A nonlinear fractional model to describe the population dynamics of two interacting species

In this paper, the approximate analytical solutions of Lotka-Volterra model with fractional derivative have been obtained by using hybrid analytic approach. This approach is amalgamation of homotopy analysis method, Laplace transform, and homotopy polynomials. First, we present an alternative framework of the method that can be used simply and effectively to handle nonlinear problems arising in several physical phenomena. Then, existence and uniqueness of solutions for the fractional Lotka-Volterra equations are discussed. We also carry out a detailed analysis on the stability of equilibrium. Further, we have derived the approximate solutions of predator and prey populations for different particular cases by using initial values. The numerical simulations of the result are depicted through different graphical representations showing that this hybrid analytic method is reliable and powerful method to solve linear and nonlinear fractional models arising in science and engineering. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.