Abstract
We analyze a time-discrete mathematical model of host-parasite population dynamics with harvesting, in which the host can be regarded as a pest. We harvest a portion of the host population at a moment in each parasitism season. The principal target of the harvesting is the host; however, the parasite population may also be affected and reduced by a portion. Our model involves the Beverton-Holt type density effect on the host population. We investigate the condition in which the harvesting of the host results in an eventual increase of its equilibrium population size, analytically proving that the paradoxical increase could occur even when the harvesting does not directly affect the parasite population at all. We show that the paradox of pest control could be caused essentially by the interspecific relationship and the intraspecific density effect.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 87-97 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Theoretical Biology |
| Volume | 252 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2008 May 7 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Difference equations
- Host-parasite
- Mathematical model
- Resurgence
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Statistics and Probability
- Modelling and Simulation
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Applied Mathematics