Mass Extinction & Biodiversity Through Deep Time (2D)

Origins and Extinctions

The Mass Extinction & Biodiversity Through Deep Time (2D) simulation models the origination and extinction rates of genera over geological timescales. The logistic model, a common tool in population dynamics, describes how species numbers grow until they reach an equilibrium determined by environmental carrying capacity. When plotted on a timeline, these rates create a dynamic skyline that reflects the balance between new species arising (origination) and existing ones disappearing (extinction).

The simulation specifically highlights five major mass extinctions: The Ordovician-Silurian, Late Devonian, Late Permian, Late Triassic, and Cretaceous-Paleogene. These events are modeled as Gaussian pulses, which represent sudden and significant drops in biodiversity.

The Role of Extinction Pulses

Extinction pulses, such as those caused by meteor impacts or volcanic activity, can dramatically alter the balance between origination and extinction rates. In the simulation, these pulses are represented by Gaussian functions that temporarily reduce the number of genera on the skyline. These events often lead to a period of reduced biodiversity followed by an adaptive radiation, where surviving species rapidly diversify to fill ecological niches left vacant.

The model allows users to toggle or trigger these mass extinctions manually, providing insights into how such events can reshape evolutionary trajectories and influence long-term biodiversity patterns.

Implications for Modern Biodiversity

Understanding the mechanisms behind past mass extinctions is crucial for predicting future scenarios. The simulation demonstrates that while extinction pulses are catastrophic, they also provide opportunities for evolutionary innovation and adaptation. By studying these events, scientists can better understand how ecosystems respond to rapid environmental changes and develop strategies to mitigate modern biodiversity crises.

Moreover, the model highlights the importance of maintaining stable origination-extinction rates to preserve current levels of biodiversity. It underscores that even small perturbations in these rates can have significant long-term impacts on ecosystem health.

Interactive Controls and Their Impact

The interactive controls in the simulation allow users to manipulate key parameters such as origination rate, background extinction rate, and deep-time playback speed. These adjustments can reveal how different factors influence biodiversity over time. For instance, increasing the origination rate might lead to a more dynamic skyline with frequent peaks of diversity, while higher background extinction rates could result in a more stable but lower overall biodiversity.

The ability to trigger or toggle mass extinctions manually provides a hands-on way to explore their immediate and long-term effects on the ecosystem. This interactivity enhances learning by allowing users to test hypotheses and observe outcomes firsthand.

Frequently asked questions

Try it live

Everything above runs in your browser — open Mass Extinction & Biodiversity Through Deep Time (2D) and change the parameters while it is running. Nothing is installed, nothing is uploaded, the whole model lives in one tab.