Biomes
Biomes comprise the environment of Thrive throughout all the stages. They determine the presence and prevalence of species, compounds, living and non-living environmental factors, and much more.
Microbe Stage
Main Article: Microbe Biomes
Biomes in the Microbe Stage are handled differently than the later stages. Read the linked page for more.
Multicellular / Aware Stage
Description
Biomes are environments within the game which decide how evolution and population works in a set area. Each biome is geographically, climatically, and otherwise conditionally different in some way from all other biomes. Biomes contain a set amount of slots for organisms, and these slots each have conditions that must be filled. Organism slots in biomes do not have to all be filled for the biome to work. However, each one of these slots, or "niches" can be competed over. Evolving organisms depend on competing for slots.
Creation
Each terrain tile will have height/light/heat/seasonality/moisture variables attached to them upon planet generation. A biome is created by selecting a tile, then selecting all of the tiles with similar variables.
Niches
Each niche is defined by food source ansd scale. Autotrophs, decomposers, filter feeders, detrivores, herbivores, and carnivores can all have distinct niches within a biome. A niche is described by diet ansd size. The size scale for biomes is as follows:
- Tiny= 1-20 cm largest measurement (up to the size of a rat)
- Small= 21-100 cm largest measurement (up to the size of a big dog
- Midsize=101-300 cm largest measurement (up to the size of an adult male polar bear)
- Midlarge= 301-700 cm largest measurement (up to the size of a killer whale)
- large= 701-1500 cm largest measurement (up to the size of a T-rex)
- huge=1501-4000 cm largest measurement (tops off at larger than blue whales (25m))
- gargantuan=4001+ cm largest measurement (the world's talles tree is to 83 meters tall)
The niche for a lion would be: midlarge carnivore.
Rules for Slots
- Carnivores cannot inhabit a biome unless there is another animal in that biome. Likewise, an herbivore needs an autotroph or decomposer in that biome before it can live there.
- Filter-feeders need only a liquid biome to live, as it is assumed there is enough planktonic or bacterial life for them to live there.
- Decomposers must live in a land or seafloor environment.
- Omnivores can inhabit an herbivore or carnivore slot, or both at once.
- Detrivores must live in a water environment.