Biomes

Biomes are characteristic areas of the world formed by the combination of geological, climatological and biospherical factors. On Nispe, there are several unique biomes, both on the oceans as on land. however, the latter is still on a primitive stage of evolution, and as such there are fewer biomes in it.

### **Marine Biomes:**

*See Main page: **Marine Biomes***

**Low Tides:** Touching the land itself, the shallowest environement of the seas has become more hospitable as the moons relieve their tidal force on the planet. it is home to a rich ecosphere, albeit not as spectacular as the ancient forests of the past.

**Flats:** Where other biomes didn't have a chance to form, vast ranges of sandy sea floor and rocky cliffsides take their place. while often lacking in food and protection, many animals can still be found in this environement.

**Open Ocean:** The vast oceans may be the equivalent of deserts in the sea: however, the plakton offers a relatively safe food source. most animals rely on shoaling or sheer size to defend from predators, such as the fierce Rovischians.

**Abysses:** devoid of light and food, the animals living in the bottom of the ocean undergo extreme adaptations in order to survive. even the costantly falling abyssal snow cannot be fully relied upon for nutrition, and as such every animal must prey on each other in order to survive.

**Foul Groves:** A common environement in the near-coast waters of the continent, the foul groves are composed of vast mats of foul moss, which can grow so big at times, it even resembles an underwater jungle. despite the lack of other plants, food is abundant here and many animals find refuge in it.

**Scrub Praire:** Opposite to the foul groves, scrub praires are composed of hardly commestible shaded scrubs, which limits severely the range of niches on this biome. however, some resilient animals still find easy protection, as well as feeding off preys or scrub eggs, among the cilias of these bottom-dwelling photosynthetics.

**Temperate Coasts:** many rocky coasts, especially away from the boreal belts, host a wide array of reef-making creatures and plants, offering a great environement to shallow water species to live in. however, this environement is sensible to ice ages, and can lose a lot of it's range during them.

#### **Region-specific Biomes:**

**Spongiform Reefs:** composed by the labyrinth fans, one of the last remaining reef-producing animal on Nispe, these environements are common on the shallower seas of the southern ocean. while they are cold and somewhat poor in resources, they host a wide array of species.

**Benoisial Praires:** On the Northern Seas, where the plantlike benoisials still survive, an unique environement has evolved. cold, but rich in food, many endemic species call these places home, among the vast mats of plants.

**Northern Packs:** in close contact with the benoisial praires, the northern packs are a frigid tract of sea invaded by the ice sheets. despite this, it oftentimes intermingles with the endemic fauna, and few species are truly endemic to it.

**Southern Packs:** the southern packs cover most of the southern sea's habitable zone, under a thick layer of ice. despite this, near the underwater calderas, unique lifeforms thrive under it.

### **Terrestrial/Freshwater Biomes**

*See Main page: **Terrestrial and Freshwater Biomes***

**Holea:**

**Holean Rivers:** still rich of endemic lifeforms, the holean rivers are the main inland hotspots for life. with the engulfment of the middle sea into Labia, thought, many middle sea animals and plants also found their way in.

**Riversides:** the land life on Holea still heavily relies on the water to survive, and especially spawn. however, the cold winters put at risk the life of the subtropical riversides, and most animals have to adapt specifically to counteract this phenomenon, each in their own way.

**Succugrass Grove:** as the succugrasses grow further and further from their dependancy on direct sources of water, so does their range. in this new environement, often found on the equatorial zone and around the middle sea's border, many lifeforms thrive in these lush and winter-free forests.

**Panspermia:**

**Western Ranges:** After the mid-orchidian ice age wiped out the marshes, the surviving inhabitants of the environement found their way on other nearby water bodies. while most of it is found on temporary and permanent lakes in the area, some species, like the earth pillars, are already making the transition to land.

**Middle Sea:** nestled on the centre of Labia, the middle sea, now the biggest lake of the world, is a weird and delicate environement. after the ice age, the increased salinity and lack of oxygen killed off most of the species living on it, leaving only the smallest and most resilient creatures on it's depths.