All issues

To study nonlinear effects of biological species interactions numerical-analytical approach is being developed. The approach is based on the cosymmetry theory accounting for the phenomenon of the emergence of a continuous family of solutions to differential equations where each solution can be obtained from the appropriate initial state. In problems of mathematical ecology the onset of cosymmetry is usually connected with a number of relationships between the parameters of the system. When the relationships collapse families vanish, we get a finite number of isolated solutions instead of a continuum of solutions and transient process can be long-term, dynamics taking place in a neighborhood of a family that has vanished due to cosymmetry collapse.

We consider a model for spatiotemporal competition of predators or prey with an account for directed migration, Holling type II functional response and nonlinear prey growth function permitting Alley effect. We found out the conditions on system parameters under which there is linear with respect to population densities cosymmetry. It is demonstated that cosymmetry exists for any resource function in case of heterogeneous habitat. Numerical experiment in MATLAB is applied to compute steady states and oscillatory regimes in case of spatial heterogeneity.

The dynamics of three population interactions (two predators and a prey, two prey and a predator) are considered. The onset of families of stationary distributions and limit cycle branching out of equlibria of a family that lose stability are investigated in case of homogeneous habitat. The study of the system for two prey and a predator gave a wonderful result of species coexistence. We have found out parameter regions where three families of stable solutions can be realized: coexistence of two prey in absence of a predator, stationary and oscillatory distributions of three coexisting species. Cosymmetry collapse is analyzed and long-term transient dynamics leading to solutions with the exclusion of one of prey or extinction of a predator is established in the numerical experiment.

Mathematicity of physics is surprising, but it enables us to understand the laws of nature through the analysis of mathematical structures describing it. This concerns, however, only physics. The degree of the mathematization of biology is low, and attempts to mathematize it are limited to the application of mathematical methods used for the description of physical systems. When doing so, we are likely to commit an error of attributing to biological systems features that they do not have. Some argue that biology does need new mathematical methods conforming to its needs, and not known from physics. However, because of a specific complexity of biological systems, we should speak of their algorithmicity, rather than of their mathematicity. As an example of algorithmic approach one can indicate so called individual-based models used in ecology to describe population dynamics or fractal models applied to describe geometrical complexity of such biological structures as trees.

The article covered results of three-dimensional modeling of ecologic situation of shallow water on the example of the Azov Sea with using schemes of increased order of accuracy on multiprocessor computer system of Southern Federal University. Discrete analogs of convective and diffusive transfer operators of the fourth order of accuracy in the case of partial occupancy of cells were constructed and studied. The developed scheme of the high (fourth) order of accuracy were used for solving problems of aquatic ecology and modeling spatial distribution of polluting nutrients, which caused growth of phytoplankton, many species of which are toxic and harmful. The use of schemes of the high order of accuracy are improved the quality of input data and decreased the error in solutions of model tasks of aquatic ecology. Numerical experiments were conducted for the problem of transportation of substances on the basis of the schemes of the second and fourth orders of accuracy. They’re showed that the accuracy was increased in 48.7 times for diffusion-convection problem. The mathematical algorithm was proposed and numerically implemented, which designed to restore the bottom topography of shallow water on the basis of hydrographic data (water depth at individual points or contour level). The map of bottom relief of the Azov Sea was generated with using this algorithm. It’s used to build fields of currents calculated on the basis of hydrodynamic model. The fields of water flow currents were used as input data of the aquatic ecology models. The library of double-layered iterative methods was developed for solving of nine-diagonal difference equations. It occurs in discretization of model tasks of challenges of pollutants concentration, plankton and fish on multiprocessor computer system. It improved the precision of the calculated data and gave the possibility to obtain operational forecasts of changes in ecologic situation of shallow water in short time intervals.

