Succession in a three-species food-chain model

In this study we consider a succession process of three-species food-chain model in a closed biocenosis in the sense of available resources. Under this assumption it is shown that the dynamics results in the stable composition of abiotic and biotic components of the food chain with increase in resources. Here the uptake rate of limiting biogenic elements by the prey to be of Lotka-Volterra type and uptake function of predators to be in the general form. The qualitative character of the gradual changes in climacteric composition is determined from relationships among ecological parameters. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.