Seanasol research
At Seanasol Research, we develop open-source tools that deepen our understanding of how living ecosystems truly work. We focus on translating environmental science into experiences that are accessible, interpretable, and grounded in ecological reality. For this reason, we are introducing Green Tundra, our new educational project — an experience built by professionals in climate, environmental, and sustainability research.
icebreaker
As you may know, global temperatures are rising and ecosystems are undergoing change. Some of these changes we feel directly; others, far less so. In the tundra biome—one of the coldest places on the planet—warming temperatures are causing the once-frozen landscape to become greener. For the animals and plants that live there, the full impacts may take years to emerge, but the pressures of survival grow harsher from season to season.
Experience
Green Tundra is not intended to be a gamified experience, nor a simulator. It is an interactive environment that explores how species interact, populations shift, and ecosystems respond to change. Its engine is built on population and climate models, including regional weather mechanisms and population genetics equations, to help visualise trends over time and allow you, as an observer, to see how introducing new species or climates impacts ecosystems. For those seeking a more challenging experience, the platform’s mechanics dive deeper into genetic drift and gene flow.
Biomes
Biomes are like breathing spaces where all kinds of plants, animals, insects, aquatic organisms, and even microorganisms make their home. Each biome has unique climate patterns, wildlife, and ecological dynamics. Understanding these differences reveals how life adapts to varied conditions. Pressures exist across the globe: in some regions this may mean declining rainfall, while in others it may involve the greening of ice caps. It is the intensity and impact of these changes that we monitor over time.
Health indicators
Green Tundra uses a custom purpose-built qualitative system to communicate ecosystem health. We chose this approach over numerical scoring in order to distance ourselves from the gamified simulation experience and focus instead on how ecosystems naturally fluctuate. It also allows us to adopt system metrics comparable to those of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) status codes for endangered species (not ecosystems in this case), while remaining grounded in dynamic observations rather than fixed outcomes.
survival
Survival can be a battle of wits, but more often it is a battle of fits — fitness, that is. Fitness refers to a species’ ability to overcome adversity through its genetic adaptations. Some of the world’s most thriving populations are invasive species; take grasses, for example. Invasive grasses, commonly referred to as weeds, are so efficient at absorbing soil nutrients that they outcompete native species and agricultural crops, contributing to crop losses worldwide each year. Thus, survival is not only about predator–prey relationships, but also about primary producers that set the tone in the wild.
Living ecosystems
With Green Tundra, we set out to create a scale to indicate the health and success of an ecosystem. While informed by the performance of individual species within the system, we do not define success on a 0–100 scale. At the upper end, we use the category thriving, but we treat this setting with caution. Thriving is commonly perceived as positive; however, in living ecosystems, unusual favourable weather and temporary overabundance of resources can drive population booms that place systems in a delicate state. For us as observers, thriving represents a peak that requires close monitoring, not an indication that a final goal has been reached.
balance
Ecosystems and species once threatened or endangered can recover and flourish again, with careful monitoring and clear expectations over time. This is a resource-heavy endeavour that demands commitment, patience, and—too often forgotten—a shift in how we perceive these challenges. Given time and responsible decision-making, ecosystems and species can once again thrive, so long as we continue to help them, both directly and indirectly.
changing climates
Through Green Tundra, Seanasol Research aims to raise awareness of how climates are changing, becoming more variable, and increasingly unpredictable. We seek to engage the community in building a shared perspective on how climate dynamics affect populations, ecosystem health, and biodiversity.
This page is for informational purposes only and serves as an educational showcase for Green Tundra by Seanasol Research. We do not collect, store, or share any user data, and we operate without third-party analytics, performance, social, or advertising cookies. Launching the experience will take you directly to Green Tundra; our web platform operates under a separate set of Terms and Privacy policies. If you want to learn more about Green Tundra or Seanasol Research, or have questions about our mission, please contact us at our email, [email protected].