After reading some recent posts on the development forum, i thought I would put my two cents in on biomes. More specifically, Wetlands and Subterranean.
First, Wetlands are a very diverse group that cannot be summed up in one biome. They are also not technically a land biome, they are places where aquatic and terrestrial biomes meet. In most classification systems, they are listed as Aquatic biomes. That being said, I believe it would be better in Thrive to define them either A: in a separate category (Aquatic, Terrestrial, Wetlands, and Subterranean), or, better yet, as a set of modifier types.
Wetlands are usually categorized 3 ways: Type of Water, Source of Water, the Dominant Plant Life (could be replaced with Land Biome Type)
Types of Water are usually: Freshwater, Saltwater, Brackish (Fresh and Salt mix), Alkaline, or Acidic
Sources of Water are:
- Tidal (can be Fresh, Salt, or Brackish)
- Estuary (where Tidal and River meet, always Brackish)
- Floodplains (Overflow of Lake or River, usually Freshwater, but can be Salty or Brackish)
- (Special) (Rain and Melt Water can form Vernal Pools and some (though not all) Peatlands (Fens and Bogs) (Fens can be Alkaline, Neutral, or Slightly Acidic, while Bogs are always Acidic))
Excepting when they are Vernal Pools or Peatlands, Wetlands are Swamps if the dominant plants are Wood-Stemmed, or Marshes if the dominant plants are Herbacious. Vernal Pools cyclically (usually but not always seasonally) flood with water, take months to evaporate, then are completely dried out for a time until it floods again. If a Peatland gets most of its water from ground water it is a Fen. Fens are more often than not nutrient rich and support a variety of life. The same can not be said of Bogs, which get most of thier water form rain and are Acidic do to peat building up above ground. Peat forms when water that cant drain has rotting organic material building up in it.
When you consider the varying temperatures, water sources and types, and other factors, there are many types of Swamps, a near equal amount of Marshes, even more Fens, and Bogs (which despite rising in diverse climates do not support diverse life). Rather that defining each one (and making a sound track for each) it would probably be easier to define sets of “augments” and a specific way to alter any music track for each. I will use Rainforest as an example.
- Saltwater Tidal Rainforest
- Brackish Tidal Rainforest
- Freshwater Tidal Rainforest
- Rainforest Estuary
- Freshwater Floodplains Rainforest
- Brackish Floodplains Rainforest
- Saltwater Floodplains Rainforest
- Vernal Pool Rainforest
- Alkaline Peatland Rainforest
- Neutral Peatland Rainforest
- Slightly Acidic Peatland Rainforest
- Bog (AKA Acidic Peatland Rainforest)
As for the soundtracks, as an example, if its “Tidal” the soundtrack could play much faster, if its “Floodplains” it could play slightly faster, if its “Vernal Pool” it could play slightly slower, and if its “Peatland” it could play much slower. If its Saltwater, the song could be a higher octave, and a lower octave for Freshwater. Or something like that. Bogs are distinct enough to consider giving their own soundtrack. I believe with this augmented biome and altered soundtrack system it would easier to represent Wetlands in their diverse variety without needing to define each and every one, or each and every soundtrack, which I believe was the original point of the dev topic that inspired this.
On to the next topic. Subterranean Biomes. Not only would this be a good way to represent scientifically plausible biomes not existing on earth, but it would a place to put caves other than “special”.
Consider the following: an underground heat source for thermal synthesis, radioactive material, a light source other than the sun for photosynthesis, iron eating, sulfur eating, there are many ways a completely subterranean world could have its own diverse ecosystem. Theoretically, there could even by a cycle of condensation and evaporation, or otherwise “rain”, in a deep down underground chamber. Their could even be an entirely subterranean wetlands. Wouldn’t that be something.
Hope you find this useful.