The Allee Effect in Population Dynamics with a Seasonal Reproduction Pattern

Abstract

The local consequences of the Allee effect in isolated populations of animal species with a seasonal reproduction pattern that nonmonotonically depends on population density are studied based on a discrete analog of the Bazykin–Ludwig model. Along with the critical population size (below which the population degenerates because of the Allee effect), the limiting population size is discovered: the population with a higher density degenerates because of overpopulation. The effect of the initial population size on possible scenarios of its development is studied in detail. It is shown that an “intermediate” population size that provides the maximum population density is unachievable in some cases.