Building Biomes - Oceanic & Marine Coasts | Worldbuilding

Episode 15: Ecology Part 6 - Oceanic & Marine Coasts
In this video we discuss worldbuilding Oceanic climates, their geography and ecosystems, and reminding ourselves of an iconic Oceanic location that everyone forgets to put on the map.
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WORLDBUILDING CORNER: www.worldbuildingcorner.com
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All music, images, and other media used in this video are available for commercial use with Creative Commons licensing, found on www.pixabay.com and www.pexels.com.
The subsequent listed images are permitted for use under the following Creative Commons license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Nessie image credit: Gonit Sora
Cold Subpolar Climate Map image credit: Beck, H.E., Zimmermann, N.E., McVicar, T.R., Vergopolan, N., Berg, A., & Wood, E.F.
Subpolar Climate Map image credit: Ali Zifan
The subsequent listed images are permitted for use under the following Creative Commons license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Oceanic Climate Map image credit: Peel, M.C., Finlayson, B.L., and McMahon, T.A. (University of Melbourne)
The subsequent listed images are permitted for use under the following Creative Commons license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
The Hyperion image credit: Pacific Southwest Forest Service
The subsequent listed images are permitted for use under the following Creative Commons license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Fossil image credit: denisbin

[@worldforger0]

Another great video! I really like your technique of inventing fictional creatures by looking at the mythologies of cultures which inhabit those climate zones. As an Irish person, I am able to confirm that we have way too many water/rain monsters in our folklore. The reason for this is the fact that it. Never. Stops. Raining.

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Thanks for the positive feedback! I think mythology and folklore are excellent sources of inspiration for worldbuilding, and allow us to create fictional creatures that are recognisable but still sit firmly in 'fantasy'. And yep, rain is ever-present for us oceanic climate inhabitants. I have just returned home from a holiday (reason for delayed reply sorry!) and was greeted by... you guessed it: rain!

[@Sibhsshortfilm]

Ah now it stops raining the week the leaving cert starts and the first week they are back to school. So two weeks a year it doesn't rain lol

[@Liethen]

@@WorldbuildingCorner Any reason the chart has Elves in the Fairy category, but there is an Elves category, that Elves do not fall under?

[@brianroberts783]

An interesting thing to note about trees is that gravity can limit their height not only by their own weight, but also by limiting how high they can move water in their trunks via capillary action. In the case of Plumacortex, since the constraints of gravity are removed, capillary action would continue to move water through the trunk indefinitely helping the massive tree to transport nutrients and conduct photosynthesis.

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Once again, very cool point that I had not thought of! I am glad that aspects of my worldbuilding holds up and makes sense on a more micro level haha. Thank you for pointing this out!

[@peterdunlop7691]

I saw a video recently about Redwoods and they’ve evolved a way to use the water from the fog in the air to water the tops of their canopies as gravity prevents them bringing it up to that height from their roots. I think it was a PBS Terra or Eons video.

[@ewanlee6337]

As a New Zealander, there used to be giant animals on New Zealand before humans first arrived most famous are the Moa and the Haste eagle which was extremely large, larger than the current largest bald eagles.

[@SebRomu]

I like your Inumbra. They are similar to my own chupacabra inspired "greymanes" with skull like heads, and using vocal mimicry to lure prey into ambushes.

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

From my research, it's a type of creature that is common in mythology, which is great for worldbuilding because it's something viewers/readers/players can easily connect with, but it's suitably 'fantasy' as well. I like the name 'greymanes'!

[@kythian]

@@WorldbuildingCorner Your creature has alot in common with the "kushtaka" of the Pacific NW (U.S. and Canada), even down to voice mimicry. I would add that bears and large cats (puma) do live in this same region. I have nearly driven into one or the other from time to time in my home region. (Although the bears aren't terribly large here [~200 lbs]. The pumas, however, are massive!)

[@jasperjasper9435]

the pluma cortex trees can make flying islands that take off when the trees are nutrient rich, and land when they need nutirents, making migrating islands.

[@katherinegarlock2249]

There is another west coast oceanic biome that hasn't had the thousands of years of degredation the Europe has had, and thus still have larger mammals. The Great Lakes function as oceans as they have both tides and impact precipitation. The forests of the areas can actually be considered rain forests as they get very consistant precipitation from the Lakes and their own transpiration.

[@ephraimboateng5239]

Vancouver island in BC, Canada is probably one of the best examples of Temperate rainforest you can find on earth.

[@lord_gillespie]

Don't expect anyone to know that. The world ignores Canada at all costs 😅

[@fauwckspause]

I've been really enjoying this series so far, I don't think I've ever come across a worldbuilding series that really digs deep into the geography/climates/ecosystems and the reasons WHY they are the way they are/are where they are. Though I also have to be a bit obnoxious here and point out that opossums are not rodents they are marsupials :p

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Thank you for the positive feedback, I'm glad you are enjoying it! Also glad to know that the niche I'm going for is appreciated haha. You're absolutely correct about opossums (which I'm used to referring to simply as 'possums' here in Australia)! Here they are viewed as a pest, colloquially lumped with rodents, but you're right they're more closely related to kangaroos than rats or mice. Good clarification!

[@andresmarrero8666]

I can see these cold, wet, ancient forests being the preferred home of magical beasts such as giant owls that shroud themselves in and generate a dense mist or gaint intelligent deer that can walk on water and even fog.

