown that it is possible to generate spatial patterns with zero flux boundary conditions even in a smaller domain with a suitable value of the predator interference parameter or prey-taxis.