Global stability and Hopf bifurcation of a predator-prey model with stage structure and delayed predator response

Abstract

A Holling type predator-prey model with stage structure for the predator and a time delay due to the gestation of the mature predator is investigated. By analyzing the characteristic equations, the local stability of a predator-extinction equilibrium and a coexistence equilibrium of the model is addressed and the existence of Hopf bifurcations at the coexistence equilibrium is established. By means of the persistence theory on infinite dimensional systems, it is proven that the system is permanent if the coexistence equilibrium is feasible. By using Lyapunov functionals and the LaSalle invariance principle, it is shown that the predator-extinction equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable when the coexistence equilibrium is not feasible, and sufficient conditions are derived for the global stability of the coexistence equilibrium. Numerical simulations are carried out to illustrate the main theoretical results.