Non-linear population discrete models with two time scales: re-scaling of part of the slow process

Abstract

In this work we present a reduction result for discrete time systems with two time scales. In order to be valid, previous results in the field require some strong hypotheses that are difficult to check in practical applications. Roughly speaking, the iterates of a map as well as their differentials must converge uniformly on compact sets. Here, we eliminate the hypothesis of uniform convergence of the differentials at no significant cost in the conclusions of the result. This new result is then used to extend to nonlinear cases the reduction of some population discrete models involving processes acting at different time scales. In practical cases, some processes that occur at a fast time scale are often only measured at slow time intervals, notably mortality. For a general class of linear models that include such kind of processes, it has been shown that a more realistic approach requires the re-scaling of those processes to be considered at the fast time scale. We develop the same type of re-scaling in some nonlinear models and prove the corresponding reduction results. We also provide an application to a particular model of a structured population in a two-patch environment.