title: EUZONE: simulating the evolution of aquatic ecosystems.
abstract: In the spirit of contemporary artificial life research, EUZONE provides a virtual laboratory for the emergence of complex ecosystems from simple primitives. However, whereas most alife systems abstract away many real-world environmental constraints, EUZONE employs detailed physical and chemical models in combination with evolutionary algorithms to support the emergence of carbon-based aquatic ecosystems. With an emphasis on plankton-like organisms, this research focuses upon the self-organization and evolution of (a) lower levels of aquatic food webs, (b) Gaian interactions between primitive organisms and their physical environments, and (c) species interactions governed by varying life-history strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer and Information Science (Lade), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Downing
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D005075:Biological Evolution; D017753:Ecosystem; D005838:Genotype; D008386:Marine Biology; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen