A declining species and an increasing logistic species

On a mangrove swamp, scientists are investigating the population of mudskippers and crabs. Initially, there are 800 mudskippers and 800 crabs on the mangrove swamp. At time tt years, the number of mudskippers and crabs are M,CM,C respectively.

(a) For the mudskippers, the scientists discovers that every year, the growth rate is 0.4% of the population size and the death rate is 5 mudskippers per year.

(i) Write down a differential equation relating M,tM,t. mark

(ii) Solve the differential equation in part (i) and determine what happens to the mudskipper population in the future. marks

(b) For the crabs, the scientists propose that C,tC,t are related by the differential equation dCdt=8C−0.005C2\frac{dC}{dt}=8C-0.005C^2.

(i) Find the number of crabs in the mangrove swamp when the rate of change of CC is a maximum. marks

(ii) Find CC in terms of tt. Sketch a graph of CC against tt. marks

[2021/TJC/Prelim/I/10]

Total marks: 12

Solution

(a)(i)

Forming the equation

Write a differential equation for mudskippers: growth 0.4% of the population per year, 5 deaths per year.

Hint

  1. dMdt=growth−deaths\frac{dM}{dt}=\text{growth}-\text{deaths}.

Answer · (a)(i)

M′=0.004M−5M\prime=0.004M-5.