Skip to content

Adaptive Management Cycle

Run the Adaptive Management Cycle MicroSim Fullscreen
Edit in the p5.js Editor

About This MicroSim

This interactive simulation lets students walk through the six steps of adaptive management -- Assess, Design, Implement, Monitor, Evaluate, and Adjust -- using real-world ecological scenarios. At each step, students face a decision with two or three options, and their choices affect the outcomes they observe in subsequent steps.

Three complete scenarios are available: Wolf Reintroduction, Invasive Species Control, and Wetland Restoration. Each scenario demonstrates how adaptive management works in practice, with realistic trade-offs between ecological effectiveness, cost, and social acceptance. After completing one cycle, students can start a second cycle informed by their first round of monitoring data.

This supports the Bloom's taxonomy level of Apply, as students actively implement management decisions and observe how uncertainty requires iterative learning. The simulation reinforces that ecological management is not a one-time action but an ongoing process of learning and adjustment.

How to Use

  1. Select a scenario from the dropdown menu at the bottom (Wolf Reintroduction, Invasive Species, or Wetland Restoration)
  2. Click "Start Cycle" in the center panel to begin the management process
  3. Read the situation description at each step, then click one of the three choice buttons
  4. Review the outcome that appears after each choice, showing the consequence of your decision
  5. Click "Next" to advance to the next step in the cycle
  6. Watch the circular diagram on the left -- completed steps are highlighted in color with green connecting arrows
  7. Check the Decision Log at the bottom to review all outcomes from your choices
  8. After completing all six steps, click "Start Cycle 2" to begin a new round of management informed by previous results
  9. Click "Reset Cycle" to start over with the same or a different scenario

Iframe Embed Code

You can add this MicroSim to any web page by adding this to your HTML:

1
2
3
4
<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/ecology/sims/adaptive-management-cycle/main.html"
        height="532px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no"></iframe>

Lesson Plan

Grade Level

9-12 (High School Biology / Environmental Science)

Duration

15-20 minutes

Learning Objectives

  • Implement the adaptive management cycle for an ecological management scenario
  • Identify the six steps of adaptive management and explain the purpose of each
  • Analyze how decisions at one step cascade through subsequent steps
  • Evaluate trade-offs between ecological effectiveness, cost, and social acceptance
  • Explain why ecological management requires iterative cycles rather than one-time interventions

Prerequisites

  • Understanding of basic ecological concepts (food webs, invasive species, habitat restoration)
  • Familiarity with the concept of feedback loops
  • Basic knowledge of conservation challenges
  • Understanding that ecosystems are dynamic and respond to management actions

Standards Alignment

  • NGSS HS-LS2-7: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment
  • AP Environmental Science Topic 9.7: Sustainable Land Use Strategies

Activities

  1. Warm-Up (2-3 min): Ask students: "If you were managing a national park and discovered a new invasive species, what would be your first step? Your second?" List responses and compare to the adaptive management framework.
  2. Guided Exploration (5-7 min): As a class, work through one complete cycle of the Wolf Reintroduction scenario. At each step, discuss the trade-offs before voting on a choice. Record outcomes on the board.
  3. Independent Investigation (5-7 min): Have students individually complete the Invasive Species or Wetland Restoration scenario. Challenge: Try to complete two full cycles and note how Cycle 2 differs from Cycle 1.
  4. Reflection (3-5 min): Discussion questions: "Did any outcomes surprise you? How would a real manager use monitoring data to inform Cycle 2? Why is adaptive management better than a rigid plan?"

Assessment Questions

  1. Name the six steps of the adaptive management cycle in order.
  2. In the Wolf Reintroduction scenario, what happens when you choose "Release across multiple sites"? How does this trade-off compare to releasing in core habitat only?
  3. Compare the outcomes of two different choice paths through the same scenario. What patterns do you notice about the relationship between aggressive interventions and unintended consequences?
  4. A city wants to restore a polluted river. Design the first three steps of an adaptive management plan, explaining what decisions you would make and why monitoring is essential before moving to the next cycle.

References

  1. Adaptive Management - Wikipedia - Overview of adaptive management theory and applications in natural resource management
  2. USGS Adaptive Management - Federal guidance on applying adaptive management to conservation
  3. p5.js Reference - JavaScript library used for the interactive simulation