Biome List

~sciocont wrote:

MassimoV wrote:

I was wondering, under barren, could we include dride up lakes, salt planes, boulder area which lacks inclines, and canyons. One more thing, what about saltlakes?

Barren is just anywhere with no complex life.

What is "complex"? Multicelular or other? I've seen amoeba with hundreds of genders, each breeding with the others.

Anyone think it would be perhaps possible to include a simple Biome editor in game?

Of course with restrictions... Perhaps with sliders, drop-lists etc.

This way players could create their own Biomes, they could even choose to evolve their creature in a custom one.

Imagine if they could be shared...
But perhaps if some Biomes are relatively similar, they should merge to reduce duplicate Biomes.

Perhaps a very simple one could be created now to account for the contest over at Moddb and the thread here...?

And another thing... Will Biomes be planet specific?
For example what if certain Biomes combined with the Planetary temperatures/pressures/cycles render the areas uninhabitable by most life? I guess that game could recognize those factors and exclude certain Biomes from certain planets right...?

I have a very bad habit of talking to myself... -_-'

Yeah... yeah you do.

They'd have to be: temperature controls what elevation they can be put at, as well as what sort of resources they have.

I can't program any editor, but i think having one's a good idea.

Mysterious_Calligrapher wrote:

They'd have to be: temperature controls what elevation they can be put at, as well as what sort of resources they have.

I can't program any editor, but i think having one's a good idea.

Which basically means that planets close to their sun will mostly have deserts, and planets further from their sun will mostly have tundras?

Also, since I'm not a scientist or anything, what are these:
-niches
-trophic levels
-autotrophs
-heterotrophs

I want to add a biome to that list, but I can't until I know what these things are...

Dudeman wrote:

Mysterious_Calligrapher wrote:

They'd have to be: temperature controls what elevation they can be put at, as well as what sort of resources they have.

I can't program any editor, but i think having one's a good idea.

Which basically means that planets close to their sun will mostly have deserts, and planets further from their sun will mostly have tundras?

Also, since I'm not a scientist or anything, what are these:
-niches
-trophic levels
-autotrophs
-heterotrophs

I want to add a biome to that list, but I can't until I know what these things are...

a niche is the position in an ecosysyem that an organism occupies.
Trophic levels are different levels of an ecosystem, basically different levels on the food chain (yes I know it's technically a food web).
autotrophs are organisms that make their own food (plants)
heterotrophs are organisms that cannot make their own food (animals, fungi)

~sciocont wrote:

Dudeman wrote:

Mysterious_Calligrapher wrote:

They'd have to be: temperature controls what elevation they can be put at, as well as what sort of resources they have.

I can't program any editor, but i think having one's a good idea.

Which basically means that planets close to their sun will mostly have deserts, and planets further from their sun will mostly have tundras?

Also, since I'm not a scientist or anything, what are these:
-niches
-trophic levels
-autotrophs
-heterotrophs

I want to add a biome to that list, but I can't until I know what these things are...

a niche is the position in an ecosysyem that an organism occupies.
Trophic levels are different levels of an ecosystem, basically different levels on the food chain (yes I know it's technically a food web).
autotrophs are organisms that make their own food (plants)
heterotrophs are organisms that cannot make their own food (animals, fungi)

Thanks.

Here's one:

Freshwater Waterfall

occurs: Anywhere there are tall mountains with long waterfalls that don't end
elevation: Anywhere from above sea level to the tallest mountain, and it can stretch that far
resources: Tall falling fast-moving freshwater, rock
climate: Temperate 50-90ºF
topography: Mountainous, with lots of valleys
biodiversity: Medium
autotroph niches: Fungi, small trees, anything with strong roots and trunks
heterotroph niches: Fish, animals with strong claws and/or suction cups, bacteria
other: Everything clings to the rocks for survival, and the plants get their energy from the falling water (Like dams). The water comes from an endless basin at the top f a mountain/plateau and falls into a large lake/small pond, with a slowly flowing river that eventually leads to the ocean, the place is always flowing downhill

Perhaps add to dictionary, as we're speaking of them? Or maybe everyone could hop on over to dictionary.com?

Dudeman, the avg. temperature of a planet is waaaaay more complicated than simply distance from a star. As long as it is in the goldilocks zone, it's going to have a huuuge amount of different biomes, both barren and not, unless it does not have significant liquid.
Planets, speaking scientifically, can never have only one "biome" unless they are entirely lifeless, or pretty darn close. Tsk, Tsk, Star Wars. *rolls eyes*

Dudeman wrote:

Thanks.

