Int. J. Contemp. Math. Sciences, Vol. 6, 2011, no.

9, 401 - 407

On Global Stability of Two Mutually Interacting

Species with Limited Resources for both the Species

B. Ravindra Reddy1, K. Lakshmi Narayan2,

and N. Ch. Pattabhiramacharyulu3

1
JNTUH College of Engineering, Nachupally, Karimnagar-505501, India
rbollareddy@gmail.com
2
Department of Mathematics, SLC’S IET, Hyderabad-501512, India

3
Professor (Retd.) of Mathematics, NIT, Warangal – 506004, India

Abstract

In the present investigation, the global stability analysis of a two–species

ecological mutualism model is presented by constructing a suitable Liapunov’s
function for the co-existent equilibrium state.

Keywords: Equilibrium States, Mutualism, Coexistent state, Global Stability,

Liapunov’s function.

Introduction

Lotka [6] and Volterra [7] introduced the prey- predator models. K.
Laxminarayan and N.Ch.Pattabhiramacharyulu [1, 2, 3] examined the stability of
two species Prey-Predator models and derived some threshold theorems on the quasi-
linear basic balancing equations. Local stability analysis for a two-species
ecological mutualism model has been presented by the present authors [4, 5].
402 B. Ravindra Reddy et al

The present investigation is devoted to establish the global stability of the co-
existent equilibrium state of the above said model by employing a properly
constructed Liapunov’s function.

Liapunov’s stability Analysis

A.M. Liapunov introduced an efficient method in 1892 to study the global

stability of equilibrium points in case of linear and non-linear systems. The method
called Liapunov’s method is based on the constructing a scalar function called
Liapunov’s function. This method yields stability information directly without
solving the differential equations involved in the system. Hence it is also called
Liapunov’s direct method to detect the criteria for global stability. This tool is being
employed efficiently in diverse areas such as theory of control systems, dynamical
systems, systems with time tag, power system analysis, time varying non-linear
feedback systems, multi species ecological systems and so on.
The stability behaviour of solutions of linear and weakly non-linear systems
is done by using the techniques of variation of constants formulae and integral
inequalities. So this analysis is confined to a small neighbourhood of operating point
i.e. local stability. Further, the techniques used there in require explicit knowledge
of solutions of corresponding linear systems. Hence, the stability behaviour of a
physical system is curbed by these limitations.
If the total energy of a physical system has a local minimum at a certain
equilibrium point, then that point is stable. This idea was generalized by Liapunov
to study stability problems in a broader context.

Consider an autonomous system

dx
= F(x, y)
dt
(1)
dy
= G(x, y)
dt

Assume that this system has an isolated critical point (0, 0). Consider a function E(x,
y) possessing continuous partial derivatives along the path of (1).
This path is represented by C = [x (t), y (t)] in the parametric form. E(x, y) can be
regarded as a function of t along C with rate of change

dE ∂E dx ∂E dy ∂E ∂E
= + = F+ G (2)
dt ∂x dt ∂y dt ∂x ∂y
Global stability of two mutually interacting species 403

Definitions:

1. E(x, y) is said to be positive definite if E(x, y) > 0 for all (x, y) not equal to
(0, 0)
2. E(x, y) is said to be positive semi-definite if E(x, y) > 0 and E(x, y )=0
3. E(x, y) is said to be negative definite if E(x, y) < 0
4. E(x, y) is said to be negative semi-definite if E(x, y) < 0 and E(x, y )=0

A positive definite function E(x, y) with the property that (2) is negative semi–
definite is called a Liapunov’s function for the system (1). The following theorem is
the Liapunov’s basic discovery.

Theorem: If there exists a Liapunov’s function E(x, y) for the system (1), then the
critical point (0, 0) is stable. Furthermore, if this function has additional property
that the function (2) is negative definite, then the critical point (0, 0) is
asymptotically stable.

