We can start with some of the ideas at http://truth-quark.de/blog/?p=86

Otherwise, this might be a perfect parameter to appear at the top right hand corner of the card? How to do it effectively and efficiently?

It seems like a simple defense/attack ratio would be sufficient here. To show if the animal is prey/predator, the box could be colored (red-predator, green-prey?). If the attack is larger than the defense, then the item being attacked perishes. if the defense is higher, they survive. I don't know if we would want a hit point system, but we could indicate half health or poison by "tapping" the card. We can indicate on other cards if/when their attack or defense number is effected.

I've a new idea, but I'm not sure about it:
The card looks like this (could be difficult to create a symbol for every biom):

To play a card1, put a needed* card2 from your unbound area (b) in your bound area. Then put card1 in the unbound area.
*needed means it shares at least one biom with the card1 and its type and size are in card1's needs

You can increase the population of a card1 in your bound area. Put a needed card2 from your unbound area in your bound area, then put card1 in the unbound area.

To emigrate, put a needed card from an opponent's unbound area in his bound area, then put a needed card from your bound area in your unbound area, then put the emigrating card from your unbound area in the opponent's unbound area.

competition:
If you have a card1 in any player's unbound area and there is a needed card2 (missing in the picture) in that player's bound area, you may remove a card3 you don't own in that bound area that needs card2, too, by putting card1 in that player's bound area.

extirpation:
If you have a card1 in any player's bound area and ther are two needed cards in that area, you may remove one of these cards you don't own by putting card1 in that players unbound area.

A player loses the game if he owns less than half of the cards in his areas.

(Sorry for any harm I caused to the English language ;-) )

Hi Naturalismus,

Love the food chain pyramid idea, but I think there needs to be a simpler way to show it. How about a specific number that ranks where on the food chain the organism is. i.e. 1 is photosynthetic, and the largest number is top predator - then work out what would be in between.

The card would have this number which can provide information on the organism itself. - oh it's a one, therefore photosynthetic, or it's a "6" that means it's at the top of the food chain, as in a top predator.

Then maybe the number can be put in a colored circle where the color provides info on diet or maybe more correctly, sources of energy (sun, herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, whatever the word is for when it's basically "sugar" compound to get energy from).

Anyway, just talking from my head, but this way, you've got a single circle that can hopefully define the info you're looking for?

hmm. I'm confused. I anyway did what you are talking about. There is a number that ranks where on the food chain the organism (size) and a symbol similar to your colored circle idea.

Sorry for the confusion (this is what happens when you write before coffee!)

I just meant if there's a way to condense the info you have at the top of the card into one icon. i.e. maybe because you have a symbol for level 5 herbivore, it's implied that they would need things that are 3-4 level and in the plant kingdom, so that the numbers "3-4" and the symbol for plant is no longer needed?

@Pikachu: I thought about this. I know my system is too complicated but there are always creatures like Whale sharks or Venus Flytrap desperately trying to f**k up the system. It's really hard to make a simple gameplay that's realistic.