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| Rebirth: From the end; In need of new project. | |
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| Topic Started: Jan 24 2017, 02:23 AM (1,621 Views) | |
| Dapper Man | Jan 24 2017, 02:23 AM Post #1 |
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
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Rebirth: From the end The Earth. Truly a wonder across the cosmos, the only known planet to host life. Indeed, this tiny, blue, marble was something special, nothing was quite the same as Mother Earth to its inhabitants, from the tiniest organism to the biggest. Most spectacular indeed. However, chances are, similar things were happening on other worlds far off in the cosmos, from single celled bacteria to giant, browsing herbivores, it would be a common sight amongst the cosmos, each and every organism filling out a similar niche to the other. It was all just a show, a play. The earth itself was the puppet-master, and its inhabitants the puppets. However, that would all change around 4 million years ago. Why? Because of one organism named Australopithecus. This animal had a height of 5 feet. It wasn’t anything particular, just another ape on the savannah. However, what made this animal unique was its ability to walk on its hind legs. This feature, known as bipedalism, had been invented before, but what Australopithecus and its descendants would do with this new-found bipedalism, however, would shatter the circus the earth had been running for billions of years. These animals would be able to use the earth as their toys. These animals where the first stepping stones on the road that lead to Homo Sapiens. In other words, Humans. Us. Around 75,000 years ago, these early Humans almost went extinct, due to a volcanic eruption in Africa, where early Man first evolved. This caused a Genetic Bottleneck, in which a species is reduced to a certain few members, almost vanishing, but they bounced back. Humans spread across the globe, from the sun-baked homeland called Africa, to the freezing Arctic. Somehow, humans managed to make a living for themselves. Then they wreaked havoc, killing animals for sport and for food, they did not stop for almost a million years. Humans laid waste to thousands upon thousands of living organisms, abusing nature from the very start, claiming the earth as their own. What started as a simple practise for an ape lead to natural genocide. This leads us to 2020, when mankind was at a standstill. For centuries, they hadn’t needed to change their ways, comfortable in their homes, drinking, eating, socializing. This was their downfall, their ignorance. Their unneeded desire to change, which their natural ancestors longed for, brought them to their knees. Humans did not need to change, they were unaware, on the most part, that they earth would bounce back, in a sense, delivering karma for the abasement it endured, it’d unleash on its tiny monsters. This came in the same form as the one that almost killed of Humanity from the start: A volcanic eruption. The same thing that almost killed them of nearly 75,000 years ago. It was 2020 when it happened, a combination of the Yellowstone and Lake Toba (Yellowstone in North America and Lake Toba in Indonesia) spelt doom for humanity, casting a 2,000-year Global Winter, spelling doom for mankind. This was the price that a sapient had to face if they went on the warpath. However, in an ironic twist of fate, Nature’s revenge also spelt doom for any animals larger than a large domestic cat (Say, Savannah Cat size, 8-20kgs.) In an attempt at ending the war of humanity’s desire to expand, nature had also claimed the lives of billions of innocent animals who just wanted to live. In the end, 65% of all life on earth died out. But, amongst the chaos, something had to survive, right? Yes, something did. In fact, animals 20kgs and lower were exceptionally adaptable. This included Musk-Deer, Domestic Cats, Chickens, and Shrews were amongst the mammalian survivors. For example, the largest land mammal of Australia after the extinction for the first few 3 million years was the Wombat (Only the smallest individuals survived.) So, despite the chaos, a lot of animals survived. Even the paradox inducing Crocodilians managed to survive the extinction, due to them being ectothermic. This proves that, no matter what, life finds a way to bounce back, even if it seems all is lost. Table of Contents --- New project, yay. Edited by Dapper Man, Jan 24 2017, 06:05 PM.
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Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
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| Dapper Man | Jan 24 2017, 02:23 AM Post #2 |
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* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
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Table of Contents General Introduction The World Fauna Summary Mammals Bushmen Birds Reptiles Amphibians Invertebrates Flora/Fungi Edited by Dapper Man, Feb 1 2017, 02:03 AM.
