Existence and regularity of minimizers for a variational problem of species population density

Abstract

We study a variational problem motivated by models of species population density in a nonhomogeneous environment. We first analyze local minimizers and the structure of the saturated region (where the population attains its maximal density) from a free boundary perspective. By comparing the original problem with a radially symmetric minimization problem and studying its properties, we then establish the existence and structure of a global solution. Analytic examples of radially symmetric solutions and numerical simulations illustrate the theoretical results and provide insight into spatial saturation patterns in population models. We further highlight an unresolved question regarding the quasiconcavity of minimizers.