Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-short-options-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2023/9/b/i/solution

Abbreviate , . The coordinate factors immediately give the three boundary equilibria . The Jacobian matrix is
At , the eigenvalues are , so it is a repelling equilibrium. At the other two points, triangularity gives
Therefore is asymptotically stable for and a saddle point for ; is asymptotically stable for and a saddle point for . Equality gives a zero eigenvalue, so linearization alone is inconclusive there.
For later use, the coexistence point is physically positive exactly when if , or if . Its stability is as supplied in the question. If the displayed formula for does not apply: when also , the coincident non-axis nullclines give a whole segment of equilibria.

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