IQWST Invasive Species Model

No preview image

1 collaborator

WHAT IS IT?

This model explores the stability of predator-prey ecosystems.

Foxes and rabbits wander randomly around the landscape. Each step costs both animals energy and they must consume a food source (rabbits must eat grass and foxes must eat rabbits) to replenish their energy - when they run out of energy they die. To allow the population to continue, each fox or rabbit must have enough energy to have a litter of offspring and the offspring and parent split the energy amongst themselves. Grass grows at a fixed rate, and when it is eaten, a fixed amount of grass energy is deducted from the patch (square) where the grass was eaten.

Different starting conditions for number of each species, amount of grass, maximum age of each species, number of offspring in a litter will lead to stable or unstable systems, depending on these values.

SETTING UP

Adjust the slider parameters (see below), or use the default settings.
Press the SETUP button.
Press the GO button to begin the simulation.
View the POPULATIONS plot to watch the populations fluctuate over time
View the rabbits/foxes monitors to view current population sizes.
Adjust the NUMBER-INVASIVE and FOOD-INVASIVE-EATS and press LAUNCH INVASION
View the POPULATIONS plot to watch the populations fluctuate over time
View the rabbits/foxes/invaders monitors to view current population sizes.

Initial Settings:
PERCENT-GRASS: The percentage of patches in the world & view that produce grass
INITIAL-NUMBER-RABBITS: The initial size of rabbit population
INITIAL-NUMBER-FOXES: The initial size of snake population

Other Settings:
NUMBER-INVASIVE: The number of the invasive species introduced when LAUNCH INVASION is pressed.
FOOD-INVASIVE-EATS: The amount of grass consumed each simulation step by one of the invasive species

Notes:

one unit of energy is deducted for every step a fox or rabbit. In a step, each of these animals moves a different fraction of a patch (square).

THINGS TO NOTICE

Watch as the fox and rabbit populations fluctuate. Notice that increases and decreases in the sizes of each population are related. In what way are they related?

Why do you suppose that some variations of the model might be stable while others are not?

When the model is run with rabbit and grass, but no foxes, the rabbit population only fluctuates a little bit, and does not show the large increases and decreases it did when foxes were included. What causes this behavior?

THINGS TO TRY

Try adjusting the parameters under various settings. How sensitive is the stability of the model to the particular parameters?

What parameters that eventually generate a stable ecosystem that includes only foxes and rabbits? How about foxes and invasive only? How about foxes, invasive, and rabbits? Notice that under stable settings, the populations tend to fluctuation at a predictable pace. Can you find any parameters that will speed this up or slow it down?

RELATED MODELS

Look at Wolf-Sheep and Rabbit Grass Weeds for other models of interacting populations with different rules.

NetLogo Wolf Sheep Predation model. http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/models/WolfSheepPredation. Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Comments and Questions

Please start the discussion about this model! (You'll first need to log in.)

Click to Run Model

globals
[
  time
  foxes-color
  rabbits-color
  grass-color
  dirt-color
  invasive-color
  rabbits-stride ;; how much a rabbi moves in each simulation step
  invaders-stride  ;; how much an invader moves in each simulation step
  foxes-stride ;;  how much a fox moves in each simulation step
  fox-size
  rabbit-reproduce-age
  invader-reproduce-age
  fox-reproduce-age
  rabbits-energy-gain-from-food
  foxes-energy-gain-from-rabbits
  foxes-energy-gain-from-invaders
  max-plant-energy
  max-rabbits-age
 ;; grass-delay
  min-reproduce-energy-rabbits ;; energy required for reproduction
  min-reproduce-energy-invaders  ;; energy required for reproduction
  min-reproduce-energy-foxes ;; energy required for reproduction
  invaded?
  max-foxes-age
  max-invaders-age
  max-rabbits-offspring
  max-foxes-offspring
  max-invaders-offspring
]

breed [ rabbits rabbit]
breed [ invaders invader]
breed [ foxes fox]

turtles-own [ energy current-age max-age female?]
patches-own [ fertile?  plant-energy ]

to setup
  ;; (for this model to work with NetLogo's new plotting features,
  ;; __clear-all-and-reset-ticks should be replaced with clear-all at
  ;; the beginning of your setup procedure and reset-ticks at the end
  ;; of the procedure.)
  clear-all
  set time 0
  set invaded? false
  set max-plant-energy 100
  set rabbits-stride 0.3
  set invaders-stride 0.3
  set foxes-stride 0.4
  ;;  a larger foxes-stride than rabbits-stride leads to scenarios where less foxes
  ;;  can keep a larger number of rabbitss in balance.
  set rabbit-reproduce-age 20
  set invader-reproduce-age 20
  set fox-reproduce-age 40
  set max-foxes-age 100
  set max-invaders-age 100
  set max-rabbits-age 100
  set rabbits-energy-gain-from-food 4
  set foxes-energy-gain-from-rabbits 25
  set foxes-energy-gain-from-invaders 25
  set min-reproduce-energy-rabbits 10
  set min-reproduce-energy-invaders 10
  set min-reproduce-energy-foxes 10
  set max-rabbits-offspring 3
  set max-invaders-offspring 3
  set max-foxes-offspring 2
  set fox-size 1
  set foxes-color  (red - 1)
  set rabbits-color (gray - 1)
  set invasive-color (blue - 3)
  set grass-color (green)
  set dirt-color (white)
  set-default-shape rabbits "rabbit"
  set-default-shape foxes "fox"
  set-default-shape invaders "mouse"
  add-starting-grass
  add-rabbits
  add-foxes
  do-plots
end 

