Resonant noise amplification in a predator-prey model with quasi-discrete generations

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that predator-prey models with quasi-synchronous reproduction exhibit significantly amplified oscillations due to resonance with demographic noise, providing a more realistic understanding of ecological dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a predator-prey model with quasi-synchronous reproduction, showing enhanced resonance effects compared to models with Poissonian reproduction, and analyzes noise amplification mechanisms.

Findings

Resonance amplifies predator-prey oscillations when replication frequency matches natural frequency.

Quasi-synchronous replication leads to stronger demographic noise effects.

Analytical calculation of noise spectrum and amplitude in the model.

Abstract

Predator-prey models have been shown to exhibit resonance-like behaviour, in which random fluctuations in the number of organisms (demographic noise) are amplified when their frequency is close to the natural oscillatory frequency of the system. This behaviour has been traditionally studied in models with exponentially distributed replication and death times. Here we consider a biologically more realistic model, in which organisms replicate quasi-synchronously such that the distribution of replication times has a narrow maximum at some $T>0$ corresponding to the mean doubling time. We show that when the frequency of replication $f=1/T$ is tuned to the natural oscillatory frequency of the predator-prey model, the system exhibits oscillations that are much stronger than in the model with Poissonian (non-synchronous) replication and death. The effect can be explained by resonant amplification of coloured noise generated by quasi-synchronous replication events. To show this, we consider a single-species model with quasi-synchronous replication. We calculate the spectrum and the amplitude of demographic noise in this model, and use these results to obtain these quantities for the two-species model.