Ecology Subsystem
Biomass, biomes, environmental viability, and the foundations of living systems.
The Ecology Subsystem models the biological response of the planet to climate, terrain, and water availability.
It captures how life distributes, adapts, and evolves across the surface under the influence of geological, hydrological, and atmospheric processes.
Ecology forms the bridge between physical simulation and systems that resemble living worlds.
Purpose
The purpose of the Ecology Subsystem is to represent the environmental viability of each region, the distribution of biomass, and the interactions that shape biomes over time.
Ecology provides the second layer of complexity above terrain and climate — enabling education, research, and future gameplay systems.
Core Principles
- Environment-Driven — biology emerges from climate, water, and terrain constraints.
- Field-Based Representation — biomass and biome types expressed through tile fields.
- Dynamic Adaptation — ecological states shift in response to environmental change.
- Cross-Domain Integration — tied closely to hydrology and atmosphere.
- Long-Scale Processes — updates occur on medium-to-slow clocks depending on domain.
System Model
Primary Fields
- Biome Type (tile) — categorical classification of local ecology.
- Biomass Density (tile) — amount of biological presence.
- Environmental Viability (tile) — suitability for life based on climate & moisture.
- Growth/Decay Trends (tile) — ecological momentum over time.
Temporal Behavior
Depending on configuration, ecology runs on:
- medium clock for responsive systems
- slow clock for long-term biome drift
Influence Model
Ecology responds to:
- rainfall → moisture
- temperature → climate
- elevation → terrain constraints
- flow → nutrient distribution (future potential)
How It Interacts With Other Systems
- Atmosphere — temperature & humidity determine viability.
- Hydrology — moisture drives biomass distribution.
- Geology — terrain and slope influence biome boundaries.
- Civilization (future) — population impact & resource demand.
- Overlays — biome maps, biomass density, viability indicators.
What This Enables
- evolving biome maps
- ecological succession over time
- environmental feedback loops
- climate–ecosystem interactions
- deep educational models
- a living, responsive world for future gameplay
Visual Examples (Optional)
- biome coloration overlays
- biomass density maps
- viability heatmaps
Public Extensibility Notes
The future SDK will allow developers to:
- define custom biome types
- create new ecological rulesets
- integrate external ecological datasets
- script environmental response scenarios
Ecology forms the core of biological world simulation.