Skip to main content
Log in

Regulation of population cycles by genetic feedback: Existence of periodic solutions of a mathematical model

  • Published:
Journal of Mathematical Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Populations of voles, and lemmings of the Northern hemisphere exhibit cyclic fluctuations with a cycle of three to four years. Krebs et al. presented evidence that the cycles are driven by changes in the genotypic structure of the population [9]. Incorporating some of their hypotheses we present a mathematical model of a one locus two allele population with density dependent selection and assuming a slow selection hypothesis, the existence of periodic solutions is proved. These solutions arise by Hopf bifurcation in δ 1/¦β1¦, the ratio of the residual death and birth rates of the density sensitive homozygote.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Asmussen, M.: Regular and chaotic cycling in models of ecological genetics. Theoret. Population Biology 16, 172–190 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aronson, D., Weinberger, H.: Non linear diffusion in population genetics, combustion, and nerve propagation. In: P. D. E. and related topics (Goldstein, J. A., ed.). Lecture notes in mathematics. Vol. 446, pp. 5–49. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer 1975

    Google Scholar 

  3. Chitty, D.: The natural selection of self-regulatory behaviour in animal populations. In: Populations regulation (Tamarin, R., ed.). Dowden Hutchinson and Ross Inc. 1978

  4. Elton, C.: Voles, lemmings, and mice. Oxford University, Clarendon Press 1942

  5. Fife, P.: Mathematical aspects of reacting and diffusing systems. Lecture notes in biomathematics. Vol. 28. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer 1979

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hoppensteadt, F.: Properties of solutions of ordinary differential equations with a small parameter. Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 24, 807–840 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hunt, F.: On the persistence of spatially homogeneous solutions of a population genetics model with slow selection. Mathemat. Biosci. 52, 185–206 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Krebs, C.: Dispersal spacing behaviour and genetics in relation to population fluctuations in the vole microtus townsendii. Fortschr. Zool. 25, 61–77 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Krebs, C., Gaines, M., Keller, B., Myers, J., Tamarin, R.: Population cycles in small rodents. In: Population regulation (Tamarin, R., ed.). Dowden Hutchinson and Ross Inc. 1978

  10. Nagylaki, T.: Natural selection in one and two locus systems. Lecture notes in biomathematics. Vol. 15. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1977

    Google Scholar 

  11. Oster, G., Ipaktchi, A., Rocklin, S.: Phenotypic structure and bifurcation behaviour of population models. Theoret. Population Biology 10, 365–382 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pimentel, D.: Animal population regulation by the genetic feedback mechanism. In: Population regulation (Tamarin, R., ed.). Dowden Hutchinson and Ross Inc. 1978

  13. Poulsen, E. T.: Model for population regulation with density and frequency dependent selection. J. Math. Biol. 8, 325–343 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Partially supported by NSF Grant # MCS-8005777

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hunt, F. Regulation of population cycles by genetic feedback: Existence of periodic solutions of a mathematical model. J. Math. Biology 13, 271–282 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00276064

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00276064

Key words

Navigation