Arida's Aquatic Plant life (Asperdoma)



We believe that early plant life on Arida probably originated from the single celled Proto Photosynthia. After floating around oceans for millennia, these early single cells clumped together in clusters in order to better cling to rocks in shallow coastal zones.  These single-celled organisms continued to harness sunlight for photosynthesis to live. 
Unfortunately, there was intense competition from other plants in these life zones where nutrients were plentiful and sunlight was adequate.  In order to survive in this ever competitive environment, these early single-celled clumps began to mutate for their survival.  Over a span of many years, single-celled organisms began to diversify their job responsibilities and evolved into more sophisticated multi-celled plants, each performing a specific job yet working in unison.  For example, some P. Photosynthia mutated into specially designed roots that could hold fast to the rocks in this turbulent coastal environment.  Their struggle for survival was not over yet. 
Now the future Asperdoma had many new challenges for its survival.  How was it going to receive light for survival at this depth after attaching itself to deeper rock formations?  Again, evolution caused these early plants to mutate to form leaf like feathers capable of receiving sunlight in an environment where light was more obscure since they were no longer clinging to shallow rocks.  Soon for more efficient photosynthesis, small oval structures began to form at the ends of these feather like features permitting them to receive greater quantities of light.  Unfortunately, plant-eating organisms began to eat these luscious green feathers and the Asperdoma was forced to mutate again.  It  lost its feathers and at the same time moved to more shallow depths where it no longer needed its wide leaf appendages but retained its oval balloons at the end of  its rubbery branches.  The Asperdoma plants final change came when it made a sophisticated mutation. The buoyant oval balloons used earlier solely for flotation began to now double as pods used for reproduction purposes.  The Asperdoma plant no longer reproduced merely by shedding its now extinct feathers!  We discovered that these reproduction pods detached from the main plant to be deposited in distant, less competitive environments where their chance of survival might be improved. 


Plant
 Name
 Height
 Environment
 Special Adaptations
photosynthia1

P. Photosynthia

microscopic
free floating in primordial ocean
A eucaryote and chloroplasts to produce energy from the sun
     
photosynthia2


Photosynthia-slime


microscopic/visible
in large numbers

free floating/
clings to rocks in shallow water
Single-celled organisms stick together to enable themselves to cling to rocks in turbulent tidal areas
photosynthia4


Feathers
     

1 to 5 feet

Coastal rock formations
Feather-like leaves form combined with oval structures filled with air to support feathers to facilitate photosynthesis
asperdomas


Oval
balloons


1 to 2 feet


Coastal
rock formations/
plant-eating fish
Oval structures remain but feathers are shed as this new species moves into shallower water for stronger light and fewer problems from plant-eating predators.
asperdomas2



Reproduction pods



float on the surface of the ocean



Open Ocean/Coastal
rock formations
 To increase their chances of survival, Asperdoma plants developed pods that detach to begin the life cycle elsewhere where they are in less competition with one another.


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