A Mathematical model of a two–species ecological mutualism is given by the

differential equation pair employing the following notation:

N1 and N 2 are the populations of the first and second species,

a1 and a2 are the rates of natural growth of the first the second species
α11 and α 22 are the rates of decrease of the first and the second species due to
insufficient food,
α12 and α 21 are the rates of increase of the first and the second species due to
interaction between them.
Further the variables N1 , N 2 and the parameters a1 , a2 , α11 , α12 , α 21 , α 22 are all
non- negative.
dN1
= N1{a1 − α11 N1 + α12 N 2 } (3)
dt
dN 2
= N 2 {a2 − α 22 N 2 + α 21 N1} (4)
dt
The equilibrium states for this system are
Both washed out state : E1 = ( 0, 0 ) (5)
⎛ a ⎞
N 2 Only washed out state: E2 = ⎜ 0, 2 ⎟ (6)
⎝ α 22 ⎠
⎛ a ⎞
N1 Washed out state : E3 = ⎜ 1 , 0 ⎟ (7)
⎝ α11 ⎠
404 B. Ravindra Reddy et al

⎛ aα +a α a α +aα ⎞
Coexistent state : E4 = ⎜ 1 22 2 12 , 2 11 1 21 ⎟ (8)
⎝ α11α 22 − α12α 21 α11α 22 − α12α 21 ⎠
The local stability analysis of these equilibrium states were investigated in [8]. It is
observed that
(a) E1 is clearly unstable.
(b) E2 is unstable.
(c) E3 is unstable.
(d) E4 is stable.

Liapunov’s Function for Global Stability of the coexistent state E4:

We shall construct a Liapunov’s function and describe the global stability of a
system concerning two mutually interacting species.
Basically we consider the equations:
dN1
= N1{a1 − α11 N1 + α12 N 2 } (9)
dt
dN 2
= N 2 {a2 − α 22 N 2 + α 21 N1} (10)
dt
Adopting the linearization process, we have
du1
= −α11 N 1u1 + α12 N 1 u2 (11)
dt
du2
= α 21 N 2 u1 − α 22 N 2 u2 (12)
dt
The characteristic equation is
(λ + α11 N 1 )(λ + α22 N 2 ) − α12 α21 N 1 N 2 = 0
⇒ λ 2 + pλ + q = 0 (13)
Where
p = α11 N 1 + α22 N 2 > 0 (14)
q = {α11α22 − α12 α2 1} N 1 N 2 > 0 (15)

Therefore we define a function E (u1 , u2 ) by

1
E (u1 , u2 ) = (au12 + 2bu1u2 + cu2 2 ) (16)
2
Where
Global stability of two mutually interacting species 405

(α 21 N 2 ) 2 + (α 22 N 2 ) 2 + {α11α22 − α12α2 1} N 1 N 2
a= (17)
D

α11α2 1 N 1 N 2 + α12 α22 N 1 N 2

b= (18)
D
(α11 N 1 ) 2 + (α12 N 1 ) 2 + {α11α22 − α12 α2 1} N 1 N 2
c= and (19)
D
D = pq = {α11 N 1 + α 22 N 2 }{α11α22 − α12 α2 1} N 1 N 2 (20)
From equations (8) & (9) it is clear that D > 0 and a > 0 .
Also
(α N ) 2 + (α 22 N 2 ) 2 + {α11α22 − α12α2 1} N 1 N 2
D 2 (ac − b 2 ) = D 2{ 21 2 ×
D
(α11 N 1 ) 2 + (α12 N 1 ) 2 + {α11α22 − α12 α2 1} N 1 N 2
D
2 2 2 2 2 2
α112α 212 N 1 N 2 + α12 2α 22 2 N 1 N 2 + 2α11α12α 21α 22 N 1 N 2
− }> 0
D2
⇒ D 2 (ac − b 2 ) > 0 (21)
Since D 2 > 0 , ac − b 2 > 0 (22)
Therefore the function E (u1 , u2 ) is positive definite.
Further it is shown by substitution of above coefficients that

