Bifurcation analysis of an ecological food-chain model with switching predator

The present paper deals with the mathematical analysis of a prey–predator model where the prey population is assumed to live in two distinct habitats and the predator consumes prey from both these habitats with a switching tendency. The dynamical behavior of the system is investigated from the point of view of stability and bifurcation aspects. It has been found that the mortality rate of the predator plays an important role in controlling the system dynamics. Finally, a detailed study of the Hopf-bifurcating solutions is carried out and the criteria for subcritical and supercritical Hopf-bifurcation derived. Numerical simulations are performed in support of analytical results.