THE GRAPH



The graph at the upper left shows the changes in swimmer and food populations over time.  There are two kinds of graphs you can view: 1) the population/food graph, or 2) the color graph.  You can switch between these two graphs by going to the Options menu, and choosing either Population Graph or Color Graph.  You can also place your cursor over the graph area and click the right mouse button for a context-sensitive menu, with the two options.  



Updating

The data shown in the graph is updated every 100 time ticks.  When you bring up a Garden of Eden, a Sample Pond, or an Empty Pond, the graph starts blank.  As time marches on, the lines in the graph begin to grow, starting from the left and creeping along towards the right.  At 10,000 time ticks, the graph fills the whole graph window.  It then begins scaling itself in order to accommodate more incoming population data while still fitting within the graph window.  This continues until the number of time ticks exceeds 20,000, at which time, the whole graph starts to slowly scroll to the left, as new data comes in at the right.  This scrolling continues forever.  



The Swimmer/Food Population Graph

This graph shows the population of swimmers over time as a white line, and the population of food bits over time as a green line.  The population of food can range from 0 to 1000 (the top of the graph), and the population of swimmers can range from 0 to 400 (unless you manually add new swimmers, in which case, there can be a maximum of 450).  The number of swimmers and food is displayed at the top of the graph (updated every 100 ticks, remember).  



The Color Graph

This graph shows the populations of the six races of swimmers over time: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet.  Food population is not shown in this graph.  This graph is useful to see the histories of different races of swimmers as they emerge, get snuffed out by other races, or take over the pond.  



Population Dynamics

You'll notice in early Garden of Eden populations that the food suddenly drops within the first 100 ticks.  This is because there is a lot of food in the Garden of Eden and swimmers born right next to food bits get to immediately eat them, bringing the food population down suddenly.  Lucky little critters.  



You might also notice, later on, that when the food population goes up, the swimmer population goes up too (because swimmers are eating more), which then causes food population to drop (because swimmers are eating more), which then causes the swimmer population to drop (less food), which then.....  And so on.  Food and swimmer populations will end up oscillating over time.  The kinds of oscillating will be different if you alter some of the ecological settings.  