Advances in Difference Equations
Volume 2010 (2010), Article ID 215875, 18 pages
doi:10.1155/2010/215875

The discrete Beverton-Holt model with periodic harvesting in a periodically fluctuating environ\-ment

Ziyad Alsharawi and Mohamed Ben Haj Rhouma

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khod, P.O. Box 36, Muscat 123, Oman

Abstract

We investigate the effect of constant and periodic harvesting on the Beverton-Holt model in a periodically fluctuating environment. We show that in a periodically fluctuating environment, periodic harvesting gives a better maximum sustainable yield compared to constant harvesting. However, if one can also fix the environment, then constant harvesting in a constant environment can be a better option, especially for sufficiently large initial populations. Also, we investigate the combinatorial structure of the periodic sequence of carrying capacities and its effect on the maximum sustainable yield. Finally, we leave some questions worth further investigations.