NONLINEAR TRACKING CONTROL FOR PREY STABILIZATION IN PREDATOR-PREY MODEL USING BACKSTEPPING

The common method used in population dynamics is optimal control, which employs Pontryagin’s minimum principle. This method minimizes costs, with the constraint function being the model dynamics. Unfortunately, if the main objective of the control function is to modify the population’s behavior to follow a specific pattern, this method is challenging to apply. This article introduces a control function to the predator-prey model for the tracking problem using the backstepping method. The control function drives the population from the initial value towards the given trajectory. The goal is to maintain the balance between predator and prey populations in the habitat, with the chosen trajectory being the equilibrium point. The application of backstepping to the predator-prey model is combined with input-output feedback linearization to obtain a normal form, enabling the implementation of backstepping. Simulation results show that the controller successfully drives the predator-prey populations toward the equilibrium point with a relatively small control function and excellent performance.