to go
 if time >= 2500 [stop]
  ask rabbits [ rabbits-live reproduce-rabbits]
  ask foxes [ foxes-live reproduce-foxes]
  ask invaders [invaders-live reproduce-invaders]
  ask patches [grow-grass]   ;;only the fertile patches can grow grass

  do-plots  ;; plot populations
  set time time + 1
end 

to add-starting-grass
  ask patches [
      ifelse random 100 < percent-grass    ;;student sets the maximum number of fertile patches
    [
      set fertile? true
      set plant-energy (max-plant-energy - random max-plant-energy)
    ]
    [
      set fertile? false
      set plant-energy 0
    ]
    color-grass
  ]
  reset-ticks
end 

to add-rabbits
  create-rabbits initial-number-rabbits  ;; create the rabbits, then initialize their variables
  [
    set color rabbits-color
    set energy 20 + random 20 - random 20;;randomize starting energies
    set current-age 0  + random max-rabbits-age     ;;don't start out with everyone at the same age
    set max-age max-rabbits-age
    setxy random world-width random world-height
     ;;ifelse (random 2 = 0) [set female? true] [set female? false]
  ]
end 

to add-invaders
  create-invaders number-invaders ;; create the rabbits, then initialize their variables
  [
    set color invasive-color
    set energy 20 + random 20 - random 20;;randomize starting energies
    set current-age 0  + random max-invaders-age     ;;don't start out with everyone at the same age
    set max-age max-invaders-age
    setxy random world-width random world-height
   ;;  ifelse (random 2 = 0) [set female? true] [set female? false]
  ]
end 

to add-foxes
  create-foxes initial-number-foxes  ;; create the rabbits, then initialize their variables
  [
    set color foxes-color
    set energy 40 + random 40 - random 40 ;;randomize starting energies
    set current-age 0  + random max-foxes-age     ;;don't start out with everyone at the same age
    set max-age max-foxes-age
    set size fox-size
    setxy random world-width random world-height
   ;;  ifelse (random 2 = 0) [set female? true] [set female? false]
  ]
end 

to rabbits-live
    move-rabbits
    set energy energy - 1  ;; rabbitss lose energy as they move
    set current-age current-age + 1
    rabbits-eat-grass
    death
end 

to invaders-live
    move-invaders
    set energy energy - 1  ;; rabbitss lose energy as they move
    set current-age current-age + 1
    invaders-eat-grass
    death
end 

to foxes-live
  move-foxes
  set energy energy - 1  ;; foxes lose energy as they move
  set current-age current-age + 1
  eat-prey
  death
end 

to move-rabbits  ;; turtle procedure
  rt random 50 - random 50
  fd rabbits-stride
end 

to move-invaders  ;; turtle procedure
  rt random 40 - random 40
  fd invaders-stride
end 

to move-foxes  ;; turtle procedure
  rt random 50 - random 50
  fd foxes-stride
end 

to rabbits-eat-grass  ;; rabbits procedure
  ;; if there is enough grass to eat at this patch, the rabbits eat it
  ;; and then gain energy from it.
  if plant-energy > rabbits-energy-gain-from-food  [
    ;; plants lose ten times as much energy as the rabbits gains (trophic level assumption)
    set plant-energy (plant-energy - (rabbits-energy-gain-from-food * 10))
    set energy energy + rabbits-energy-gain-from-food  ;; rabbits gain energy by eating
  ]
  ;; if plant-energy is negative, make it positive
  if plant-energy <=  rabbits-energy-gain-from-food  [set plant-energy 0]
end 

to invaders-eat-grass  ;; invaders procedure
  ;; if there is enough grass to eat at this patch, the invaders eat it
  ;; and then gain energy from it.
  if plant-energy > food-invaders-eats  [
    ;; plants lose 10 * as much energy as the invader gains (trophic level assumption)
    set plant-energy (plant-energy - (food-invaders-eats * 10))
    set energy energy + food-invaders-eats  ;; rabbits gain energy by eating
  ]
  ;; if plant-energy is negative, make it positive
  if plant-energy <=  food-invaders-eats  [set plant-energy 0]
end 

