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Niche Overlap & Competitive Exclusion Simulator (2D)

Interactive 2D simulator of Gause's competitive exclusion principle: five species compete along a resource axis under a Lotka-Volterra model, with competition strength set by MacArthur-Levins niche overlap. Drag and zoom the resource axis, adjust niche spacing, width, growth rate and carrying capacity, and watch who coexists and who is excluded.

Ecology & Conservation Biology2DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

Five competing species sit at fixed positions along a single shared resource axis, each with a Gaussian resource-utilization curve of adjustable breadth and spacing. Their populations evolve under a real Lotka–Volterra competition model, integrated with RK4 every frame, where the strength of competition between any two species is computed from the geometric overlap of their niches using the MacArthur–Levins formula. Pull niches apart or narrow them and populations settle at carrying capacity — coexistence. Crowd them together and the classic result of Gause's competitive exclusion principle appears: the weaker competitors are driven toward extinction while the strongest holds the shared resource. Three layered panels — niche curves, combined resource demand, and live populations — share one pan-and-zoom resource axis you can drag or scroll to explore.

⚙ Under the hood

Five species compete along a shared resource axis under a real Lotka-Volterra model, with competition strength set by MacArthur-Levins niche overlap — drag and zoom the resource axis and adjust niche spacing, width, growth rate and carrying capacity across three layered panels to watch coexistence turn into competitive exclusion.

ecologypopulation-dynamicsniche-partitioninglotka-volterracompetitive-exclusionbiodiversity

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install