Biomes

Future Game
261

Part 2

Now let’s talk “Vegetation”.

First, I think “Vegetation” should be defined as: Sessile Organism or Floating Organisms with no powered propulsion. This allows a much more diverse variety of “Vegetation”, such as Thermosynthetic Vegetation, Sulfur or Iron Eating Vegetation, or even Radiotrophic Vegetation (this also allows for Electotrophic Vegetation, but that ability is not currently represented in Thrive (yet)). In most cases, outside of Allochthonous Energy Biomes (described in more detail below), Vegetation would likely be the “Primary Producer” of any biome, but this is probably unnecessary to track.

Secondly, one thing I like about Thrive is the ability to mix abilities that, to our knowledge, did not evolve together on Earth, as well as to take abilities that, on Earth, never became Multicellular, and evolve them into something more complex. I think it is inevitable that AutoEvo will make Bitrophic and/or Mixotrophic Multicellular Organisms, some of which will go on to be Macroscopic (not to be confused with Macroscopic Colonies of Microscopic Organisms (aka: Microbial Mats), but more on those later). Additionally, depending on how the transition from Multicellular to Macroscopic is handled, there is always the possibility of having Vegetation of two different Trophic Lineages, or, more likely, of discovering “Vegetation” on another planet that relies on a different type of Autotrophy than the type on your home world. My suggestion for this this is to give each trophic group their own Prefix, as well as having a clear hierarchy for which order to list the prefixes when the Vegetation qualifies for 2 or more, and, for ease of presentation, dropping the most common Prefix on your world (example: on Earth most Vegetation are Green Photosynthesizers (bearing in mind that Brown and Red Seaweed are not Green), so the Prefix for “Green Photosynthesizer” would just be assumed if another is not directly mentioned).

Naming is not a strong suit of mine, but here are a few suggestions for prefixes:

  • Phototrophic: By Color (example: Green, Brown, or Red Seaweed Forest)
  • Thermotrophic: Thermic/Caloric/Thermophagic
  • Chemotrophic: Sulfuric/Theîophagic
  • Lithotrophic: Ferric/Sidērophagic/Ferrophagic
  • Electrotrophic: Galvanic/Anodic/Electrophagic
  • Methanotrophic: Methanophagic
  • Heterotrophic (Filter Feeder): Planktivore (this could include Zoo Plankton like Krill and Brine Shrimp)
  • Heterotrophic (Engulfer/Detritrophic): Carnivorous/Parasitic
  • (Heterotrophic) Lysotrophic/Saprotrophic: Fungal

and my suggestion for the Prefix order:
Photo – Thermo – Chemo – Litho – Electro – Methano – Hetero – (Lyso/Sapro)

Next, we look at classifying different types of Vegetation. I suggest a 3 part system of: Cell Specialization, Size, and Rigidity. Some of these may seem unnecessary, but please bear with me and read through to see how I use some of these later before judging.

My suggestions for Sizes are:

  • Microscopic
  • Macroscopic Microbial Colony (here after abbreviated MMC)
  • Short Multicellular (here after abbreviated Short)
  • Tall Multicellular (here after abbreviated Tall)

As for Rigidity:

  • Soft
  • Medium
  • Hard

And for Cell Specialization:

  • Simple/None
  • Complex

First: the “Simple/None” Vegetation

  • Microscopic (Any Rigidity): Plankton (which will likely be handled mechanically more like compounds than organisms)
  • Soft or Medium MMC: Algal Mat
  • Hard MMC: Crustose Mat
  • Short Simple Multicellular: Seaweed
  • Tall Simple Multicellular: Giant Seaweed

Next, the “Complex Multicellular” Vegetation

  • Soft: Bryophyte/Moss
  • Short Medium: Short Herb
  • Tall Medium: Tall Herb
  • Short Hard: Shrub
  • Tall Hard: Tree

At some point, I think things like Vine-Like, Grass-Like (Hollow), Succulent (Stores lots of Water), and a few other things should be classified, for “resource” purposes, but, with the possible exception of Lianas (Tall Hard Vine-Like Vegetation that creates “bridges” up to and between (other types of) Trees), I don’t think those effect Graphics or Miches enough to be separated at this point in development.

Now for using these to define the Vegetation aspect of Biomes.

First, let’s start with Terrestrial Biomes that are dominated by Medium and/or Hard Vegetation (I will get to Soft exclusive shortly).

