Bistability in modified Holling II response model with harvesting and Allee effect: Exploring transitions in a noisy environment

Abstract

Here, we explore the complex dynamics of a predator–prey system with a modified Holling type II functional response and the Allee effect that accounts for a reduced hunting efficiency due to intra-predator interactions. Besides the growth due to focal prey, the predator population follows a Beverton–Holt-like reproduction due to the alternative food sources. The model also considers the impact of harvesting on the predator population, reflecting economic interests in biological resource exploitation. We systematically investigate key aspects, including solution’s positivity, system’s equilibria, stability analysis, and various type of bifurcation. The model is extended to its stochastic version; conditions for the extinction as well as persistence of species are derived. All the theoretical findings are validated with numerical examples. In the deterministic scenario, the Allee effect, harvesting intensity, and the growth in predators due to external food sources exhibit intricate dynamics, such as Hopf, saddle–node (LP) and transcritical bifurcations; we also observe bistable behavior of the system. Notably, less growth in predators due to the other food sources results in extinction, while low intensity of Allee effect leads to bistability, where initial population size matters. A higher Allee effect reduces the region of stability generated by the harvesting effort and the predators’ growth due to additional foods. The stochastic system uncovers diverse transitions in scenarios with high noise intensity, affecting bistability occurred for lower noise intensity. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into predator–prey dynamics, with practical implications for the ecological conservation and resource management.