Bifurcation Analysis of a Discrete Basener–Ross Population Model: Exploring Multiple Scenarios

The Basener and Ross mathematical model is widely recognized for its ability to characterize the interaction between the population dynamics and resource utilization of Easter Island. In this study, we develop and investigate a discrete-time version of the Basener and Ross model. First, the existence and the stability of fixed points for the present model are investigated. Next, we investigated various bifurcation scenarios by establishing criteria for the occurrence of different types of codimension-one bifurcations, including flip and Neimark–Sacker bifurcations. These criteria are derived using the center manifold theorem and bifurcation theory. Furthermore, we demonstrated the existence of codimension-two bifurcations characterized by 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4 resonances, emphasizing the model’s complex dynamical structure. Numerical simulations are employed to validate and illustrate the theoretical predictions. Finally, through bifurcation diagrams, maximal Lyapunov exponents, and phase portraits, we uncover a diversity of dynamical characteristics, including limit cycles, periodic solutions, and chaotic attractors.