title: A non-linear mathematical model for a three species ecosystem: Hippos in Lake Edward.
abstract: In this work we study a non-linear mathematical model based on three different interacting species. We apply our model to Lake Edward ecosystem consisting in hippos, tilapia fishes and human inhabitants. In this case, we estimate the values of the key parameters using actual data and show the reliability of the proposed model as a predictive tool. We also show, via numerical calculations and parameter values that the ecosystem associated to the lake is very far from reaching a stable equilibrium. Through our analysis we provide the conditions for a possible coexistence among the three species.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Alta Investigación IAI, Universidad de Tarapacá, Casilla 7-D, Arica, Chile. Electronic address: mauroh69@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bologna
authors.affiliation: Escuela Universitaria de Ingeniería Eléctrica-Electrónica, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile. Electronic address: kchandia@uta.cl.
authors.forename: Kristopher J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chandía
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Alta Investigación IAI, Universidad de Tarapacá, Casilla 7-D, Arica, Chile. Electronic address: cflores@uta.cl.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Flores
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001188:Artiodactyla; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003223:Congo; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D060106:Lakes; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017210:Tilapia; D013997:Time Factors; D014454:Uganda
keywords: Malthus Verhulst model; Population dynamics; Prey–predator model