Long-term effects of abrupt environmental perturbations in model of group chase and escape with the presence of non-conservative processes

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of environmental perturbations on dynamical regimes of model ecosystems. We study a stochastic lattice model describing the dynamics of a group chasing and escaping between predators and prey. The model includes smart pursuit (predators to prey) and evasion (prey from predators). Both species can affect their movement by visual perception within their finite sighting range. Non-conservative processes that change the number of individuals within the population, such as breeding and physiological dying, are implemented in the model. The model contains five parameters that control the breeding and physiological dying of predators and prey: the birth and two death rates of predators and two parameters characterizing the birth and death of prey. We study the response of our model of group chase and escape to sudden perturbations in values of parameters that characterize the non-conservative processes. Temporal dependencies of the number of predators and prey are compared for various perturbation events with different abrupt changes of probabilities affecting the non-conservative processes.