| Early
Plants |
| Unicellular
Organism |
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Paon is a single-celled
alga developed approximately 3.5 billions ago
on Planet Vesta. This primitive single-cell is
characterized by it jagged cell walls and chloroplast.
Paons are found in the Manticore Ocean. It reproduces
by the means of asexual reproduction.
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| Clumps
of Cells |
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Paons reproduce by
asexual reproduction. This single-celled organism
divides and duplicates itself. The duplicated cells
clump together to form primitive plant forms. These
clumps of cells endure harsh environments by making
chlorophyll where food can be converted from carbon
dioxide, water and Hestia’s energy. Chloroplasts
are also formed where photosynthesis occur. Light
energy from the sun is captured and converted into
sugar during photosynthesis. This early life form
is carried to different parts of the ocean by the
ocean currents. Its descendents live among many
other colorful animals and plants in the tide pools
of shallow ocean rocks, the coral reefs and the
kelp forests. |
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Primitive
Multicellular Plants
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| Simple
Plants |
Environment
1: Shallow Ocean Rocks (Tide Pools)
Botanical Name: Rocaon
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Rocaons
emerged approximately 3.3 billions ago and lived
in the shallow oceanic rock communities. Tide pools
are often the living environment found along the
shallow oceanic rocks. Tide pools are holes in rocks
that stay filled with water once the tide goes out.
Some tide pools are below low-tide line and are
covered in ocean water most of the time. Some tide
pools are above low-tide line. These rocks are normally
dry and exposed to air for about 10 hours a day.
They are wetted only by sea spray and occasional
waves. Tide pools are homes to many different types
of animals and plants. Plants that live in tide
pools must be able to withstand and adapt to extreme
fluctuations in conditions from the forceful waves
that roll in. They must also be able to endure high
temperatures beating on the rocks. Rocaon is a type
of spongy mat-like alga that grows on shallow rocks
of the tide pools. It is characterized by rolling
bumps on the surface of the mat. The mat is made
up of intertwined dark green cylindrical branches.
These branches attach to whatever they contact.
This growth pattern helps Rocaons survive in the
unpredictable ocean. Rocaons grow to approximately
2 inches thick and 1 foot wide. They provide food
for many of the animals in the tide pools. |
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Environment 2: Coral
Reefs
Botanical Name: Coraon
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Coraons
emerged approximately 3.0 billion years ago.
They lived in the reef communities of Manticore
Ocean. A reef is a coral community consisting
of several thousand organisms living together.
Coral reefs are found in warm clear water. The
water temperature is usually constant year round.
Corals are made up of animals called polyps.
Polyps are tube shaped with the central opening
forming a “mouth.” Polyps attach
themselves to the floor of the reef and the
top end of the polyps extend into the water
and move around freely. There are two types
of corals, soft and hard corals. Hard corals
have external skeletons made of calcium carbonate
while most soft corals do not. The mouths of
polyps on hard corals are surrounded by multiples
of six tentacles and those of soft corals are
surrounded by eight tentacles. Corals are animals
that also have plant life (algae) growing in
them. Algae give corals energy to build skeletons
forming the reefs. Coraon is a type of alga
that grows on corals. It is a relative of Rocaon.
Rocaons lived in the tide pools and slowly evolved
over years. Rocaons are mat like algae made
up of intertwined dark green cylindrical branches.
These branches attached to whatever they contact.
This growth pattern helped Rocaons survive in
the unpredictable tide pools. Unfortunately,
some of the the branches did break off. The
broken branches floated with the ocean currents
and sank to the bottom of the ocean floors.
Some of the sinking branches were caught in
the coral reefs and continued to live. The Rocaons
living in the coral reefs adapted easily to
the new living environments due to the rich
and abundance of resources available and slowly
evolved into Coraons. Coraon
is categorized as an alga with colors of burgundy
or reddish brown and sometimes even purplish
brown. Coraons are red because they contain
a rare light absorbing pigment called phycoerythrin.
This pigment reflects red light and absorbs
blue light. They grow on reefs like rigid overlapping
wafers. Coraons are important in the formation
of reefs by secreting hard shells of magnesium
and calcium carbonate around themselves. The
hard shells of carbonate help form reefs by
building new rocks and cementing the reef structure
together. Because Coraons live so closely to
the reefs, they were once thought of as relative
of corals. Coraons are hardy water plants and
are able to endure many harsh elements of the
ocean and continue to live in the reefs.
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| Environment
3: Kelp Forest
Botanical
Name: Kelaon
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Kelaons
is a type of kelp living in the Kelp Forests of
Manitcore Ocean. It emerged in the Manticore approximately
2.8 billion years ago. Kelaon is a relative of Coraon.
Pieces of Coraons separated from the coral reefs
and fertilized with sperms and eggs of other ocean
plant life. The newly evolved plant life floated
in the ocean waters and finally settled on rocky
surfaces of the coastlines by grasping onto the
rocks with its root-like structures. Kelp forests
grow along rocky coastlines in depths of 18 to 50
feet. A kelp forest is much like a forest on the
land. It is divided into 3 layers and different
kinds of animal life are found in each layer. Kelaon
is a non-vascular alga. It “holds on”
to the rocky surfaces with root-like structures.
From these root-like structures, long streamers
of kelp grow up toward the surface. Gas bladders
at the end of each leaf keep the plant upright and
closer to the surface of the water and sunlight.
Kelaons depend on light for photosynthesis. Kelaons
convert energy from sunlight and nutrients found
in the ocean. They are one of the fastest growing
plants known on Planet Vesta. They can grow up to
115 feet. Kelaons are often uprooted by the strong
waves of the ocean currents and washed ashore. The
fast growth spurts of Kelaons replace the uprooted
Kelaons and they are able to continue their survival.
The Kelaons provide shelter, protection, and food
for much of the animal life in the ocean. |
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