Cannibalism in a discrete predator-prey model with an age structure in the prey

Abstract

A discrete-time predator-prey model with an age structure in the prey population in which both the predator and the adult prey can consume juvenile prey population is proposed. The fecundity of the adult prey population is assumed to be a constant and the juvenile survival probability is density dependent on its own population size. It is shown that both populations go to extinction if the inherent net reproductive number of the prey is less than 1. Both populations can survive if the prey's inherent net reproductive number is larger than one and the predator's reproductive number is greater than 1 when the prey population is stabilized in the steady state fashion.