Metapopulation model for a prey-predator system: Nonlinear migration due to the finite capacities of patches

Abstract Many species live in spatially separated patches, and individuals can migrate between patches through paths. In real ecosystems, the capacities of patches are finite. If a patch is already occupied by the individuals of some species, then the migration into the patch is impossible. In the present paper, we deal with prey-predator system composed of two patches. Each patch contains a limited number of cells, where the cell is either empty or occupied by an individual of prey or predator. We introduce “swapping migration” defined by the exchange between occupied and empty cells. An individual can migrate, only when there are empty cells in the destination patch. Reaction-migration equations in prey-predator system are presented, where the migration term forms nonlinear function of densities. We numerically solve equilibrium densities, and find that the population dynamics are largely affected by nonlinear migration. Not only extinction points but also the responses to the environmental changes crucially depend on the patch capacities.