Slow-fast dynamics in stochastic Lotka-Volterra systems

Abstract: We investigate the large population dynamics of a family of stochastic particle systems with three-state cyclic individual behaviour and parameter-dependent transition rates. On short time scales, the dynamics turns out to be approximated by an integrable Hamiltonian system whose phase space is foliated by periodic trajectories. This feature suggests to consider the effective dynamics of the long-term process that results from averaging over the rapid oscillations. We establish the convergence of this process in the large population limit to the solutions of an explicit stochastic differential equation. Remarkably, this averaging phenomenon is complemented by the convergence of stationary measures. The proof of averaging follows the Stroock-Varadhan approach to martingale problems and relies on a fine analysis of the system's dynamical features.