Rabbits and Wolves
This is a simulation that models predator-prey relationships in an ecosystem. The simulation will graph values for wolf population and rabbit population as the model runs. You can adjust many variables, such as the starting numbers of organisms, how much food rabbits and wolves need to survive, minimum reproduction age, lifespan, and how quickly the grass will grow. As the model runs, you can see the grass growth/consumption, wolves, and rabbits.
This simulations shows an ecosystem that consists of three different organisms (grass, rabbits, wolves) at three different trophic levels. There are several different variables you can manipulate that affect the dynamic equilibrium of the ecosystem, and students can see those manipulations played out in the animation and the real-time graphing. This activity directly relates to dynamic equilibrium and interactions among organisms, and it gives students a chance to virtually experiment with making changes at different trophic levels in an ecosystem.
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