Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model

The Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model couples exponential prey growth and predator mortality through a bilinear encounter term. Its positive coexistence equilibrium is surrounded by closed conserved-energy curves, so the populations oscillate periodically in the idealized model.

This Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model includes self-limitation of the prey through the term $-b{x}^2$, with positive constants $a,b,c,d,e$. A positive coexistence equilibrium point exists when $a>be/d$, at $x_{\ast }=e/d$, $y_{\ast }=(a-b{x}_{\ast })/c$. The Lyapunov functionsatisfies $\dot{V}=-bd(x-x_{\ast }{)}^2$: its predator-prey cross terms cancel. Its sublevel sets are compact in the positive quadrant. The only invariant subset of $\{\dot{V}=0\}$ is the coexistence equilibrium point, because staying on $x=x_{\ast }$ requires $y=y_{\ast }$. The LaSalle invariance principle therefore proves convergence to coexistence for every positive initial state.