ENTROPOLIA

CHAPTER FIVE: ENTROPOLIA'S WATER PLANTS


Entropolia is 50% water allowing for plant life to evolve on the planet. Scientists have determined that life began in the oceans. The oceans on Entropolia are warm with an average temperature of 60.3 degrees Farenheit. The temperature was much warmer when the first plants were emerging. However, these first plants can still be found today.

Lumers are the smallest plant life in the ocean. These microscopic organisms survive through photosynthesis. In one cup there can be tens of thousands Lumers. Lumers formed colonies leading the way to a multicelled organism. The colonies of Lumers began using only some of the cells to reproduce. The other cells would carry on metabolism, but were unable to divide. This was the beginning of cell specialization or division of labor. Over millions of years the cells became more specialized with cells concentrating on one or a few functions. This gave way to the first aquatic plants.

The first aquatic plant was the Hydrocoselenia. These plants can be found in the shallow waters where photosynthesis can take place. Hydrocoselenia's are formed by colonies of cells. Each member of the colony is shaped like a vase. The outer wall consists of tissues. Pores in the wall lead to a central cavity lined with the same tails found on Lumers. Hydrocoselenia's regenerate themselves asexually.

From the Hydrocoselenia, more than 50,000 species of aquatic plants exist on Entropolia. These plants can be found in the oceans, lakes and rivers ranging from single celled to multicelled in structure.

One of the more interesting plants to evolve from the Hydrocoselenia are the Colinia, a leafy plant found on the deep ocean floor. They reproduce asexually by way of a part of the plant detaching; growth will begin on the detached plant. The Colinia can grow up to 100 feet in height creating ocean forests covering square miles of ocean floor. It has a root system allowing it to absorb nutrients as well as photosynthesize.

The second botanical plant is the Hypercunning, a flowering sexually reproducing plant found in warm, shallow water. This plant is of interest because it has the ability to reproduce sexually. It has egg and sperm production. Reproduction is not perfect though, the plant releases eggs and sperms, neighboring Hypercunning plants must catch either the sperm or egg to fertilize it and releases it. Once released the fertilized egg sinks to the ocean floor to gather nutrients and begin growth.

Photo credits: sea life = Ocean Life


Continue to Chapter Six: Water Animals

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