Editing 40d:Biome

A '''biome''' is a biotic area with homogeneous features, characterized by distinctive [[plant]]s, [[creatures|animal species]] and [[climate]]. A biome will also contain only one set of stone layers, though these usually expand beyond a single biome. Your [[dwarves]] will find different resources depending on which biomes they select when starting a fort.

Biomes are important when choosing a fortress location in order to understand your [[surroundings]]. Individual biomes, which form at least one map-tile of your embark location, can be cycled with the {{Key|F#}}-keys; for example, an area with 3 biomes present can be cycled using {{Key|F1}}, {{Key|F2}} and {{Key|F3}}. The selected biome will be highlighted with flashing Xs on the Local Map, and the biome's information will be displayed on the right side of the screen. ''(See the [[Indecisive%27s_illustrated_fortress_mode_tutorial|illustrated guide]] for more detail).''

Selecting different Biomes gives you some ability to influence the difficulty of your game. Each biome has a different set of resources; the availability of [[tree]]s, [[sand]], certain [[plant]]s or [[animal]]s, and sometimes [[water]] is specific to a particular biome, and different biomes may have different stone layers containing [[flux]], [[coal]], useful [[ore]]s, or a high chance of [[magma]]. [[Mountain]]s have a lot of [[ore]] and some exclusive [[underground river|features]], but no [[soil]].

Generally it is advantageous to plot your embark [[location]] at the convergence of multiple different biomes, the more the better (within reason) - which is made easier if you enlarge your starting embarkation area.  However, it is not usually too hard to find three or four biomes using the default size.

* ''Note: Making the starting plot larger will slow your game down considerably; likewise, a small embark area can dramatically increase framerate.''

By making use of several biomes you can provide more resources for your fort. Making sure one of your biomes contains either a broadleaf or conifer [[forest]] will provide you with an ample supply of [[tree]]s, even if the rest of your plot extends into badlands and [[desert]].  You might get wood from a forest, ore from a mountain, and flux from [[hills]] that just happen to have a flux layer; many other permutations are possible.

 

If your plot contains only [[ocean]], [[lake]] or [[mountain]] biomes you will not be able to embark. The dwarves would have difficulty parking their [[wagon (embark)|wagon]] on water, while mountains are too barren and remote to reach.

 

The exact process is unknown, but no relation has been found between biomes and the stone layers that lie deep beneath them in the same area block.

=== Freezing ===

*[[Glacier]]

=== Plains ===

*[[Temperate]] [[Grassland]]

=== [[River]]s ===

*[[Temperate]] Freshwater River

*Temperate Brackish River

*Temperate Saltwater River

*[[Tropical]] Freshwater River

*Tropical Brackish River

*Tropical Saltwater River

 

* Subterranean Water

* Subterranean Chasm

{{World|Biomes}}

{{Category|Biomes|*}}