The Madingley Model is a world simulator developed by ecologists, biologists and scientists at the Microsoft Computational Science Lab in Cambridge, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre. With the simulator, researchers are able to simulate and study the life cycles of organisms on scale larger than ever before. In the Madingley Model, some organisms die off while others seem to thrive, but these patterns are helping to show how different populations rely on one another.
Human life has yet to be added to the model, but the Madingley Model virtual world could be able to provide future predictions based on different scenarios. Drew Purves, the head of Microsoft's Computational Ecology and Environmental Science group describes that they could "Simulate what would happen if top predators like tuna or tigers were hunted to extinction, or all the bees on Earth died out."
Predictive World Simulators
Microsoft's Madingley Model World Simulator Studies Global Organisms
Trend Themes
1. Virtual World Simulation - The Madingley Model world simulator demonstrates the potential of virtual world simulations to predict the impact of different scenarios on ecosystems.
2. Population Dynamics Study - The Madingley Model offers insights into the intricate dynamics of population interactions and how different organisms rely on one another.
3. Forecasting Biodiversity Changes - The use of predictive world simulators like the Madingley Model opens up opportunities to forecast the effects of species extinction or population decline on biodiversity.
Industry Implications
1. Ecological Research - The Madingley Model demonstrates the potential for ecological researchers to utilize world simulators for studying the impact of various factors on ecosystems.
2. Conservation and Wildlife Management - The insights gained from the Madingley Model can inform conservationists and wildlife managers about the interdependencies and vulnerability of different species.
3. Environmental Policy and Planning - Predictive world simulators like the Madingley Model can aid policymakers and planners in understanding the potential consequences of different environmental decisions on biodiversity.