Chance and Chaos in an Adaptive Daisyworld Ecological System

Daisyworld is a reduced-order ecological model that establishes biological homeostasis of the global biota and environment. This work proposes a novel adaptive Daisyworld by considering the classical environment–life interactions, incorporating devastation, greenhouse gas effects and mutations. Climate variability is described by means of the external stimuli that represent Sun’s luminosity. Different mutation mechanisms are investigated considering the temperature-induced changes that define the gray daisies. Either deterministic or random aspects are of concern while incorporating chance on the biota interactions. Numerical simulations are performed using a nonlinear dynamics perspective. Distinct scenarios are of concern while evaluating the different mutation mechanisms and conditions. Complex dynamics are investigated showing the chance and chaos related to the Daisyworld behavior.