Modeling Population Dynamics and Assessing Ecological Impacts of Lampreys via Sex Ratio Regulation
Regulating lamprey populations is crucial for maintaining ecological equilibrium. However, the unique sex determination process of lampreys is constrained by multiple factors, complicating intuitive analysis of population dynamics and their impact on the natural environment. This study employed a tw...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Ruohan Wang Youxi Luo Hanfang Li Chaozhu Hu |
| author_facet | Ruohan Wang Youxi Luo Hanfang Li Chaozhu Hu |
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| description | Regulating lamprey populations is crucial for maintaining ecological equilibrium. However, the unique sex determination process of lampreys is constrained by multiple factors, complicating intuitive analysis of population dynamics and their impact on the natural environment. This study employed a two-species competition mechanism to elucidate the factors influencing sex ratios and their mechanistic effects on lamprey population size. Using the Lotka–Volterra equations, we investigated how sex ratios affect trophic levels both upstream and downstream of lampreys in the food web. A logistic population growth model was applied to assess the impact of sex ratio variations on symbiotic parasitic species, while the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was utilized to explore the dynamic relationship between sex ratio changes and ecosystem stability. To validate model efficacy, we manipulated temperature and food availability under controlled disturbance conditions, analyzing temporal variations in lamprey population size across different disturbance intensities to evaluate model sensitivity. The findings indicate that the variable sex ratio’s benefit is in facilitating the lampreys’ population’s enhanced adaptation to environmental shifts. The coexisting species exhibit a similar pattern of population alteration as the lampreys, albeit with a minor delay. A definitive link between the quantity of lampreys and the parasitic species is absent. A male ratio of 0.6 optimally contributes to the ecosystem’s equilibrium. Over time, the configuration of our model’s parameters proves to be sensible. This research provides robust theoretical support for developing scientific strategies to regulate lamprey populations. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-a858aafc64ad46df970cde2912db48f52025-07-25T13:12:02ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-07-011514768010.3390/app15147680Modeling Population Dynamics and Assessing Ecological Impacts of Lampreys via Sex Ratio RegulationRuohan Wang0Youxi Luo1Hanfang Li2Chaozhu Hu3School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaRegulating lamprey populations is crucial for maintaining ecological equilibrium. However, the unique sex determination process of lampreys is constrained by multiple factors, complicating intuitive analysis of population dynamics and their impact on the natural environment. This study employed a two-species competition mechanism to elucidate the factors influencing sex ratios and their mechanistic effects on lamprey population size. Using the Lotka–Volterra equations, we investigated how sex ratios affect trophic levels both upstream and downstream of lampreys in the food web. A logistic population growth model was applied to assess the impact of sex ratio variations on symbiotic parasitic species, while the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was utilized to explore the dynamic relationship between sex ratio changes and ecosystem stability. To validate model efficacy, we manipulated temperature and food availability under controlled disturbance conditions, analyzing temporal variations in lamprey population size across different disturbance intensities to evaluate model sensitivity. The findings indicate that the variable sex ratio’s benefit is in facilitating the lampreys’ population’s enhanced adaptation to environmental shifts. The coexisting species exhibit a similar pattern of population alteration as the lampreys, albeit with a minor delay. A definitive link between the quantity of lampreys and the parasitic species is absent. A male ratio of 0.6 optimally contributes to the ecosystem’s equilibrium. Over time, the configuration of our model’s parameters proves to be sensible. This research provides robust theoretical support for developing scientific strategies to regulate lamprey populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/14/7680sex ratioLotka–Volterra equationpopulation sizelogistic model |
| spellingShingle | Ruohan Wang Youxi Luo Hanfang Li Chaozhu Hu Modeling Population Dynamics and Assessing Ecological Impacts of Lampreys via Sex Ratio Regulation Applied Sciences sex ratio Lotka–Volterra equation population size logistic model |
| title | Modeling Population Dynamics and Assessing Ecological Impacts of Lampreys via Sex Ratio Regulation |
| title_full | Modeling Population Dynamics and Assessing Ecological Impacts of Lampreys via Sex Ratio Regulation |
| title_fullStr | Modeling Population Dynamics and Assessing Ecological Impacts of Lampreys via Sex Ratio Regulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling Population Dynamics and Assessing Ecological Impacts of Lampreys via Sex Ratio Regulation |
| title_short | Modeling Population Dynamics and Assessing Ecological Impacts of Lampreys via Sex Ratio Regulation |
| title_sort | modeling population dynamics and assessing ecological impacts of lampreys via sex ratio regulation |
| topic | sex ratio Lotka–Volterra equation population size logistic model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/14/7680 |
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