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Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
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| Corecin | Jan 24 2017, 03:58 AM Post #3 |
Prime Specimen
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I imagined the narration sounding like the one from the spore trailer. This isn't a bad thing. Also I really like this introduction. |
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| Dapper Man | Jan 24 2017, 04:08 PM Post #4 |
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* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
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Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. |
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Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
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| Dapper Man | Jan 24 2017, 06:03 PM Post #5 |
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* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
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0. The World Biodiversity and Continent shifts [Picture to come soonish. Don't count on it.] It has been 30 million years since the Holocene-Paromacene ("Paromacene"- Similar Age in Greek, due to eerie similarities to the Cenozoic.), and the world has indeed changed. As the survivors recovered, the earth moved on. Even in a scenario where all life died out, the earth itself would move on. Even before life began, the earth was moving. Continents will always shift, move, deep into the sands of time. Here's an overview of the continents of the Paromacene and its fauna. North America Like in the Paleocene before it, North America has isolated itself from both South America and Eurasiafrica. Large pockets of forests have sprung up everywhere, these being mostly woodlands, due to large concentrations of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere that were left behind by mankind. Woodland is the most common environment, the only other one in North America is a desert, which in itself is centered around the Rockies, and is an oasis. Eurasiafrica* *could be better The Strait of Gibraltar has closed, due to Europe and Africa colliding. Oddly, what was left of the Mediterranean has turned into a sort of swamp, with the isolated water feeding the trees. It is a similar environment in South East Asia, a swamp. However, for the most part, the rest of Europe and Asia is woodland. Africa is a mix of Rain Forest and Woodland, with Grasslands being smudged within the Woodlands. Deserts, which once was a big component of Africa, have seemingly vanished, the Sahara seems to have been refreshed with new rivers, thus turning it into a woodland. South America South America, like it was in the Palaeocene, has been isolated. It is no longer connected to North America. South America is covered in tropical Rain Forest, with woodlands only being present in the southernmost reaches. What was once a desert has been replaced by woodlands. This seems to be commonplace, as it has happened in both the Sahara, and the Chilean Desert. This is most likely due to rivers winding their way through, and resupplying the long dead deserts. Australia Australia has reverted back to woodlands. There is no single evidence for a desert, except for the interior of the outback. Australia itself has collided with Papua New Guinea, which in itself is a swampland. Australia is just 300 km from South East Asia, so it is speculated that it could collide with Asia in the next 20 million years or so. Madagascar Madagascar has remained roughly the same, only moving a few kilometers east. Most of the island is rain forest, with a few woodlands in the southern and northern reaches of the island. Kloof* *Afrikaans for Rift, in reference for the island consisting of East Africa. This is the result of a 34 million year long process. Kloof, meaning Rift in Afrikaans, is a strange island-continent, was once the location of East Africa, which had the countries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania under its belt, has been the rough outcome of millions of years of tectonic activity. It is mostly rain forest, with woodlands on the western coasts of the island-continent. New Zealand Amongst the changes, one island, once thought to be done with geographic movement, has changed quite a bit. New Zealand, or Aotearoa, as some like to call it, has changed. It was found that New Zealand was growing, previously sunken landmasses near it were rising. 35 million years later, it has almost changed beyond recognition. Now, New Zealand is 10% bigger than it used to be. The North and South Islands are now high woodlands, almost serving as mountains to the forests below. The rest of the island-continent is woodland. Antarctica Antarctica, the driest desert in the world. Oddly, it has remained mostly the same, covered in ice. However, the ice appears to be melting for good, as Antarctica is moving out of the Antarctic Circle inch by inch. What does this mean? Time will tell, for the continent longing for a freedom of ice. --- First update. Some parts may be slightly inaccurate, but I'm happy with it. Edited by Dapper Man, Jan 25 2017, 07:10 PM.
