LOTKA VOLTERRA MODEL

Chapter-14
SECTION D: Species interaction
 Lotka- volterra model

Why to study this model??

✓ Lotka- volterra model tells about the interaction between the species, competition
between the species and predator prey relationship.
✓ The Lotka– Volterra predator–prey model was initially proposed by Alfred J. Lotka.
✓ The Lotka–Volterra equations examine the effect of population size on
interspecific competition and species coexistence.
✓ Lotka–Volterra model is the outcome of competition. It will help to find the
outcome of competition between two species
✓ The Lotka-Volterra Competition Model is an extension of the logistic growth
model that describes the competition between two species for limited
resources. It helps explain how two competing species influence each other’s
population dynamics.
 Terms to understand

➢ K value, or carrying capacity- Carrying capacity of species in the environment, is

the maximum population size of species that environment can support, provide
food and habitat.
➢ Isocline/zero growth isocline- A line joining points on a graph at which
combinations of resource levels or population densities produce a similar rate of
population growth for a particular species.
• The zero growth isocline describe expected equilibrium population size of one
species if abundance of the second species is held constant and vice-versa.
COMPETETION Interaction between the species or struggling/living on same resources.
REASON OF COMPETETION
May be of two type
Reason of competition: Same
Interspecific competition Intraspecific competition niche , territory, Same food
Between individual of Between individual resource between two species
different species of same species

Result in competition between

that two species.one species
will win and other loose

Outcome of competition

Lotka–Volterra model
 Lotka- volterra model

Lotka-Volterra model is based on logistic model of population growth: dN/dt = r N (1 - N/K)

By logistic growth curve-

By exponential growth curve-
✓S-shaped
✓J-shaped curve
✓Represent limited resource in
✓Represent unlimited
environment (K concept)
resource in environment
✓Give logical concept
 Interspecific Competition
✓Both species living in same niche and face competition due to that.
α21= β ✓Both the species is going to make their impact on each other , which
is called competition coefficient and represent it by α(alpha)
Affect of species1 on 2
Case-1
Species-2
α12 <1,
Species-1
the effect of species 2 on species 1
(interspecific competition) is less than the effect
Affect of species2 on 1 of species 1 on its own member (intraspecific
competition)
α12= α
α21= Competition coefficient representing Case-2
inhibitory effect of species 1 on species 2 α12 >1, the effect of species 2 on species 1
α12= Competition coefficient representing (interspecific competition) is greater than the
effect of species 1 on its own member
inhibitory effect of species 2 on species 1
(intraspecific competition)
NOTE: Generally, intraspecific competition is stronger
than interspecific competition.
TELL ME, WHO WILL WIN …………??

1.α12> α21

2.α21> α12
TELL ME, WHO WILL WIN …………??

1.α12> α21 Affect of SP2 on SP1 is high as compare to Affect of SP1

on SP2. so N2 or SP2 will win and SP1 will loose

2.α21> α12 Affect of SP1 on SP2 is high as compare to Affect of SP2

on SP1. so N1 or SP1 will win and SP2 will loose
Generally, intraspecific competition is stronger than interspecific competition
 EQUATIONS
Equation of SP1 growing alone Equation of SP2 growing alone

Equation of SP1 growing with SP2 Equation of SP2 growing with SP1

✓ N1 and N2= Population of species 1 and 2 respectively.

Logistic growth formula
✓ α12 = represents the effect species 2 on the population of species 1
✓ α21 = represents the effect species 1 on the population of species 2.
✓ K1 and K2= Carrying capacity / population size of each species in
absence of other
✓ t= time
✓ r1 and r2= rate of increase of species 1 and 2 respectively
 Result of competition in Lotka volterra

CO-EXISTANCE COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION

Intraspecific competition> interspecific competition Interspecific competition> intraspecific competition

STABLE CO-EXISTANCE UNSTABLE CO-EXISTANCE

Both species are weak Both species are strong competitor One species is Strong and other is weak
competitor one species will "win" but which a) Species 1 will wins and
wins depends upon initial species 2 will loose
Both species will exist
conditions or the direction of even Or
together in that niche /
the slightest perturbation from an b) Species 2 will wins and
both species persist.
unstable equilibrium for species 1will loose
coexistence
Note: intraspecific competition was found to be 4-5 times stronger than interspecific
competition, and it promotes the stable coexistence of species at local scales.
Competitive exclusion occur when interspecific competition is greater than intraspecific
competition. Coexistence occur when intraspecific competition is greater than interspecific
competition.
 Lotka volterra graph

