Effects of the random walk and the maturation period in a diffusive predator–prey system with two discrete delays

Abstract

This study aims to present a complete Hopf bifurcation analysis of a model describing the relationship between prey and predator. A ratio-dependent reaction–diffusion system with two discrete time delays operating under Neumann boundary conditions governs the model that represents this competition. The bifurcation parameter for the analysis is a delay parameter that reflects the amount of time needed for the predator to be able to hunt. Bilazeroğlu and Merdan’s algorithm (Bilazeroğlu et al., 2021), which is developed by using the center manifold theorem and normal form theory, is used to establish the existence of Hopf bifurcations and also the stability of the bifurcating periodic solutions. The same procedure is used to illustrate some specific bifurcation properties, such as direction, stability, and period. Furthermore, by examining a model with constant coefficients, we also analyze how diffusion and the amount of time needed for prey to mature impact the model’s dynamics. To support the obtained analytical results, we also run some numerical simulations. The results indicate that the dynamic of the mathematical model is significantly influenced by diffusion, the amount of time needed for the predator to gain the capacity to hunt, and the amount of time required for prey to reach maturity that the predator can hunt.