Effect of Intermediate Toxic Product on the Survival of a Resource Dependent Species: A Modeling Study

A nonlinear model is proposed and analysed to study the effect of intermediate toxic product on the survival of a resource dependent species in a polluted environment. It is assumed that when resource biomass uptakes pollutants/toxicants, a liquid (sap) present in the body of biomass reacts with such toxicants and as such intermediate toxic product is formed. This toxic substance then affects the biomass and the species dependent on it. The analysis of the model shows that with increase in the cumulative emission rate of toxicants in the atmosphere, the densities of resource biomass and the species dependent on it decrease and attain their lowest equilibrium. If the rate of emission of toxicants is large enough, the resource biomass may become extinct under certain conditions and the species dependent on it may not survive. The model analysis also suggests that if the formation of intermediate toxic product is restricted by way of controlling the emission of toxicants in the environment, the resulting growth of resource biomass would lead to survival of species dependent on it.