Herbland: Dominated by Herbs or by a mix of Soft Vegetation and Herbs.
Note: Labeled Short, Tall, or Mixed based on the sizes of the most populous Herbs/Soft Vegetation (Short
Herbland, Mixed Herbland, Tall Herbland).
Savanna: Dominated by a mix of Herbs and Hard (non-MMC) Vegetation, and having no Canopy.
Shrubland: Dominated by Shrubs.
Woodand: Dominated by a mix of Shrubs and Trees, or dominated by trees but lacking a Canopy.
Forest: Dominated by Trees and having a Canopy

Mossy (Hard Specific Name): Dominated by Bryophytes and Hard (non-MMC) Vegetation (example: Mossy Forest) (Probably unnecessary)

But what about Tundra’s, Desert’s, Barren’s, and Bryophyte Field’s, you might ask:

First: Tundra is a Climate classification (Subpolar). This means one could have: Tundra Herblands, Tundra Savannas, Tundra (Wetland)s, Tundra Bryophyte Fields, etc. I think this is better/easier than trying to classify the different types of Tundra by Vegetation (It is actually defined as being “To cold to grow Trees”, but we will see what AutoEvo has to say about that).

Second (Third and Forth):

  • Barrens: A Terrestrial (or Wetland/Coastal) Biome with Sparse or Limited Herbs, Shrubs, or Trees. There are several distinct types:
  • Uninhabited (Infertile): No life can survive for long in this environment due to harsh conditions.
  • Uninhabited (Fertile): Has fertile soil and fair climate, but for some reason is uninhabited.
  • Ghost Forest (Infertile): A barrens filled with the remains of a dead Forest, Woodland, or Shrubland.
  • Ghost Forest (Fertile): This fertile land has more dead Trees than living Vegetation.
  • Bryophyte Field (Infertile): Dominated by Soft Vegetation and has infertile soil.
  • Bryophyte Field (Fertile): Dominated by Soft Vegetation and has fertile soil.
  • Dessert: An Arid or Semi-Arid barrens that does not classify as a Tundra.
    • Sand Sea (Erg): A subtype of Desert that is one giant Dune Field (see Additional Traits below)
  • Large (Organism) Colony: Presence of a very large group of a Heterotrophic species, but sparse or limited Aware species, due (at least in part) to lack of Vegetation.

For Wetland Vegetation:
Swamp: A Forest, Woodland, or Shrubland Wetlands.
Marsh: A Herbland or Savanna Wetland.
Bog (): A Barren (Infertile) Wetland. (Note: On Earth, all Bogs are Peatlands, but rather than make up a new name for Non-Peatland Infertile Wetlands, I think it makes more sense to make Bogs not have to be Peatlands) (Note: () can be Uninhabited, Ghost Forest, Mossy Ghost Forest, or Bryophyte Field)
Peat Swamp: A Peatland Swamp.
Moorland: A Peatland Marsh.
Fen (Vegetation): A special type of Peatland, which can feature any type of “Fertile” Terrestrial Vegetation (Non-Barrens and Barrens (Fertile)) (Fen (Bryophyte Field), Fen (Herbland), Fen (Woodland), etc.).

Before getting into the Aquatic Vegetation aspect of Biomes, let’s define a couple more things:

Floating (Vegetation): Vegetation that is not attached to a stratum. Not used for Plankton (See Below) (Example: Floating Seaweed Forest (aka: Sargassum)).

Reef: A rigid, long and narrow, elevated, mostly or entirely submerged structure, made of either: a) many Small or Microscopic Sessile organisms and/or their corpses attached to each other as well as to a substrate; or b) of similarly relatively stable inorganic materials such as rocks or sand.

Reefs can be:

  • Biotic Reef: Listed as (Organism (Coral, Oyster, Sponge, Algal, etc,)) (Fringe, Barrier, Platform, or Atoll) Reef; (Example: Sponge Atoll Reef). A Biotic Reef can be Vegetative or Heterotrophic
  • Geological Reef: (Handled under “Additional Traits”)
  • Artificial Reef: (Will be handled when Athropogenic biomes are added later)

As, IRL, many Reef systems have other forms of Vegetation, and many do not, and bearing in mind that reefs can be either simple or complex, or tall or short, or in some cases even qualify as Crustose MMC, not to mention that some are geological and not organic, as well as some surviving on allochthonous energy while others are primary producers, I suggest, if it contains a “Reef”, it is a “Reef system”:

  • Reef System (): Contains a Reef. Can by Shallow Water (Sunlit) or Deepwater (Sunless).

