Once the student has been brought to the Ecology laboratory, the student is placed in front of a picture window depicting one of nine possible biomes. In front of the picture window is the controller for Ecology experiments. The Controller is used to start and pause population experiments. The Controls panel on the left list what species have been added to a biome and track their populations during an experiment. The Abiotic Variables section of the Setup menu is used to select a biome and also control various abiotic variables.
To use the laboratory, students can select up to 6 species and add them to a selected biome where their initial populations can be set inside the Species Tracking section of the Setup menu. The Abiotic Variables section of the Setup menu can be used to select different biomes and set various abiotic variables such as latitude, elevation, seasonal temperatures, rainfall, nutrient level, and toxicity level. A model of the current biome and elevation will always be shown in the picture window in the laboratory. Students can also select an Open Biome where they can then change the latitude, elevation, or rainfall and observe at what point changes in the biomes occur. Once a student has selected a set of species, initial populations, and abiotic variables, an experiment can be started by clicking on the green Play button on the Experiment Controller. Live Data will then show graphs of population vs. time for the selected species. Time can be accelerated using the Controller as well. The essential features of the Ecology laboratory are described below.
Species Tracking. Species are added to the selected biome by first selecting the species in the Species menu and then adding the species using the Add Species button. Species that have been added appear in the Setup menu where their initial populations can be set, excess food can be provided, simulation variables can be set, and population can be added or removed during an experiment.
Abiotic Variables. The Abiotic Variables section of the Setup menu is used to select one of nine different biomes in which the selected species will live as well as set other abiotic variables for the virtual biome. The abiotic variables that can be manipulated in the simulation include latitude, elevation, coastal region, yearly high (maximum) and yearly low (minimum) temperatures, rainy season start and length, average rainfall and interval, nutrient level, and toxicity level.
Experiment Controller. The Experiment Controller is used to start and pause experiments in the virtual biomes. The Controller also displays the current month and elapsed year of the experiment and allows the student to control the rate at which time advances in the experiment. Buttons are also provided to reset the Lab or Time of the experiment.
Lab Book. The lab book is used to record procedures and observations while performing experiments in the virtual laboratory. Results for Ecology experiments can also be saved as graphs and data tables in the lab book where they can be viewed for later analysis. See the Lab Book help menu for further details about using the lab book.
Presets. The Presets menu has a set of preset systematics experiments that are already predefined and ready to run. Clicking on the preset name will clear the laboratory and launch the preset.
Live Data. The results from the Ecology experiments are displayed as a series of graphs of the population, biomass, or energy content as a function of time for each species assigned to the virtual biome. The results are updated as time progresses in an experiment, and the results can also be saved to the lab book for later analysis.