Here's one:

Freshwater Waterfall

occurs: Anywhere there are tall mountains with long waterfalls that don't end
elevation: Anywhere from above sea level to the tallest mountain, and it can stretch that far
resources: Tall falling fast-moving freshwater, rock
climate: Temperate 50-90ºF
topography: Mountainous, with lots of valleys
biodiversity: Medium
autotroph niches: Fungi, small trees, anything with strong roots and trunks
heterotroph niches: Fish, animals with strong claws and/or suction cups, bacteria
other: Everything clings to the rocks for survival, and the plants get their energy from the falling water (Like dams). The water comes from an endless basin at the top f a mountain/plateau and falls into a large lake/small pond, with a slowly flowing river that eventually leads to the ocean, the place is always flowing downhill

Eeeeeeeeh... I'd say that's too specific. It's an ecosystem, yes, but biomes are much broader than that.

Tenebrarum wrote:

Eeeeeeeeh... I'd say that's too specific. It's an ecosystem, yes, but biomes are much broader than that.

Would a Coral Reef be too specific to be a biome? (I'm surprised no one has mentioned this as a possibility yet ;))

R136a1 wrote:

Tenebrarum wrote:

Eeeeeeeeh... I'd say that's too specific. It's an ecosystem, yes, but biomes are much broader than that.

Would a Coral Reef be too specific to be a biome? (I'm surprised no one has mentioned this as a possibility yet ;))

Nope, it's a great example of a biome. We haven't coered very much yet, we're just starting.

~sciocont wrote:

R136a1 wrote:

Tenebrarum wrote:

Eeeeeeeeh... I'd say that's too specific. It's an ecosystem, yes, but biomes are much broader than that.

Would a Coral Reef be too specific to be a biome? (I'm surprised no one has mentioned this as a possibility yet ;))

Nope, it's a great example of a biome. We haven't coered very much yet, we're just starting.

Alrighty, I'll write up a quick description of what I know of coral reefs then. Feel free to correct anything I get wrong

Coral Reef (An Ocean with Ocean Floor environment)
occurs: in shallow, warm waters with few available nutrients
resources: Sunlight, saltwater
elevation: Usually less than 50m below sea level (in earth-like lighting conditions), no more than 150m below sea level
climate: Tropical
topography: various formations of corals and other sessile organisms.
biodiversity: high
autotroph niches: Phytoplankton, Algae, and Seaweed are the main ones.
heterotroph niches: All sorts, from the corals themselves to fish to birds to sharks (a more comprehensive list is here)
other: To compensate for nutrient-poor waters, they recycle nutrients much more than in other, more nutrient-rich environments.

Source for most of this info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefs

Tenebrarum wrote:

Dudeman wrote:

Snip

Eeeeeeeeh... I'd say that's too specific. It's an ecosystem, yes, but biomes are much broader than that.

Ohhhhh... I didn't realize that! I'll make another sooner or later...

How about a cave forest? It's a forest... in a cave. There's a jungle in the largest underground tunnel in the world (I think) in Vietnam or something. It's easily possible, the roof just has to have collapsed and the trees grew in.

Is that too specific or is it broad enough?

Dudeman, you looking for this?

http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/worlds-biggest-cave-discovered-vietnam-110104-0926/

2creator wrote:

Dudeman, you looking for this?

http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/worlds-biggest-cave-discovered-vietnam-110104-0926/

That one exactly.

R136a1 wrote:

~sciocont wrote:

R136a1 wrote:

Tenebrarum wrote:

Eeeeeeeeh... I'd say that's too specific. It's an ecosystem, yes, but biomes are much broader than that.

Would a Coral Reef be too specific to be a biome? (I'm surprised no one has mentioned this as a possibility yet ;))

Nope, it's a great example of a biome. We haven't coered very much yet, we're just starting.

Alrighty, I'll write up a quick description of what I know of coral reefs then. Feel free to correct anything I get wrong

Coral Reef (An Ocean with Ocean Floor environment)
occurs: in shallow, warm waters with few available nutrients
resources: Sunlight, saltwater
elevation: Usually less than 50m below sea level (in earth-like lighting conditions), no more than 150m below sea level
climate: Tropical
topography: various formations of corals and other sessile organisms.
biodiversity: high
autotroph niches: Phytoplankton, Algae, and Seaweed are the main ones.
heterotroph niches: All sorts, from the corals themselves to fish to birds to sharks (a more comprehensive list is here)
other: To compensate for nutrient-poor waters, they recycle nutrients much more than in other, more nutrient-rich environments.

Source for most of this info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reefs

Excellent.

Hm, could have sworn the waters tended to be nutrient rich. Or maybe I'm mistaking nutrients and plankton. Anyways, you should add corals to autotroughs, as they also photosynthesyse (spl?) (but remember that this may or may not be the case on an alien planet). For heterotroughs, almost anything that is not more than several fe- excuse me, one or two meters and lives in the ocean will likely do fine. Unless you want to include things that live above the water such as birdlike organisms.

