Credit: Saskia Keller, National Wildlife Health Center.
Quick histological analyses reveal that all infected/dead snakes have a fungus growing in their eyes/noses/mouths and facial epidermis, causing tissue damage and blindness. This information cost you 1 week (in NetLogo, click “Advance 1 Week”) and $5000, so adjust your budget accordingly. What do want to do next?
Option 1: Run a laboratory experiment to see if the fungus is what is killing the snakes.
Time Cost: 4 Weeks/Ticks
Monetary Cost: $10000
Charisma Effect: Unknown
Option 2: Send samples from symptomatic snakes to the U.S. Wildlife Health Center for genetic testing to see if a pathogen can be identified.
Time Cost: 1 Week/Tick
Monetary Cost: $5000
Charisma Effect: Unknown
Option 3: You’re pretty sure this is just a new outbreak of a previously known pathogen, so you skip further diagnostic testing and move on to disease control options.
Time Cost: 1 Week/Tick
Monetary Cost: $0
Charisma Effect: Unknown