to eat-prey  ;; foxes procedure
    if (any? rabbits-here and not any? invaders-here)
        [ask one-of  rabbits-here  [die]
           set energy (energy + foxes-energy-gain-from-rabbits)
         ]
      if (any? invaders-here and not any? rabbits-here)
        [ask one-of  invaders-here  [die]
           set energy (energy + foxes-energy-gain-from-invaders)
         ]
      if (any? invaders-here and any? rabbits-here)
        [ifelse random 2 = 0   ;; 50/50 chance to eat an invader or a rabbit if both are on this patch
           [ask one-of  invaders-here  [die] set energy (energy + foxes-energy-gain-from-invaders)]
           [ask one-of  rabbits-here  [die] set energy (energy + foxes-energy-gain-from-rabbits)]
         ]
end 

to reproduce-rabbits  ;; rabbits procedure
  let number-offspring (random (max-rabbits-offspring + 1)) ;; set number of potential offpsring from 1 to (max-rabbits-offspring)
  if (energy > ((number-offspring + 1) * min-reproduce-energy-rabbits)  and current-age > rabbit-reproduce-age)
  [
    if random 2 = 1           ;;only half of the fertile rabbitss reproduce (gender)
    [
      set energy (energy - (number-offspring  * min-reproduce-energy-invaders))      ;;loose energy when reproducing --- given to children
      hatch number-offspring
      [
        set size 1
        set color rabbits-color
        set energy min-reproduce-energy-rabbits ;; split remaining half of energy amongst litter
        set current-age 0
       ;; ifelse (random 2 = 0) [set female? true] [set female? false]
        rt random 360 fd rabbits-stride
      ]    ;; hatch an offspring set it heading off in a a random direction and move it forward a step
    ]
  ]
end 

to reproduce-invaders  ;; rabbits procedure
  let number-offspring (random (max-invaders-offspring + 1)) ;; set number of potential offpsring from 1 to (max-invaders-offspring)
  if (energy > ((number-offspring + 1) *  min-reproduce-energy-invaders)  and current-age > invader-reproduce-age)
  [
    if random 2 = 1           ;;only half of the fertile invaders reproduce (gender)
    [
      set energy (energy - ( number-offspring * min-reproduce-energy-invaders))            ;;loose energy when reproducing --- given to children
      hatch number-offspring
      [
        set size 1
        set color invasive-color
        set energy min-reproduce-energy-invaders ;; split remaining half of energy amongst litter
        set current-age 0
       ;; ifelse (random 2 = 0) [set female? true] [set female? false]
        rt random 360 fd invaders-stride
      ]    ;; hatch an offspring set it heading off in a a random direction and move it forward a step
    ]
  ]
end 

to reproduce-foxes  ;; rabbits procedure
  let number-offspring (random (max-foxes-offspring + 1)) ;; set number of potential offpsring from 1 to (max-invaders-offspring)
  if (energy > ((number-offspring + 1) * min-reproduce-energy-foxes)  and current-age > fox-reproduce-age)
  [
    if random 2 = 1           ;;only half of the fertile rabbitss reproduce (gender)
    [
      set energy (energy - (number-offspring * min-reproduce-energy-foxes))           ;;loose energy when reproducing --- given to children
      hatch number-offspring
      [
        ;;set breed eggs
        set current-age 0
        set size fox-size
        set color foxes-color
        set energy min-reproduce-energy-foxes ;; split remaining half of energy amongst litter
        set current-age 0
       ;; ifelse (random 2 = 0) [set female? true] [set female? false]
        rt random 360 fd foxes-stride
      ]    ;; hatch an offspring set it heading off in a a random direction and move it forward a step
    ]
  ]
end 

to death  ;; turtle procedure
  ;; die when energy dips below zero (starvation), or get too old
  if (current-age > max-age) or (energy < 0)
  [ die ]
end 

to grow-grass  ;; patch procedure

  ;; fertile patches gain 1 energy unit per turn, up to a maximum max-plant-energy threshold
  if fertile?
     [set plant-energy (plant-energy + 1) if plant-energy > max-plant-energy [set plant-energy max-plant-energy]]

  if not fertile?
     [set plant-energy 0]
  if plant-energy < 0 [set plant-energy 0]
  color-grass
end 

to color-grass
  ifelse fertile? [
    ifelse plant-energy > 0
    ;; scale color of patch from whitish green for low energy (less foliage) to green - high energy (lots of foliage)
    [set pcolor (scale-color green plant-energy  (max-plant-energy * 2)  0)]
    [set pcolor dirt-color]
    ]
  [set pcolor dirt-color]
end 

to do-plots
    set-current-plot "populations"
    set-current-plot-pen "rabbits"
    plot count rabbits
    set-current-plot-pen "invaders"
    plot count invaders
    set-current-plot-pen "foxes"
    plot count foxes
    set-current-plot-pen "grass"
    plot (sum [plant-energy] of patches / max-plant-energy)
end

There is only one version of this model, created about 7 years ago by Michael Novak.

Attached files

No files

This model does not have any ancestors.

This model does not have any descendants.

NetLogo