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Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
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| Tartarus | Jan 24 2017, 06:36 PM Post #6 |
Prime Specimen
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In Africa? The volcanic eruption of around 75,000 years ago, that almost wiped us out, was the Toba eruption in Sumatra. Indeed, later you mention Lake Toba (which was created by that eruption) and acknowledge its in Indonesia, so I'm not sure why you speak of an eruption in Africa. |
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| peashyjah | Jan 24 2017, 06:45 PM Post #7 |
Bydo
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At least our species and the other species of the genus Homo survived after this volcanic eruption in Africa was over. |
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Discontinued projects: The New Ostracoderms (i might continue with this project again someday) The Americas (where in 58 million years from now in the future North and South America has both become isolated island continents) All Expansions (my attempt at expanding the universe of All Tomorrows by Nemo Ramjet aka C.M. Kosemen, started June 6, 2018) Anthropozoic (my attempt at expanding the universe of Man After Man and also a re-imagining of it, coming 2019 or 2020) New Cenozoica (my attempt at expanding the universe of The New Dinosaurs and also a re-imagining of it, also coming 2019 or 2020) All Alternatives or All Changes (a re-telling of All Tomorrows but with some minor and major "changes", coming June 10, 2018) | |
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| CaledonianWarrior96 | Jan 24 2017, 07:24 PM Post #8 |
An Awesome Reptile
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like the project but would hot deserts vanish like that and be replaced by woodlands so quickly? Wouldn't deserts last a lot longer, and even expand given today's conditions and the 2,000 year long global volcanic winter? |
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Come check out and subscribe to my projects on the following subforums; Future Planet (V.2): the Future Evolution of Life on Earth (Evolutionary Continuum) The Meuse Legacy: An Alternative Outcome of the Mosasaur (Alternative Evolution) Terra Cascus: The Last Refuge of the Dinosaurs (Alternative Evolution) - Official Project - Foundation The Beryoni Galaxy: The Biologically Rich and Politically Complex State of our Galaxy (Habitational Zone) - Beryoni Critique Thread (formerly: Aliens of Beryoni) The Ecology of Skull Island: An Open Project for the Home of King Kong (Alternative Universe) The Ecology of Wakanda: An Open Project for the Home of Marvel's Black Panther (Alternative Universe) (Click bold titles to go to page. To subscribe click on a project, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "track topic" on the bottom right corner) And now, for something completely different
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| Dapper Man | Jan 24 2017, 11:34 PM Post #9 |
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* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
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Yeah, in Africa. Can't remember exactly what it was, though. |
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Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
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| Dapper Man | Jan 24 2017, 11:38 PM Post #10 |
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* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
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In places where they were replaced by woodland, this could've been done due to rivers re-appearing. If I remember correctly, the Sahara was, at some point, woodland, due to rivers(? Might need a source on this.) |
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Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
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| Uncanny Gemstar | Jan 25 2017, 05:43 AM Post #11 |
Godfather of SE
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Yeah, in the mid cretaceous the Sahara was a forest and wetland. It's where Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus lived, and one of the reasons Spinosaurus went extinct was because the river delta dried up. |
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| CaledonianWarrior96 | Jan 25 2017, 09:23 AM Post #12 |
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An Awesome Reptile
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Sure millions of years ago before the Tethys Ocean vanished much of Northern Africa was much more humid and lush, but as the climate became drier and with the closer of the Tethys via Arabia it became more arid and became a desert. I'm not saying desert regions like the Sahara, Atacama, Mojave, Australian Outback etc can't become wetter and turn into woodland, but I don't know if 20 million years is long enough for that to occur. If someone knowns I am wrong about though please correct me |
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Come check out and subscribe to my projects on the following subforums; Future Planet (V.2): the Future Evolution of Life on Earth (Evolutionary Continuum) The Meuse Legacy: An Alternative Outcome of the Mosasaur (Alternative Evolution) Terra Cascus: The Last Refuge of the Dinosaurs (Alternative Evolution) - Official Project - Foundation The Beryoni Galaxy: The Biologically Rich and Politically Complex State of our Galaxy (Habitational Zone) - Beryoni Critique Thread (formerly: Aliens of Beryoni) The Ecology of Skull Island: An Open Project for the Home of King Kong (Alternative Universe) The Ecology of Wakanda: An Open Project for the Home of Marvel's Black Panther (Alternative Universe) (Click bold titles to go to page. To subscribe click on a project, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "track topic" on the bottom right corner) And now, for something completely different
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| Tartarus | Jan 25 2017, 06:42 PM Post #13 |
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Prime Specimen
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Never heard of one in Africa at this time, though I know the time you gave matches the Toba eruption, which did almost destroy us. Could it be you are maybe mixing up two different unrelated eruptions?
