Stability Analysis and Invasion Thresholds in a Rosenzweig--MacArthur Model with Prey Immigration and Cooperative Hunting

Abstract

Predator--prey systems with multiple interacting ecological mechanisms require integrated modeling approaches for realistic analysis. This study develops a unified Rosenzweig--MacArthur model incorporating both continuous prey immigration and cooperative hunting among predators to analyze how these combined mechanisms affect equilibrium existence, stability, and transient dynamics. Analytical methods derive explicit invasion thresholds and local stability conditions through eigenvalue analysis, while numerical simulations with biologically plausible parameters compare two dynamical regimes: baseline conditions produce stable-node convergence, whereas high-efficiency conditions yield stable-spiral oscillations. Results show that immigration elevates prey density above invasion thresholds, enabling predator persistence, while increased cooperation intensity transitions the system from monotonic to oscillatory convergence. The integrated framework demonstrates how bottom-up (immigration) and top-down (cooperation) processes interact to shape predator--prey dynamics, providing testable predictions for ecosystems where both mechanisms operate simultaneously and establishing a foundation for more complex ecological modeling.