Now, for Aquatic Biomes that are dominated by Simple Vegetation (and do not have a Reef):

  • Planktonic System: An open surface area that contains Clouds of free-floating Microscopic Organisms but no Macroscopic Vegetation (Note: Other areas may also contain Clouds of Plankton, but they will defined by their other traits).
  • Microbial Mat Ecosystem: A biome dominated by Algal Mats (It is my understanding that, Precambrian, these were once very wide spread) (note: these can be found in any environment, but it is my understanding they are rarer in purely Terrestrial environments, usually preferring the moisture of Aquatic and Hybrid environments, and thus should be treated as Aquatic for naming purposes).
  • Seaweed Bed: A biome dominated by Seaweed.
  • Seaweed Meadow: A biome dominated by a Mixture of Seaweed and Giant Seaweed.
  • Seaweed Forest: A biome dominated by Giant Seaweed.

For Aquatic Biomes that are dominated by Complex Vegetation, see Cross-Terrain Vegetation bellow.

Because “Barrens” does not really work for Aquatic Vegetation, I suggest the following as an Aquatic replacement:

  • Desolate Water: A vast area of uninhabited water.

I also suggest the following:
Allochthonous Energy Zone: A Biome whose primary production energy and/or nutrition comes from is outside of the Biome:

  • Flux Zone: Currents carry in food from outside the biome (listed as (Subtype) Zone):
    • Subtidal: Waves and/or nearby Estuaries disperse Energy from the nearby Intertidal Zone.
    • Upwelling: Prone to frequent Upwellings.
    • Geomorphic: Due to Geological features, currents are funneled into/through the area.
  • Open Depths: A deep water area whose main source of energy is Marine Snow.
  • Animal Forest: Dominated by Heterotrophic Vegetation that do not meet the criteria of a Reef and a lack of Autotrophic Vegetation.

I have been debating an alternative to Open Depths that might work in an area where matter falls from the sky to a Terrestrial biome, or from a Terrestrial biome to a Subterranean biome, but I am not sure about the name:

  • Organic Fall Zone:: A biome where organic material regularly falls down from above.

As far as Subterranean Vegetation, on Earth, there are actually Fruit and Flower bearing Vegetation that are adapted to spread their pollen below ground, and others whose bodies are more than 90% below ground, creating what some call “Underground Forests”, which are arguably Subterranean Vegetation. However, the first relies on a specific subtype of a specific reproduction method, and I am intentionally not using those for biome classification, and the second are extreme variants of growth qualities that are not exclusive to such plants and, in other circumstances, have little if any effect on biome classification, and I am not sure the best way to handle those just yet. Additionally, there is still the question of whether a more than 190 meters (630 ft) deep, 300 meters (1000 ft) long, and 150 meter (500 ft) wide sinkhole counts as Subterranean or Terrestrial, as well as Vegetation that does not rely on Photosynthesis. As such, I am not going to try to distinguish Subterranean Specific Vegetation categories at this time, though I do see traditionally Terrestrial, Aquatic, or Wetland Vegetation potentially ending up in a Subterranean Biome.

And on that note, here is my suggestion for Cross-Terrain Vegetation:

Much like with Trophic Groups, I think Vegetation should have the Major Terrain type listed before the Vegetation name, but drop the most likely Major type, while keeping the lesser types (Examples: Forest (Mountain), Aquatic Forest (Seamount), Terrestrial Seaweed Forest (Mountain), Seaweed Forest (Seamount); Subterranean Wetlands would be listed: Subterranean Riverine Swamp, Subterranean Tidal Peat Marsh, Subterranean Fen (Savanna), etc.) (This could also be used for Aquatic Bryophyte Fields, which do not meet the definition of Allochthonous Zone, but should not be called an Aquatic Barrens, as that defeats the purpose of the Allochthonous Zone category. Under this system, a Seagrass biome would be an Aquatic Herbland. As Wetlands and Coastal biomes are already both Terrestrial and Aquatic, some more thought on how to handle possibilities that may come up in those areas may be needed (example: Coastal Seaweed that remains underwater, Coastal Seaweed that remains above water, and Coastal Seaweed that lives in the tidal zone may or may not need differentiating).

For Floating Vegetation, there could be Floating (Aquatic) and Floating (Atmospheric) (in case Auto-Evo figures out how to evolve Hydrogen Balloon Plants) (in the case of a Floating Microbial Mat Ecosystem, it is only named that if it is not part of a larger Wetlands Biome (note: Aquatic subtype is assumed in this case because of Microbial Mats being defined as Aquatic)).

Again, I would love to hear your opinions on this. What do you think works well? What needs changing? Is there something you think is missing? Are their definitions you disagree with?