For species-1 For species-2 Together

Point to remember
ABOVE ITS ISOCLINE→ SPECIES WILL DECREASE
BELOW ITS ISOCLINE→ SPECIES WILL INCREASE
 Key Insights from the Model

1. If α and β are small, both species may coexist.

2. If one species has a much larger effect on the other, it may lead to competitive exclusion,
where one species outcompetes and eliminates the other.
3. The model helps understand how species share resources and whether stable coexistence is
possible.
 Case-1
WHEN ISOCLINE OF SPECIES 2 IS BELOW THE ISOCLINE OF SPECIES 1

α21= β
α12= α
RESULT: Species 1 will win and species 2 will loose
Competitive exclusion of species 2

CONCLUSION : species 1 will win and species

2 will loose, as we are getting resultant in the
direction of species 1/ N1.

OUTCOME: SP1 goes to carrying capacity of K1

and SP2 is excluded
 Case-2
WHEN ISOCLINE OF SPECIES 1 IS BELOW THE ISOCLINE OF SPECIES 2
 Case-2
WHEN ISOCLINE OF SPECIES 1 IS BELOW THE ISOCLINE OF SPECIES 2

α21= β
α12= α
RESULT: Species 2 will win and species 1 will loose
Competitive exclusion of species 1

CONCLUSION : species 2 will win and

species 1 will loose, as we are getting
resultant in the direction of species 2 or
N2.

OUTCOME: SP2 goes to carrying capacity of

K2 and SP1 is excluded
 Case-3
WHEN CARRYING CAPACITY OF BOTH SPECIES IS AT LOWER INTERCEPT
 Case-3
WHEN CARRYING CAPACITY OF BOTH SPECIES IS AT LOWER INTERCEPT

α21= β
α12= α
RESULT: Stable co-existence
Both are weak species

CONCLUSION : Both species has weak

competitive effect on each other

OUTCOME: The outcome of this type of

competition is stable co-existence between the
species.
 Case-4
WHEN CARRYING CAPACITY OF BOTH SPECIES IS AT HIGHER INTERCEPT
 Case-4
WHEN CARRYING CAPACITY OF BOTH SPECIES IS AT HIGHER INTERCEPT

α21= β
α12= α
RESULT: Unstable co-existence
Both are strong species

CONCLUSION : Both species has GREATER

competitive effect on each other

OUTCOME: The outcome of this type of

competition is unstable co-existence between the
species.
 Form of question asked in CSIR
1. Graph will be given, you have to tell which species will win
2. Graph will be given, you have to select formula for that
3. Formula will be given, you have to tell which species will win
4. Formula will be given, you have to tell which competition is strong
(intra or inter )
species 1 and species 2 are there. The carrying capacity of Brown deer (K1)= 200, Alpha=
1 , K2= 100 and Beta= 1.
What will be the result of above situation.
1. Species 1 wins
2. Species 2 wins
3. Both coexist
4. Neither win
species 1 and species2 are there. The carrying capacity of Brown deer (K1)= 200, Alpha= 1 ,
K2= 100 and Beta= 1.
CSIR NET-JUNE-2020
CSIR NET-2016-JUNE
For two species A and B in competition, the carrying capacities and competition coefficients are
KA = 150 KB = 200
α= 1 β = 1.3

According to the Lotka-Volterra model of interspecific competition, the outcome of competition will be
(1)Species A wins.
(2)Species B wins.
(3)Both species reach a stable equilibrium.
(4)Both species reach an unstable equilibrium
CSIR NET 2014-DEC
The diagram represents competition between species 1 and
species 2 according to Lotka Volterra model of competition.
CSIR NET 2012-JUNE
CSIR NET-2017-JUNE
Two species, M and N, occupy the same habitat. Given below is a 'state-space' graph in which the abundance of
species M is plotted on the X-axis and abundance of species· N is plotted on the Y-axis. For each species, the
zero-growth isocline is plotted

KM = carrying capacity of the habitat for species M -in absence of

species N
KN = carrying capacity of the habitat for species N in absence of
species M
α = per capita effect of species N on M β = per capita
effect of species M on N

Based on the above plot some deductions are made. Which one of
the following statements is INCORRECT?
(1)At point A, populations of both the species M and N increase
(2)At point B, population of species M increase while that of
zero-growth isocline for species M
species N decreases
_ _ zero-growth isocline for species N
(3)At point B, population of species N increase while that of
species M decreases
(4)Ultimately species N will be eliminated
Educator Name: JYOTI KUMARI (CSIR UGC NET-Life science)

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