Indeed. Until as recently as several thousand years ago the Sahara was much wetter than now and had a mixture of savannah and woodland habitats. Prehistoric rock art from the area shows creatures like hippos, antelopes, lions and so on. |
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| Dapper Man | Jan 25 2017, 07:04 PM Post #14 |
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Second update. I: Fauna Summary Mammals By the time of the Paromacene, the earth has a changed face. Due to the open expansions of woodlands, and lack of competition, some animals have had the chance to grow big. Most mammals are descended from Domestic Cats, Musk Deer & Muntjacs, small Monkeys, and Shrews. Indeed, the Paromacene is a time of woodlands and rain forests, with a few deserts here and there. The largest mammal reaches a height of 3 meters and a length of 2.5 meters. Most herbivores are descended from rodents, Musk Deer, Muntjacs, and Racoons, a few exceptions in South East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand (Marsupials being found there.) Whilst woodlands encourage bigger sizes, the equally plentiful rain forests don’t. In fact, the woodlands encouraged the appearance of a familiar face, with semi-bipedal Macaque descendants found there. Proto-whale esque Racoon descendants are found in the waterways of the rivers and lakes that feed the woodlands and rain forests, which prey on fish not to dissimilar to a crocodile. Large herbivores of these woodlands are either descended from Racoons, Musk Deer, Muntjacs and Rodents (With the exception of said Macaque descendants.) Carnivorous mammals are rarer, with the few carnivores being descended from Cats, Racoons, and Shrews. Marsupials are also common, having re-diversified. In the Southern Hemisphere, Possums fill in most niches, from small omnivores to sheep sized browsers. South Americas native rodents, the Hystricomorpha, have diversified as well. In New Zealand, the largest animals are, along with birds, Wallaby descendants reaching the size of a large sheep. Birds As with the mammals, the Paromacene birds have also diversified. In Floof, a large, Dodo sized bird, descended form Pigeons, has arisen, making it one of the larger animals on the island. Tinamous have also diversified, spreading into North America before it split from South America. In both continents, they have developed flightless forms. Parrots have also diversified. In the Congo, Africa, a flightless, Kakapo like form has evolved, but it is semi-arboreal, hopping to the trees for safety. New Zealand is also home to these flightless forms. Omnivorous forms are most common, however, being found on every continent asides from Antarctica. Sparrows and their relatives have diversified again, producing carnivorous, herbivorous, and omnivorous forms. Due to their competitors going extinct, some have produced bird of prey look-alikes, which fly through the forests of Eurasiafrica and the Americas. Branching from the carnivorous forms lies the largest flier in over 30 million years, a giant, 6-meter wing spanned animal not unlike an Albatross. Phorousrhachid esque forms are a rare, but still existing, sight found in Africa and Europe. Reptiles After the Holocene-Paromacene extinction, reptiles diversified. In fact, the largest animal of the Paromacene is a giant, 7-meter-long turtle, descended from something like a Leatherback. Crocodilians have managed to produce semi-terrestrial forms not unlike the Mekosuchines from the Palaeocene, reaching lengths of 40cm to 3 meters. These crocodilians are found throughout Oceania, and similar forms, which evolved from Caimans, live in South America. There are also many other different types of turtles, ranging from semi-aquatic carnivores to 3-meter-long, Meiolaniid look-alikes. Many lizards haven’t diversified, still having niches of small herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores. In Kloof, the largest carnivore is a 4-meter-long Monitor Lizard descendant, that hangs around swamps and woodlands, and acts as an ambush predator. Snakes haven’t diversified much, but an aquatic family of snakes has arisen, mostly filling in the niches of carnivores, with a few omnivores being present as well. Amphibians Due to their adaptability, Amphibians haven’t had the need to diversify. They had already survived 3 mass extinctions almost unscathed, and now they’ve survived a fourth. Due to their hardiness, they have bounced back. However, one family of amphibians went extinct in the H-P extinction, that family being Caecilians, due to their speciality in their environment and niche. However, a similar group of Salamanders are starting to fill in their niches. Fishes The fishes of the Paromacene have diversified to an extent. Large, 4-meter-long filter feeders are commonplace, due to competition being almost non-existent. The largest predators of the oceans are 6-7-meter-long sharks, descended from the Mako Shark, and are found almost word wide. Indeed, these fish have remained the same, with the exception of amphibious eel descendants found in the swamps of Africa. Invertebrates Like the Amphibians, Invertebrates are already well adapted to their niches, and have had no need to diversify. However, most Cimicids have gone extinct, due to their hosts also disappearing. The rest of the invertebrate classes (I.e. Insecta, Arachnida, Mollusca, etc.) have rebounded, with 3-meter-long, predatory squid being found in the Atlantic. Edited by Dapper Man, Jan 25 2017, 07:05 PM.
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Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
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| Yiqi15 | Jan 25 2017, 07:09 PM Post #15 |
Prime Specimen
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I would like to point out it is spelt Afrikaans, not Africans. Edited by Yiqi15, Jan 25 2017, 07:09 PM.
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Current/Completed Projects - After the Holocene: Your run-of-the-mill future evolution project. - A History of the Odessa Rhinoceros: What happens when you ship 28 southern white rhinoceri to Texas and try and farm them? Quite a lot, actually. Future Projects - XenoSphere: The greatest zoo in the galaxy. - The Curious Case of the Woolly Giraffe: A case study of an eocene relic. - Untittled Asylum Studios-Based Project: The truth behind all the CGI schlock - Riggslandia V.II: A World 150 million years in the making Potential Projects - Klowns: The biology and culture of a creepy-yet-fascinating being My Zoochat and Fadom Accounts - Zoochat - Fandom | |
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