Click / drag uses the selected tool · wheel = zoom · right-drag = pan · Space = play/pause · R = reset · F = follow selected

Evolving EcosystemGrass, herbivores, predators and scavengers on a living terrain

Simulation

Speed

Season length

Grass regrowth

Mutation rate

Event frequency

Herbivores

Predators

Scavengers

Brush size

Pick the Select tool and click an agent to see its genome. Press F to follow.

Species

Lotka-Volterra cycles: herbivores boom when grass is lush, predators follow with a delay, then prey crash and predators starve. In the phase plot this appears as a loop, spiralling in or out.
Seasons: in winter grass growth almost stops, so herbivore numbers fall and herds pack around the remaining green.
Evolution: watch the trait chart. Under heavy predation herbivore speed and vision climb; when food is scarce metabolism and size are pulled down. Raise mutation for faster change, set it to 0 to freeze evolution.
Flocking: herbivores cluster, and herds turn as one when a predator is spotted. Drop a predator next to a herd to see it.
Events: drought dries the soil, disease spreads through dense herds, fire burns grass and kills, then ash fertilises regrowth. Obstacles redirect agents.
Decomposition: corpses feed scavengers and slowly fertilise the soil. Turn off scavenger breeding and compare the food web.
Inspect: select an agent, follow it (F), and compare its genome with the population average (white tick).