Stability and bifurcation analysis in a predator–prey system with Michaelis–Menten type predator harvesting

Abstract The stability and bifurcation analysis for a predator–prey system with the nonlinear Michaelis–Menten type predator harvesting are taken into account. The existence and stability of possible equilibria are investigated. Specially, the stability of some positive equilibria is determined by using numerical simulation method due to the fact that the expressions of determinant and trace of the Jacobian matrix at these equilibria are very complex. The rigorous mathematical proofs of the existence of saddle–node bifurcation and transcritical bifurcation are derived with the help of Sotomayor’s theorem. Furthermore, in order to determine the stability of limit cycle of Hopf bifurcation, the first Lyapunov number is calculated and a numerical example is given to illustrate graphically. Choosing two parameters of the system as bifurcation parameters, we prove that the system exhibits Bogdanov–Takens bifurcation of codimension 2 by calculating a universal unfolding near the cusp. Numerical simulations are carried out to demonstrate the validity of theoretical results. Our research will be useful for understanding the dynamic complexity of ecosystems or physical systems when there is the nonlinear Michaelis–Menten type harvesting effect on predator population. This kind of nonlinear harvesting is more realistic and reasonable than the model with constant-yield harvesting and constant-effort harvesting. It can be thought as a supplement to existing literature on the dynamics of this system, since there is little literature involved in nonlinear type harvesting for the system up to now.