Ok so Underground Jungle:

Occurs: In large undergound caverns in a rainforest or tropical area
Resources: Stone, wood
Elevation: Below sea level
Climate: Hot, humid. 50+ degrees celsius
Topography: Gradually deepens and darkens away from the entrance, sloping downwards.
Biodiversity: High Diversity
Autotroph Niches: Fungi, small plants, trees
Heterotroph Niches: Small bugs, amphibians, reptiles, mammals. Small herbivores and midsize carnivores.

Is it worth mentioning that different desert biomes will occur in a desert biome? Ex/ sand seas, rocky desert, and such. I was just wondering since you included the thing about caves and fresh water.

2creator wrote:

Ok so Underground Jungle:

Occurs: In large undergound caverns in a rainforest or tropical area
Resources: Stone, wood
Elevation: Below sea level
Climate: Hot, humid. 50+ degrees celsius
Topography: Gradually deepens and darkens away from the entrance, sloping downwards.
Biodiversity: High Diversity
Autotroph Niches: Fungi, small plants, trees
Heterotroph Niches: Small bugs, amphibians, reptiles, mammals. Small herbivores and midsize carnivores.

Good, but you can'yt have photosynthesis without lots of light. Where is the light coming from? Or is the jungle made up of sessile herterotrophs (decomposers such as fungi).

~sciocont wrote:

2creator wrote:

Ok so Underground Jungle:

Occurs: In large undergound caverns in a rainforest or tropical area
Resources: Stone, wood
Elevation: Below sea level
Climate: Hot, humid. 50+ degrees celsius
Topography: Gradually deepens and darkens away from the entrance, sloping downwards.
Biodiversity: High Diversity
Autotroph Niches: Fungi, small plants, trees
Heterotroph Niches: Small bugs, amphibians, reptiles, mammals. Small herbivores and midsize carnivores.

Good, but you can'yt have photosynthesis without lots of light. Where is the light coming from? Or is the jungle made up of sessile herterotrophs (decomposers such as fungi).

It's an alien planet. The plants don't need to have photosynthesis.

Dudeman wrote:

It's an alien planet. The plants don't need to have photosynthesis.

There must be some sort of energy coming into the ecosystem, and the way enough energy can be gained is by photosynthesis from the sun... On Earth, anyway. But you're right, instead of photosynthesis, 'plants' can use thermosynthesis. If the planet is extremely hot, practically all the time, then thermosynthesis could provide enough energy for an ecosystem to use it.

And how specific do these need to be? I'm thinking of making a very alien one, but I'm not sure exactly what kind of biome would be produced... And as I have not mastered exactly how chemical reactions work, does the science have to be 100%? (Make that 10%, most of it will be guesswork, partly because it is based of thermosynthesis. I'll do my best to make it realistic)

And a final sciencey question: What water equivalent for an ecosystem there could be at temperatures of 100℃+?

The Uteen wrote:

Dudeman wrote:

It's an alien planet. The plants don't need to have photosynthesis.

There must be some sort of energy coming into the ecosystem, and the way enough energy can be gained is by photosynthesis from the sun... On Earth, anyway. But you're right, instead of photosynthesis, 'plants' can use thermosynthesis. If the planet is extremely hot, practically all the time, then thermosynthesis could provide enough energy for an ecosystem to use it.

Or they could just use water. But your idea sounds cooler.

What do you mean by water dudeman?
you cant get enough nutrients with water
and uteen i think some sort of acid

Dudeman wrote:

The Uteen wrote:

Dudeman wrote:

It's an alien planet. The plants don't need to have photosynthesis.

There must be some sort of energy coming into the ecosystem, and the way enough energy can be gained is by photosynthesis from the sun... On Earth, anyway. But you're right, instead of photosynthesis, 'plants' can use thermosynthesis. If the planet is extremely hot, practically all the time, then thermosynthesis could provide enough energy for an ecosystem to use it.

Or they could just use water. But your idea sounds cooler.

I don't think plants can just use water, because the photons they collect from light play a vital part in the reaction to get the required products (mainly glucose). I'm not sure if you could just replace the photons with heat energy, but something could probably evolve with entirely different requirements, so a different reaction can take place.


Copied from wikipedia's page on photosynthesis:

Quote :

2n CO2 + 2n H2O + photons → 2(CH2O)n + 2n O2
carbon dioxide + water + light energy → carbohydrate + oxygen

Quote :

In the first stage, light-dependent reactions or light reactions capture the energy of light and use it to make the energy-storage molecules ATP and NADPH.

And thanks, kaosrain. Any particular acid, though? Just putting 'some sort of acid' is probably a bit vague to put, especially considering the vast amount of acids there are...

One final note, I want to tweak the question:

What water equivalent for an ecosystem there could be which is liquid at temperatures of around 100℃+, but is solid at around 100℃-?

It's always going to be an alien planet in this game. The plants can get enough nutrients from a different kind of liquid, whatever their planet's ocean is. Plus, dead animals from the sea or lake could be in the water. And bacteria, algae, even more plants.

It's plausible.


EDIT: I can't answer your liquid question, sorry.


I didn't know posts were deletable!