Dive into a drop of water and experience the world of plankton! Equip yourself with traits. Fight microscopic monsters. Survive environmental challenges. Cooperate with others…but remember, there can only be one winner!

This describes a serious game that we developed to teach about the concept of trait-based ecology, while sharing the fascinating world of plankton. It is a deck-building game where players represent different algal groups. By expanding their deck with traits, players have a better chance to survive abiotic or biotic stressors. It is a competitive game where players can help but also sabotage each other.

In this interactive event, we will start by a short presentation highlighting the background of the game, and then play the game! The game will become available on an online platform, with additional guidance for lecturers including slides on the topic, a short instruction movie, and an evaluation for players to tell us what the game contributed to their understanding.

Lead Organizer: Dedmer Van de Waal, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) (D.vandeWaal@nioo.knaw.nl)