Reef Survivor

In this game, you are a conservation expert and you are in charge of keeping your reef healthy and resilient in the face of environmental change!

A healthy reef ecosystem is a diverse reef with lots of reef builders (e.g., corals, sponges, and bivalves) and reef dwellers (e.g., fish, snails, and sea urchins). Over time, environmental conditions can change; for example, global temperatures rise or fall, and more or less nutrients are washed off the land and onto the reef. Over many years and generations, species may change as well through genetic mutation, the influx of new organisms (migration), and environmental pressures that affect organisms in different ways (natural selection).

Through cooperative and competitive play, this game will teach you about reef ecology, evolution, extinction, and resilience in the face of changing ocean conditions. Try to protect your reef as you navigate uncharted water and geological time.

Designed by scientists at the University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences to represent real reef ecosystems, evolution, and natural hazards!