Finally, “Additional Traits” that might be worth noting, but don’t necessarily fit into other categories.
(Note: This is not a finalized a list, this is just what I have so far I thought was worth considering)
(Note: Some of these are of variable sizes, with particularly big one possibly being worth listing under terrain (worth further discussion))

Some possible Additional Traits include (but are not limited to): Minor Terrain, Tempestuous, Geologically Active, Oasis/Oases, Dune System, Drained Peatland, (Liquid)fall(s) (River, Glacial, Underwater), Boneyard, Geological Reef (Material), Geothermal () (); defined in more detail below.

Minor Terrain: This would include things like Small Lakes that are part of a larger biome.

Tempestuous: The area has frequent, often severe, Thunderstorms and/or Windstorms.

Geologically Active: The area has frequent Earthquakes, leading to Avalanches, Tunnel Collapses, Tsunamis, Volcanic Eruptions, etc., depending on other conditions.

Oasis/Oases: A (relatively) small area or areas of thriving fertility in the midst of a much larger area of Barrens.

Gallery Forest: A long, narrow Forest that follows a River or Wetlands.

Dune System: Due to either Wind or Water pushing around loose Sand, this area is known for its many, ever changing Sand Dunes. (Note: Sand deposits are not restricted to deserts, and dunes are also found along sea shores, along streams in semiarid climates, in areas of glacial outwash, and in other areas where poorly cemented sandstone bedrock disintegrates to produce an ample supply of loose sand. Subaqueous dunes can form from the action of water flow (fluvial processes) on sand or gravel beds of rivers, estuaries, and the sea-bed.)

Cloud (Biome): Frequently covered in Mist (usually at high altitudes or by the coast).

Drained Peatland: Peatlands are by definition a Wetland. However, a Peatland that accumulates peat, but then ceases to be a Wetland due to climate change or shifting geology, will still have an accumulation of peat, which still effects plant growth, amongst other things.

(Liquid)fall(s) (River, Glacial, Underwater): A place where a River or Stream, Meltwater from an Ice Shelf or other Glacial System, or Fluid of different temperature and/or density, flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops.

Boneyard: Presence of many large and sturdy bones for a long period of time.

[b]Geological Reef (Material):[b] A Reef made of inorganic material, such as sand or rock. Listed as (Material) Reef (examples: Bathypelagic Calcite Reef, Tropical Epipelagic Limestone Reef).

Geothermally Active: Contains any of the following:

  • Geothermal Vents (Mud Pot (1)(2), Hot Spring (1)(2), Geysers (1), Fumaroles (1)(3))
  • Gradient Hot Spring (Same subtypes as Geothermal Version)
  • Mud Volcano (Hot, Cold) (Water, Methane)
  • Cold-(fluid) Geyser
  • Cold Seep (Brine, Oil, Gas (Methane, Hydrate))
  • Methane Geyser (Pool, Field)
  • Volcano (Active, Dormant, Extinct)
  • Underwater Volcano (Active, Dormant, Extinct)
  • Ice Cauldron
  • Cryovolcano (Active, Dormant, Extinct)
  • Cryogeyser (Pool, Field))
    (Needs a little reformatting)

Vent Subtypes:
(1) Size:

  • Mud Pot: Pool, Field, or Lake
  • Hot Springs: Pool, Field, or Lake
  • Geysers: Pool or Field
  • Fumarole: Vent or Field

(2) Hot Springs and/or Mud Pot Fluid Type: Alkaline Chloride, Acid Sulfate, Bicarbonate, Iron-Rich, Mixed
(3) Fumaroles: Carbon Dioxide (Moffeta), Sulfur Oxides and Hydrogen Sulfide (Solfatara), Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Fluoride, Methane

Putting the aside the . . . awkward presentation of Geothermal Activity (some of which could plausibly be integrated into Magmatic or Liquid biomes (a Lake sized Sulfuric Hot Springs for instance)), what do you think? Should any of these be absorbed into other categories? Are there some good traits I missed?

I sincerely hope the team finds at least part of this useful. It’s certainly not complete, but hopefully this can help to get a better view of what is needed, what is agreed upon, what needs more discussion, etc.

One more thing I would like to note: this system in general was designed to classify biomes on a smaller scale than what Thrive might need to use. For example, what Köppen calls a Mediterranean Biome is often a patchwork of varying Vegetation, and many Wetlands are patchworks of different subtypes I listed. Depending on how few/large of areas Thrive will be using, several aspects of this may be to small scale. It will be a while before I do any more significant work on this, but I will consider how a broader scope version might look.

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