The impact of ecological mechanisms on stability in an eco-epidemiological model: Allee effect and prey refuge

Eco-epidemiological models provide insights into factors influencing disease transmission and host population stability. This study developed two eco-epidemiological models to investigate the impacts of prey refuge availability and an Allee effect on dynamics. Model A incorporated these mechanisms, while model B did not. Both models featured predator – prey and disease transmission and were analyzed mathematically and via simulation. Model equilibrium states were examined locally and globally under differing parameter combinations representative of environmental scenarios. Model A and B demonstrated globally stable conditions within certain parameter ranges, signalling refuge and Allee effect terms promote robustness. Moreover, model A showed a higher potential toward extinction of the species as a result of incorporating the Allee effect. Bifurcation analyses revealed qualitative shifts in behavior triggered by modifications like altered predation mortality. Model A manifested a transcritical bifurcation indicating critical population thresholds. Additional bifurcation types were noticed when refuge and Allee stabilizing impacts were absent in model B. Findings showed disease crowding effect and that host persistence is positively associated with refuge habitat, reducing predator – prey encounters. The Allee effect also calibrated stability via heightened sensitivity to small groups. Simulations aligned with mathematical predictions. Model A underwent bifurcations at critical predator death rates impacting prey outcomes. This work provides a valuable framework to minimize transmission given resource availability or demographic alterations, generating testable hypotheses.