Impact of the Fear Effect on the Stability and Bifurcation of a Leslie–Gower Predator–Prey Model

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate analytically and numerically the dynamics of a modified Leslie–Gower predator–prey model which is characterized by the reduction of prey growth rate due to the anti-predator behavior. We prove the existence and local/global stability of equilibria of the model, and verify the existence of Hopf bifurcation. In addition, we focus on the influence of the fear effect on the population dynamics of the model and find that the fear effect can not only reduce the population density of both predator and prey, but also destabilize the coexistence equilibrium, which are beneficial to the occurrence of limit-cycle-induced oscillation, or prevent the occurrence of limit cycle oscillation and increase the stability of the system.