The Science and Technology of Ecosystems

These suggestions refer to my Grassland simulation.

Do you want your grassland to have edges that keep the animals contained (like an island)? Or do you want to let them roam freely (like on a sphere)? There's a button to make that choice.

Do you want to start with a random meadow each time, or a standard meadow? Use the buttons to make your choice. (The standard meadow can be changed, if you want to explore the influence of geography on the Grassland. This adjustment would require some coding lessons, which I'd happily provide!)

Do you want to scatter the bunnies randomly, or place them in a specific location? (You could save a specific starting point, if that would improve your experimental design. This adjustment would require some coding lessons, which I'd happily provide!)

Do you want to scatter the wolves randomly, or place them in a specific location? (You could save a specific starting point, if that would improve your experimental design. This adjustment would require some coding lessons, which I'd happily provide!)

Do you want to introduce some randomness into the growth of grass, the fertility of bunnies or wolves, or the hunting skill of the wolves? (These adjustments could mimic some kind of human impact on the ecosystem.)

Will you look for extinction events? Long-term stability? Cyclical fluctuations? How many generations will you watch? How many different trials will you make?

What factors will you keep the same every time? What factors will you adjust? Why do you think that will produce interesting results?

When the babies grow up and move out of their parents' cell, they go in a random direction. Does this randomness make a difference in the long-term populations? I could show you how to code preferences for babies to move out in a particular direction!

When the wolves have multiple hunting targets, they choose their targets randomly. Does this randomness make a difference in the long-term populations? I could show you how to code preferences for babies to move out in a particular direction!

The sun grows grass at a steady rate, unless you adjust the Grass Health factor. How would the long-term populations change if the grass grew faster or slower? I could show you how to code a different rate!

The bunnies have a pre-programmed appetite. How would the long-term populations change if their appetite was greater or smaller? I could show you how to code a different appetite!