Impact of water toxicity and acidity on dynamics of prey-predator aquatic populations: a mathematical model

Abstract

Abstract Escalation in pollution and contamination of the aquatic bodies is one of the alarming issues in recent times. Discharge of agricultural and industrial effluents into the water bodies is deteriorating the quality of water. Further, acid rain and pollutants washed off from land directly into water bodies lead to increase in acidity of water. These phenomena cause a decline in dissolved oxygen level of water, thus, threatening the survival of aquatic organisms. A non-linear mathematical model has been proposed to investigate the effect of toxicity and acidity on a prey-predator system wherein the predator is assumed to be completely dependent on prey for food. Also, it is assumed that rise in water acidity and toxicity develops impairments and infection in the lower level of food chain i.e. prey, which has indirect detrimental consequences for the growth and survival of the higher level of food chain i.e. predator due to consumption of prey by predator in the feeding process. Stability analysis of the model has been carried out and stability conditions have been derived taking into account all parameters of the proposed model. Numerical simulations are performed using MATLAB to support the analytical results obtained.