Species Present
Environmental Factors
Simulation
Speed
5
Year: 0
An Interactive Ecological Learning Experience
Explore how populations of plants, herbivores, insects, decomposers, and predators interact within a forest ecosystem. Observe how energy flows through the community and how disturbances can cascade through the food web.
Swipe or use buttons to navigate
Every species in the forest depends on limited resources: sunlight, soil nutrients, food, and space. When a population approaches its carrying capacity, growth slows as resources become scarce.
In this simulation, soil nutrients, available foliage, and detritus on the forest floor all determine how large each population can grow.
Density-dependent: Competition for food, predation, and disease intensify as populations grow.
Density-independent: Events like logging remove resources regardless of population size, permanently altering the ecosystem.
Predation (+ / −): Birds control herbivore and insect populations.
Mutualism-like cycles (+ / +): Decomposers break down waste, returning nutrients that plants need to grow.
Competition (− / −): An exotic vine competes with native plants for soil resources.
Trees and shrubs (autotrophs) capture solar energy. Herbivores eat leaves, insects feed on fallen detritus, and predatory birds consume herbivores and insects. Decomposers close the loop by breaking down dead matter and returning essential nutrients to the soil.
Toggle species on or off to include them in the ecosystem. Enable Logging to simulate tree removal (density-independent factor) or Exotic Vine to introduce a resource competitor.
Press Start to begin. Watch population bars and the forest canvas change over time. Adjust speed with the slider.
Press Reset to restore all settings and try different scenarios. Settings cannot be changed mid-simulation.