∂E du1 ∂E du2
+ = −(u12 + u2 2 ) (23)
∂u1 dt ∂u2 dt
Which is clearly negative definite. So E (u1 , u2 ) is a Liapunov’s function for the
linear system (11)-(12).
Next we prove that E ( u1 , u 2 ) is also a Liapunov’s function for the non linear
system.
If F 1 and F 2 are defined by F1 ( N 1 , N 2 ) = N1{a1 − α11 N1 + α12 N 2 } (24)
F2 ( N 1 , N 2 ) = N 2 {a2 − α 22 N 2 + α 21 N1} , (25)
∂E ∂E
we have to show that F1 + F2 is negative definite.
∂u1 ∂u2
By letting N1 = N 1 + u1 and N 2 = N 2 + u2 in (3) & (4), we have
du1
= ( N 1 + u1 ) {a1 − α11 N 1 − α11u1 + α12 N 2 + α12u2 }
dt
2
= a1 N 1 − α11 N 1 − α 11 N 1u1 + α12 N 1 N 2 + α12 N 1u2
406 B. Ravindra Reddy et al

+ a1u1 − α11 N 1u1 − α11u12 + α12 N 2 u1 + α12u1u2

= −α11 N 1u1 + α12 N 1u2 + u1{a1 − α11 N 1 + α12 N 2 } − α11u12 + α12u1u2
That is
du1
= −α11 N 1u1 + α12 N 1u2 + f1 (u1 , u2 ) = F1 (u1 , u2 ) (26)
dt
where
f1 (u1 , u2 ) = −α11u1 − α12u1u2
2

Similarly we obtain
du2
= −α 22 N 2 u2 + α 21 N 2 u1 + f 2 (u1 , u2 ) = F2 (u1 , u2 ) (27)
dt
where
f 2 (u1 , u2 ) = −α 22u2 + α 21u1u2
2

We have
∂E ∂E
= au1 + bu2 and = bu1 + cu2
∂u1 ∂u2
Now from Equations (26) and (27), we get
∂E ∂E
F1 + F2 = −(u12 + u2 2 ) + (au1 + bu2 ) f1 (u1 , u2 ) + (bu1 + cu2 ) f 2 (u1 , u2 ) (28)
∂u1 ∂u2
By introducing polar co-ordinates, we get

∂E ∂E
F1 + F2 = − r 2 + r[(a cos θ + b sin θ ) f1 (u1 , u2 ) + (b cosθ + c sin θ ) f 2 (u1 , u2 )]
∂u1 ∂u2
(29)

r r
Defining k = max ( a , b , c ), we see that f1 (u1 , u2 ) < and f 2 (u1 , u2 ) < by
6k 6k

Theorem 44-B of [9], for all sufficiently small r > 0 , so that

∂E ∂E 4kr −r 2 2

F2 < −r + = <0
2
F1 + (30)
∂u1 ∂u2 6k 3

∂E ∂E
F1 +
Thus E ( u1 , u 2 ) is a positive definite function with the property that F2
∂u1 ∂u2
is negative definite. Hence in view of Theorem 43-A of [9], the equilibrium point is
asymptotically stable.
Global stability of two mutually interacting species 407

REFERENCES

[1] K. Lakshmi Narayan and N.Ch. Pattabhiramacharyulu, A Prey-Predator model

with a cover for prey, and an alternative food for the predator and a time
delay, Carrib. J. Math. Comput. Sci., 9(2006), 56-63.

[2] K. Lakshmi Narayan and N.Ch. Pattabhiramacharyulu, A Prey-Predator model

with a linear cover for prey, and an alternative food for the predator, and a
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2007), 7-14.

[3] K. Lakshmi Narayan and N.Ch. Pattabhiramacharyulu, A Prey-Predator model

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[4] B. Ravindra Reddy, K. Lakshmi Narayan and N.Ch. Pattabhiramacharyulu, A

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[5] B. Ravindra Reddy, K. Lakshmi Narayan and N.Ch. Pattabhiramacharyulu, A

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[6] A.J. Lotka, Elements of Physical biology, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore,
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[7] V. Volterra, Leconssen la theorie mathematique de la leitte pou lavie, Gauthier –

Villars, Paris, 1931.

[8] J.N. Kapur, Mathematical Models in Biology and Medicine Affiliated East West,
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[9] George F. Simmons: Differential Equations with applications and historical

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Received: August, 2010