A Free Boundary Problem with a Stefan Condition for a Ratio-dependent Predator-prey Model

Abstract

In this paper we study a ratio-dependent predator-prey model with a free boundary causing by both prey and predator over a one dimensional habitat. We study the long time behaviors of the two species and prove a spreading-vanishing dichotomy, namely, as t goes to infinity, both prey and predator successfully spread to the whole space and survive in the new environment, or they spread within a bounded area and die out eventually. Then the criteria governing spreading and vanishing are obtained. Finally, when spreading occurs, we provide some estimates to the asymptotic spreading speed of h(t).