Chaos detection in predator-prey dynamics with delayed interactions and Ivlev-type functional response

Regarding delay-induced predator-prey systems, extensive research has focused on the phenomenon of delayed destabilization. However, the question of whether delays contribute to stabilizing or destabilizing the system remains a subtle one. In this paper, the predator-prey interaction with discrete delay involving Ivlev-type functional response is studied by theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. The positivity and boundedness of the solution for the delayed model have been discussed. When time delay is accounted as a bifurcation parameter, stability analysis for the coexistence equilibrium is given in theoretical aspect. Supercritical Hopf bifurcation is detected by numerical simulation. Interestingly, by choosing suitable groups of parameter values, the chaotic solutions appear via a cascade of period-doubling bifurcations, which is also detected. The theoretical analysis and numerical conclusions demonstrate that the delay mechanism plays a crucial role in the exploration of chaotic solutions.