The paper investigates the dynamics of a finite-dimensional model describing the interaction of three populations: prey $x(t)$, its consuming predator $y(t)$, and a superpredator $z(t)$ that feeds on both species. Mathematically, the problem is formulated as a system of nonlinear first-order differential equations with the following right-hand side: $[x(1-x)-(y+z)g;\,\eta_1^{}yg-d_1^{}f-\mu_1^{}y;\,\eta_2^{}zg+d_2^{}f-\mu_2^{}z]$, where $\eta_j^{}$, $d_j^{}$, $\mu_j^{}$ ($j=1,\,2$) are positive coefficients. The considered model belongs to the class of cosymmetric dynamical systems under the Lotka\,--\,Volterra functional response $g=x$, $f=yz$, and two parameter constraints: $\mu_2^{}=d_2^{}\left(1+\frac{\mu_1^{}}{d_1^{}}\right)$, $\eta_2^{}=d_2^{}\left(1+\frac{\eta_1^{}}{d_1^{}}\right)$. In this case, a family of equilibria is being of a straight line in phase space. We have analyzed the stability of the equilibria from the family and isolated equilibria. Maps of stationary solutions and limit cycles have been constructed. The breakdown of the family is studied by violating the cosymmetry conditions and using the Holling model $g(x)=\frac x{1+b_1^{}x}$ and the Beddington–DeAngelis model $f(y,\,z)=\frac{yz}{1+b_2^{}y+b_3^{}z}$. To achieve this, the apparatus of Yudovich's theory of cosymmetry is applied, including the computation of cosymmetric defects and selective functions. Through numerical experimentation, invasive scenarios have been analyzed, encompassing the introduction of a superpredator into the predator-prey system, the elimination of the predator, or the superpredator.

The article dwells upon investigating the issue of the most adequate tools developing and justifying to forecast the interregional migration flows value and structure. Migration processes have a significant impact on the size and demographic structure of the population of territories, the state and balance of regional and local labor markets.

To analyze the migration processes and to assess their impact an economic-mathematical tool is required which would be instrumental in modelling the migration processes and flows for different areas with the desired precision. The current methods and approaches to the migration processes modelling, including the analysis of their advantages and disadvantages, were considered. It is noted that to implement many of these methods mass aggregated statistical data is required which is not always available and doesn’t characterize the migrants behavior at the local level where the decision to move to a new dwelling place is made. This has a significant impact on the ability to apply appropriate migration processes modelling techniques and on the projection accuracy of the migration flows magnitude and structure.

The cellular automata model for interregional migration flows modelling, implementing the integration of the households migration behavior model under the conditions of the Bounded Rationality into the general model of the area migration flow was developed and tested based on the Primorye Territory data. To implement the households migration behavior model under the conditions of the Bounded Rationality the integral attractiveness index of the regions with economic, social and ecological components was proposed in the work.

To evaluate the prognostic capacity of the developed model, it was compared with the available cellular automata models used to predict interregional migration flows. The out of sample prediction method which showed statistically significant superiority of the proposed model was applied for this purpose. The model allows obtaining the forecasts and quantitative characteristics of the areas migration flows based on the households real migration behaviour at the local level taking into consideration their living conditions and behavioural motives.

This is a brief review of the subjects, and an impression of some talks, which were given at the Schools on modelling complex biological systems. Those Schools reflected a logical progress in this way of thinking in our country and provided a place for collective “brain-storming” inspired by prominent scientists of the last century, such as A. A. Lyapunov, N. V. Timofeeff-Ressovsky, A. M. Molchanov. At the Schools, general issues of methodology of mathematical modeling in biology and ecology were raised in the form of heated debates, the fundamental principles for how the structure of matter is organized and how complex biological systems function and evolve were discussed. The Schools served as an important sample of interdisciplinary actions by the scientists of distinct perceptions of the World, or distinct approaches and modes to reach the boundaries of the Unknown, rather than of different specializations. What was bringing together the mathematicians and biologists attending the Schools was the common understanding that the alliance should be fruitful. Reported in the issues of School proceedings, the presentations, discussions, and reflections have not yet lost their relevance so far and might serve as certain guidance for the new generation of scientists.