On reducible nonlinear time-delayed stochastic systems: fluctuation-dissipation relations, transitions to bistability, and secondary transitions to non-stationarity

We show the conditions under which nonlinear time-delayed dynamical systems with multiplicative noise sources can be transformed into linear time-delayed systems with additive noise sources. We show that, for such reducible systems, analytical expressions for stationary distributions can be obtained. We demonstrate that fluctuation-dissipation relations of reducible systems become trivial and we show that reducible systems may exhibit delay- and noise-induced transitions to bistability and secondary transitions to non-stationarity. Our general findings are exemplified for three models: a Gompertz model, a Hongler model and a model involving a 1 - x(2) noise amplitude.