Dynamics of a coevolving host-virus system with resistance-growth trade-off

Xiaoshuang Li; Danfeng Pang; Xiaoshuang Li; Danfeng Pang

doi:10.3934/era.2025319

Electronic Research Archive

2025, Volume 33, Issue 11: 7216-7246. doi: 10.3934/era.2025319

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Dynamics of a coevolving host-virus system with resistance-growth trade-off

Xiaoshuang Li ^1,2,
Danfeng Pang ^{3
,
,}

1.
College of Education, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang 712082, China
2.
School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
3.
School of Mathematics and Data Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China

Received: 25 September 2025 Revised: 18 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Published: 28 November 2025

This study investigated biodiversity changes in host-virus coevolution, focusing on a system incorporating a resistance-growth trade-off. We derived the basic reproduction number for the host system and identified conditions for host-virus coexistence. Numerical simulations revealed that the resistance-growth trade-off may influence diversity patterns, leading to both monotonic and unimodal dynamics. Additionally, the resistance-growth trade-off may drive transitions between stable equilibria and periodic solutions under specific mutation rates, cause shifts in dominant species in both algal and viral communities, and trigger a hydra effect under specific dilution rates. Our results offer insights into the mechanisms driving biodiversity fluctuations in host-virus coevolutionary dynamics.
- host-virus system,
- resistance-growth trade-off,
- basic reproduction number,
- hydra effect,
- biodiversity
Citation: Xiaoshuang Li, Danfeng Pang. Dynamics of a coevolving host-virus system with resistance-growth trade-off[J]. Electronic Research Archive, 2025, 33(11): 7216-7246. doi: 10.3934/era.2025319

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Abstract

This study investigated biodiversity changes in host-virus coevolution, focusing on a system incorporating a resistance-growth trade-off. We derived the basic reproduction number for the host system and identified conditions for host-virus coexistence. Numerical simulations revealed that the resistance-growth trade-off may influence diversity patterns, leading to both monotonic and unimodal dynamics. Additionally, the resistance-growth trade-off may drive transitions between stable equilibria and periodic solutions under specific mutation rates, cause shifts in dominant species in both algal and viral communities, and trigger a hydra effect under specific dilution rates. Our results offer insights into the mechanisms driving biodiversity fluctuations in host-virus coevolutionary dynamics.

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