Modelling the Gaia Hypothesis: Daisyworld
Date
2007-04-11
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Abstract
The Gaia hypothesis examines the global effects of local
interactions among organisms. A model commonly used to examine the global
emergent properties proposed by the Gaia hypothesis is Daisyworld. The
original Daisyworld relies on a deterministic set of equations to determine
the outcome of the model. This project develops a two dimensional cellular
automata (CA) representation of Daisyworld. By using a cellular automata and
incorporating stochastic effects into the model, this project is able to
develop a Daisyworld that takes into account both the spatial and stochastic
characteristics of natural ecosystems. The model developed is found to closely
resemble results produced by a mathematical Daisyworld. The effects of death
rate and solar luminosity on the CA Daisyworld are examined. It is found that
lower death rate causes the daisies to adjust to varying solar luminosities
more slowly, but it also enables them to survive longer when the solar
luminosity is extremely high. The model is found to be able to adjust to
changing solar luminosity and maintain a temperature that is close to the
optimum temperature for daisy growth. Finally, the model is extended to
include four species of daisies. The general properties of the four species
Daisyworld are studied as well as the impacts of solar luminosity on this
variant of the model.
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Computer Science