Terra 2: A Second Tree Of Life

5 Million Years PE

It is now, 5 MYPE, we see the dawn of specialisation.

The vast open praries are now dominated by hundreds of species of dandelions and lavender. Some are tiny, about the size of daisies, while others are massive at over 5 feet high, rivalling some bamboo. Multiple dandelion species have now completely lost their male or female forms, specialising for either wind or insect polination. Those who lost the male form, a large white bulb full of seeds, have specialised for insect pollination by some derived beetles and ants, retaining the vibrant petals that so many other species have lost. Those who lost the female form, the famous yellow flower, have grown tall and their bulbs have grown large with a higher capacity for seeds, which themselves are larger and more easily picked up by the wind they rely on to disperse. The largest dandelion species are over 5 feet tall and have evolved more rigid stalks to keep themselves supported. Lavender, too, have diversified. Some have lost their flowers and coloration completely and yet again specialised for wind pollination, becoming small bush like flora that dot the grasslands of the three continents. The larger lavenders and dandelions have evolved large leaf like structures that sprout out from their stalks and soak up sunlight. They, along with weeds and other common grasses, make up the majority of grassland flora on Terra 2 as of 5 million years PE.

Clovers, a species of grass, are suffering from a population decline. They are less able to grow on the grasslands due to fearsome competition from flowering plants and are not as adaptable as their competitors, unable grow anywhere other than the territories inhabited by dandelions and lavenders. It seems their lineage is all but meant for extinction. But a certain population is beginning to grow close to riverbeds and lakes instead of the open steppe with their rivals. Their leaves have diminished and their roots have grown longer to creep into riverbanks. Their main source of energy is now water and the nutrients that flows through it. If this dependence on water continues they may seed the beginnings of an aquatic species of plant in the future.

The only thing that stops the flowers and grasses from covering every inch of Terra 2's surface is the constant grazing and insatiable hunger of the capybaras. Many species of capybaras now walk the grasslands, shores and flower fields of Terra 2. They range in size from the size of small dogs to large, cow-sized living lawnmowers. For convenience I will be referring to capybaras as "baras" from here on out. The largest species of baras are those living in the northern regions, named Arctic Baras. They can be up to 6 and a half feet tall with long shaggy fur coloured grey to match the stoney landscape they live in, feeding on the few grass and flower species that are able to bury their roots inside the rocks, sometimes eating twice their own bodyweight in fibres. An interesting development is the evolution of larger and harder nails which the arctic baras can use to dig up roots of dandelions and weeds as well as climb up rocks and and high cliff faces like Earth mountain goats. If it proves successful and the genes are passed to future generations, then the arctic baras may have some very interesting evolutionary descendants.

A certain few hamster populations have now completely lost the ability to burrow and couldn't make one even if the need arised. Those hamsters which stayed above ground have become like miniscule kangaroos with highly agile leg muscles to jump and hop away from threats. The Herbels, entirely terrestrial hamsters, have now lost their ability to store food in their cheeks, even though this adaptation will be a useful one as the planet begins to cool, and are roughly comparable to desert dwelling rodents of Earth. They feed mainly on seeds, flower stalks, dead bamboo fibres and sometimes insects. In fact quite a few species of Herbels have evolved long tongues or nails to reach into nests or just the ground to feed on worms and other various anneilids. Other species of Herbels have begun climbing up bamboo stalks to reach robin nests and eat their eggs, using particularly elongated digits and a high tolerance for falling injuries. The hamsters are no longer restricted to eating plants and seeds alone, though, now able to feast on a variety of insects, worms, eggs and sometimes even meat from dead (or almost dead) carcasses. The hamsters are diversifying at a greater speed than any other animal on Terra 2 at this time, with each one bearing at least 700 offspring in just one generation with about 400 of them surviving to adulthood.

The largest forest on Terra 2 is now present, perhaps the largest a single forest will ever get on the planet. It is the Great Bamboo Forest and spans a little over 700 miles across the northern 2 continents, only physically possible because the land bridge connecting Almara and Okiina is just barely holding together under the pressure of drifting tectonic plates. Due to a cold air current that rises from the subcontinental gulf and travels across Okiina and Almara, most rain clouds follow the same path and let out their contents on the grasslands of the two continents. The rain then encourages the growth of bamboo and other plants across the Okama landbridge. This does, unfortunately, leave Darsi with the least rainfall of the three landmasses, however the consequences are not yet severe. Now, a large, green stripe of bamboo connects from the East to the West and is the largest forest on Terra 2. Many species of robins, kiwis, hamsters and slugs inhabit this forest as well as different bamboo species, some towering at over 120 feet with others becoming micro at only 2 feet. Bamboo has conquered all three landmasses and has evolved some very interesting adaptations. For example, in order to avoid predation from slugs that used to munch at their bases before it gave way and fell over, some bamboo has started evolving harder roots which can grow above ground and hoist the grass up. The roots are inedible to the slugs and so protect the plant from being eaten. Well, at least from the slugs who can't be bothered to simply climb up the roots and take down the bamboo anyway.

If you cast your mind back 2,000,000 years you may remember the advent of insect predation between the ants and the kiwis. The ants, which used to have a symbiotic relationship with the kiwi birds by protecting them and their eggs from egg robbins and in return got to use their bodies if and when they died as shelter for their larvae (and to an extent some species still possess this relationship), have now become active predators of the kiwis and specifically their eggs. However, the kiwis have an advantage in the form of the Peawi, a loud protector of their eggs. Using the previously vestigial feathers on their arms they have evolved a rather intimidating display to scare off egg robins and already have a long beak and tongue to scoop up ants. The Peawi is now the largest bird on Terra 2, reaching 4 and a half feet high. Their legs are long and scaled, their heads adorned with bright, yellow beaks. They have green-brown feathers to better blend in with bamboo and grass and their display structures are an iridescent gold. If a threat arises they can let out incredibly loud calls that can damage the threat's hearing if heard in close proximity. Their diet consists of insects, slugs, seeds, and carrion.

Meanwhile in the oceans life has diversified and evolved into a myriad of species, some large, some small, and some gargantuan.

In the oceans and lakes of Terra 2, many species of fish and crustaceans swim, live and diversify. The goldtuna are now efficient piscine predators similar to basking sharks in that they open their abnormally large mouths to engulf shoals of microguppies, although an average goldtuna is only about 5 feet long. They can live up to 50 years and can feed on anything from microguppies, small guppies about 0.5 to 0.8 inches in length which the goldtuna have specialized in eating, as well as small crustaceans or even their own young if they're desperate. However, it's not the goldtuna that have left their mark on the early Archi Epoch. Instead, it's a rather unexpected mollusk; the Towering Jellyfish. It is now the single largest living organism to ever live, exceeding the height of the dinosaur girrafititan. It is a sight to behold, but also a sight seen by few as the Towering Jellyfish live at depths of 50,000 feet near the bottom of Terra 2's oceans. They sustain themselves off abyss-dwelling shrimp, plankton, and abyssal guppies. However, most of them have now completely lost their sting, instead just sweeping their enormous tendrils through the water and picking up anything unfortunate enough to get caught.