Numerical investigation of fractional model of Phytoplankton–Toxic Phytoplankton–Zooplankton system with convergence analysis

Abstract

In this paper, a fractional order model of the phytoplankton–toxic phytoplankton–zooplankton system with Caputo fractional derivative is investigated via three computational methods, namely, residual power series method (RPSM), homotopy perturbation Sumudu transform method (HPSTM) and the homotopy analysis Sumudu transform method (HASTM). This model is constituted by three components: phytoplankton, toxic phytoplankton and zooplankton. Phytoplankton species are self-feeding members of the plankton community and play a very significant role in ecosystems. A wide range of sea creatures get food through phytoplankton. This paper focuses on the implementation of the three above-mentioned computational methods for a nonlinear time-fractional phytoplankton–toxic phytoplankton–zooplankton (PTPZ) model with a perception to study the dynamics of a model. This study shows that the solutions obtained by employing the suggested computational methods are in good agreement with each other. The computational procedures reveal that the HASTM solution generates a more general solution as compared to RPSM and HPSTM and incorporates their results as a special case. The numerical results presented in the form of graphs authenticate the accuracy of computational schemes. Hence, the implemented methods are very appropriate and relevant to handle nonlinear fractional models. In addition, the effect of variation of fractional order of a time derivative and time [Formula: see text] on populations of phytoplankton, toxic–phytoplankton and zooplankton has also been studied through graphical presentations. Moreover, the uniqueness and convergence analyses of HASTM solution have also been discussed in view of the Banach fixed-point theory.