Terra 2: A Second Tree Of Life

The Subjects

The most essential part of an experiment is the subjects. While the subjects introduced to Terra 2 might not be specialized, there will still be a wide assortment of species. A variety of grasses and algae will be introduced to create an Earth-like atmosphere, which, as of 0 years PE, is 27% oxygen. Multiple land and sea vertebrates will also be introduced. These include fish such as goldfish, birds such as robins, and rodents like mice and capybaras, the largest land vertebrates at this time. As well as vertebrate creatures, multiple mollusks, annelids, insects, and gastropods will be introduced to create a sustainable food source. Mollusks will serve a niche analogous to fungi on Earth, as no mushrooms have been introduced, breaking down dead animal and plant matter. Insects are essential detritivores and food sources for organisms such as robins and kiwis, and they are simply enjoyable to observe. Multiple jellyfish, specifically box jellyfish, will linger in the abyss, while goldfish and small guppies will swim above, feeding on tiny plankton like shrimp, which in turn feed on phytoplankton. While grasses may make up the bulk of plant life on Terra 2, at least in the earliest eras, there will also be an abundance of dandelions and tulips, along with bush-like weeds and, sorry Dylan Bajda, bamboo. Each lifeform will have its niche, with no other species to compete with... yet. Life on Terra 2 will be unspecialized and simple, yet unique and diverse. They will give rise to thousands of species and tens of lineages before they perish in 500,000,000 years.

Capybaras

The largest land vertebrate on Terra 2 is the capybara, which stands about 2-3 feet at the shoulder. While this is impressive for a rodent related to rats and mice, it is nowhere near the size of even small grazers found on Earth. However, with no competition from other grazers, capybaras occupy the herbivore niche of trimming grasslands, effectively acting as living lawnmowers.

Hamsters

The only other mammal introduced to Terra 2 is the common hamster. Because of their significant size difference from their close cousins, the capybaras, both species will consume the same food source: grass. However, hamsters tend to be more opportunistic and may exploit different feeding levels, exemplifying niche partitioning. As burrowers, they will quickly proliferate and disperse with ease.