Simulating Nature: Cellular Automata in a Coding Journey to Ecological Modeling

Cellular automata (CA) have become an invaluable tool for simulating complex ecological processes, offering a computationally efficient approach to modeling spatially explicit dynamics. In ecological contexts, CA models can capture the emergent behaviors and nonlinear interactions that characterize real-world ecosystems. This paper introduces a hands-on, code-driven approach to using CA in ecology through the development of the R package . The package provides three core functions for simulating species and vegetation spread: , which models neutral spread on a homogeneous grid; , which generates a heterogeneous fractal landscape to simulate spatial variability; and , which combines the fractal landscape with terrain-based effects, such as slope and habitat suitability, to simulate more ecologically realistic spread and mortality patterns. By demonstrating the practical implementation of these functions, this paper illustrates how provides a lightweight and accessible framework for exploring selected ecological cellular-automata concepts, including neutral spread, landscape heterogeneity, and environmentally weighted colonization dynamics. Ultimately, this work provides a practical introduction to ecological modeling with cellular automata, illustrating how simple CA rules can be implemented and extended within ecological simulation workflows.