Symbiosis and toxicity
The CA is controlled by the following buttons:
Shorter: Makes CA shorter.
Longer: Makes CA longer.
Plant CA: CA is planted.
The obstacle is controlled by the following buttons:
Upward: Moves obstacle upward. Its y-coordinate is displayed
as ycoord =.
Downward: Moves obstacle downward. Its y-coordinate is displayed
as ycoord =.
resources= the amount of resources which the
CA has.
ycoord= The y-coordinate of the obstacle
When the experiment starts a zygote is planted at the
bottom line. The CA starts moving upward and his resources dwindle
to a minimum of resources = - 49. When he reaches the obstacle the CA
clings to it, incorporates it, and its resources rise to a maximum,
resources = 40. The CA stops interacting with the obstacle and continues
upward. Its resources decline and it returns to the obstacle in order
to replenish them. This time the interaction is toxic to the CA dies.
A new zygote is planted and the cycle starts again.
Now click on ‘longer’ and observe the CA and its history.
Please observe the following:
1. Maturation: After the zygote is planted the
CA matures and elongates while moving upward. When matured it oscillates
around its center of mass and reached its solution, or attractor.
2. Memory: The CA remembers where it was heading before meeting
the obstacles and continues in the same direction after leaving it.
3. The effect of the obstacle on the CA depends on the direction from
which the CA approached it. If approaching it from below the contribution
of the obstacle was beneficial, while if approaching the obstacle from
above, interaction was toxic.
4. The obstacle is a zygote which is formed and killed
at every time step. When interacting with the CA it is incorporated
into it.
5.Perturbation: When moving, the CA oscillates around its center
of mass (= attractor). Interaction with the obstacle initiates a perturbation.
When interacting with the obstacle after moving upward the CA establishes
a new solution (attractor) which it leaves when resources > 40.
When moving downward the interaction with the obstacle perturbs the
CA and kills it.
Now change ycoord, then plant a CA and watch what happens