Depending upon the quantity and distribution of sharks at the beginning of the crash, the fish may disappear entirely, the sharks may become isolated and disappear or catastrophe may be narrowly averted. Studies of small, isolated biological systems that lack diversity have shown similar patterns, though never as simply. The ebb and flow of populations is interesting in itself and there is probably slim evidence to support any particular social or political philosophy. This program shows the simulated Wa-tor world at the top and a graph of the populations at the bottom. The slides to adjust the parameters are shown at the right of the Wa-tor world, with control buttons below the slides.
Fish are green, sharks, red and the background is light blue.
The graph shows the numbers of fish and sharks with zero at the bottom and the total number of spaces on the grid at the top. A vertical black line sweeps from left to right moving one pixel each cycle and when it reaches the right edge, wraps around to the left edge. When any of the parameters is altered or the Remix button is pushed, the discontinuity is noted with a vertical white line. When a breed or starve parameter is altered, each fish and shark receives the new value after it next breeds or eats. When a fish or shark is created, its breed and starve values are randomized somewhat.