Multi-stable and spatiotemporal staggered patterns in a predator-prey model with predator-taxis and delay

The effects of predator-taxis and conversion time delay on formations of spatiotemporal patterns in a predator-prey model are explored. First, the well-posedness, which implies global existence of classical solutions, is proved. Then, we establish critical conditions for the destabilization of the coexistence equilibrium via Turing/Turing-Turing bifurcations by describing the first Turing bifurcation curve; we also theoretically predict possible bistable/multi-stable spatially heterogeneous patterns. Next, we demonstrate that the coexistence equilibrium can also be destabilized via Hopf, Hopf-Hopf and Turing-Hopf bifurcations; also possible stable/bistable spatially inhomogeneous staggered periodic patterns and bistable spatially inhomogeneous synchronous periodic patterns are theoretically predicted. Finally, numerical experiments also support theoretical predictions and partially extend them. In a word, theoretical analyses indicate that, on the one hand, strong predator-taxis can eliminate spatial patterns caused by self-diffusion; on the other hand, the joint effects of predator-taxis and conversion time delay can induce complex survival patterns, e.g., bistable spatially heterogeneous staggered/synchronous periodic patterns, thus diversifying populations’ survival patterns.