diff --git a/src/GUI.jl b/src/GUI.jl
index a136a1dc3ea4740dad77516ab1c8f2fcae968d13..be70fbc04a6e9135973d5db46c09a543491d33af 100644
--- a/src/GUI.jl
+++ b/src/GUI.jl
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ function render_plot(screen)
         dates = @param(core.startdate):@param(core.enddate)
         axlimits = @lift((1, length(dates), 0, maximum($pops[!,:Abundance])))
         ax = Axis(plotimage[1,1], xlabel="Date", ylabel="Population size",
-                  limits=axlimits, xticks=Persefone.gettickmarks(dates))
+                  limits=axlimits, xticks=Persefone.datetickmarks(dates))
         for s in @param(nature.targetspecies)
             points = @lift(Vector{Float32}(@subset($pops, :Species .== s).Abundance))
             iszero(size(points[])[1]) && continue
@@ -108,6 +108,65 @@ function render_plot(screen)
     display(screen, plotimage.scene)
 end
 
+#TODO adapt the next two functions to QML and integrate them into the interface
+
+"""
+    skylarkpopulation(model)
+
+Plot a line graph of total population size and individual demographics of skylarks over time.
+Returns a Makie figure object.
+"""
+function skylarkpopulation(model::SimulationModel)
+    !("Skylark" in @param(nature.targetspecies)) && return nothing
+    pops = @data("skylark_abundance")
+    f = Figure()
+    dates = @param(core.startdate):@param(core.enddate)
+    axlimits = (1, length(dates), 0, maximum(pops[!,:TotalAbundance]))
+    ax = Axis(f[1,1], xlabel="Date", ylabel="Population size",
+              limits=axlimits, xticks=Persefone.datetickmarks(dates))
+    lines!(f[1,1], Vector{Float32}(pops.TotalAbundance), linewidth=3, label="Total abundance")
+    lines!(f[1,1], Vector{Float32}(pops.Mating), linewidth=3, label="Mating")
+    lines!(f[1,1], Vector{Float32}(pops.Breeding), linewidth=3, label="Breeding")
+    lines!(f[1,1], Vector{Float32}(pops.Nonbreeding), linewidth=3, label="Non-breeding")
+    lines!(f[1,1], Vector{Float32}(pops.Juvenile), linewidth=3, label="Juvenile")
+    lines!(f[1,1], Vector{Float32}(pops.Migrants), linewidth=3, label="Migrants")
+    axislegend("Demographic"; position=:lt)
+    f
+end
+
+"""
+    croptrends(model)
+
+Plot a dual line graph of cropped area and average plant height per crop over time.
+Returns a Makie figure object.
+"""
+function croptrends(model::SimulationModel)
+    cropdata = @data("fields")
+    f = Figure(size=(1200,1000))
+    dates = @param(core.startdate):@param(core.enddate)
+    # plot cropped area over time
+    axlimitsarea = (1, length(dates), 0, maximum(cropdata[!,:Area])*1.1)
+    ax1 = Axis(f[1,1], xlabel="Date", ylabel="Cropped area (ha)",
+              limits=axlimitsarea, xticks=Persefone.datetickmarks(dates))
+    for c in unique(cropdata.Crop)
+        points = @select!(@subset(cropdata, :Crop .== c), :Area)
+        (iszero(size(points)[1]) || iszero(sum(points.Area))) && continue
+        lines!(f[1,1], Vector{Float32}(points.Area), linewidth=3, label=c)
+    end
+    axislegend("Crop"; position=:rt)
+    # plot average crop height over time
+    axlimitsheight = (1, length(dates), 0, maximum(cropdata[!,:Height])*1.1)
+    ax2 = Axis(f[2,1], xlabel="Date", ylabel="Average plant height (cm)",
+              limits=axlimitsheight, xticks=datetickmarks(dates))
+    for c in unique(cropdata.Crop)
+        points = @select!(@subset(cropdata, :Crop .== c), :Height)
+        (iszero(size(points)[1]) || iszero(sum(points.Height))) && c != "no growth" && continue
+        lines!(f[2,1], Vector{Float32}(points.Height), linewidth=3, label=c)
+    end
+    axislegend("Crop"; position=:rt)
+    f
+end
+
 on(delay) do d
     println("Delay is now $(round(d, digits=1)) seconds.") #XXX DEBUG
 end
@@ -153,6 +212,8 @@ The main function that creates the application.
 function launch()
     global model, timer
 
+    println("NOTE: this software is in development. Expect bugs.")
+
     activateqmlfunctions()
     timer = QTimer()
 
diff --git a/src/main.qml b/src/main.qml
index 8ebfc9ea2c31f9194896ec3acd68af768b83ef1e..d4fdc457b5b150199e51337dab9309a086d6c58c 100644
--- a/src/main.qml
+++ b/src/main.qml
@@ -92,14 +92,14 @@ ApplicationWindow {
 			Button {
 				id: backButton
 				text: "<"
-				ToolTip.text: "Back"
+				ToolTip.text: "Step back"
 				ToolTip.visible: hovered
 				onClicked: { Julia.previousstep() }
 			}
 			Button {
 				id: stepButton
 				text: ">"
-				ToolTip.text: "Step"
+				ToolTip.text: "Step forward"
 				ToolTip.visible: hovered
 				onClicked: { Julia.nextstep() }
 			}
@@ -142,10 +142,19 @@ ApplicationWindow {
 		text: "Persefone.jl Desktop"
 		informativeText: "A mechanistic model of agricultural landscapes \
 and ecosystems in Europe.\n\n\
-© 2023 Daniel Vedder, Lea Kolb, Guy Pe'er\n\
+© 2024 Daniel Vedder, Guy Pe'er\n\
 Distributed under the MIT license."
 	}
 
+	MessageDialog {
+		id: devDialog
+		text: "In Development"
+		informativeText: "Please note that this model and the desktop software \
+are still in active development. Expect bugs and unfinished functionality.\n\n\
+If you have questions, contact daniel.vedder@idiv.de."
+		visible: true
+	}
+
 	FileDialog {
 		id: loadFileChooser
 		defaultSuffix: "dat"