[@dragonsamurai559]

Another idea: Use prehistory. It's believed that Tyrannosaurs lived in more coastel like regions IIRC

[@Andrewtr6]

The feather trees inspired something for my own fantasy story: floating forests. In my story, I have an ore that has the property to float (it was just going to be used to explain floating structures). I hadn't decided where this ore would be deposited but if it was in this climate zone, the ore could end up entangled in the roots, or absorbed out of the ground into the trees, and if the earth broke away, suddenly there would be a floating tree. I would love to see something like this included in your world. The tallest of the trees could break away from the ground due to a number of reasons and end up a drift in the sky. Do they ever come down? Maybe they get caught in an airstream that groups them together into floating islands or even a small continent. When one of these trees dies, it could still fall out of the sky. Hopefully no one is beneath it!

[@andreasalexandra8718]

Thanks for the great series. Thanks for covering the physical geography stuff in such depth. I'm curious - would these giant trees create or exacerbate a rain-shadow effect?

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Great question! To my understanding as a non-climatologist, even these fictionally colossal trees are unlikely to create or exacerbate a rain-shadow effect due to their height, even within subtropical highland climates where oceanic climates are present at elevation on mountains. However, this has less to do with the height of the trees and more to do with their density. There are reports on earth of rain shadows existing on the leeward (downwind) side of mountain ranges under 300m in elevation, so these giant trees are certainly 'tall enough'. However, precipitation is still able to pass through all but the densest forests, and so I think a better answer to whether trees would create/exacerbate a rain shadow is not how tall they are, but rather how dense their foliage is. A 'windbreak' is a row of trees planted with the intention of providing shelter from wind, and I imagine if similar conditions were present naturally, then a rain-shadow could be created from the trees alone. The trees I've created would be far, far too infrequent due to their resource requirements to create these effects, but if a giant forest you created was dense enough, then yes I believe it would create/exacerbate a rain-shadow!

[@cerberaodollam]

Wooooo, this is wildly interesting, especially because up to now I thought of Australia as dry.

[@Lilas.Duveteux]

About worldbuilding cuisines...This types of climate are a poor candidate for wheat, and thus oatmeal, rye, turnips, potatoes, rutapagas, buckwheat and/or rice would most likely be the ones preferred there. Rye tend to have a problem with ergot. Apples, virbunum, plums, blackberries and cherries tend to replace grape in these sorts of climates. Another aspect of such climates is rapid loss of body heat. Extremely moist, cool air would make loss of body heat quite quickly, and it is thus no surprise that british folklore is full of undead creatures that exude or enjoy this kind of cold mist that freezes to the bone. Many grasses that grow in these climates are also very good for livestock, and in fact in the modern world, the milk coming from cows that are fed a mixture of grass and kelp is considered a luxury good, because it is so delicious. Also, it is the natural habitat for boars, and makes eating porc in such areas a lot more hygienic than in dry climates. This would create an incentive for many fattier foods, such as lard and butter for West Europeans, fatty fish for the Japanese and cedar nuts, seals and salmon for the West Coast native Americans. Mist near coast lines are some of the most unbearable weather I have ever experienced, either in heat or cold. In low-land areas, oceanic climates can create vast expanses of wetland which are highly encouraging to horticulture. So fresh vegetables, water cress, certain varieties of rice, stinging nettles, loads of berries and herbs would be highly encouraged. In fact, Historically in Europe, herbs where a ubiquitous part of the diet, regardless of social class. They would have been eaten by beggars in soup kitchens or be part of an elaborate meal at Versailles. Their closeness to the sea also encourages the consumption of a lot of marine life such as fish, kelp and shellfish. However, perhaps the most important thing in these climates would be fermented products such as vinegar, choux-croute, kimchi and wine. Also, allowing edible molds to grow on things would be a highly favored conservation method, such as natto in Japan and so many varieties of French cheese. Speaking of molds and mushrooms, depending on soil composition, such cultures might learn to practice fungiculture if the pressures are right. Cultures that live in oceanic climates tend to have a wide knowledge of mushrooms, because they are so abundant. In short, the diet in such areas tend to traditionally be rich in vitamin C, acids and fat. Thus, if a culture has the sufficient fuel for it, slow cooking would probably be a staple. Both Scottish and northern French cuisine involve a lot of light, slow cooked broths. Also, in these forests, the deadly predators are the ones who use gravity to their advantage, such as pumas and lynx. Lynx aren't that agressive towards humans on flat land, because of how much smaller they are to us. When in high trees, they are absolutely deadly and can take down pray alone far larger than themselves. While wolves use pack hunting to hunt dear and mooses, lynxes and pumas use good old gravity.

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Very interesting! The point about rapid loss of body heat is very important, as the other cold climates tend to be dry, while oceanic climates are categorically very wet. As always your insight into the foods and nutrition of worldbuilding is fascinating! Gravity absolutely is a huge boon to hunters in trees. I had already designed the Impes of the savannas which drop from trees to take down prey so didn't want to double up, but you're absolutely correct, creatures that utilise that hunting style would likely be very successful in this climate!

[@Lilas.Duveteux]

@@WorldbuildingCorner Thank you so much!

[@MilleniumActress]

I like these videos. The pictures are really well-drawn. Thank you for making this series.

[@IDemandAPanda]

Thank you so much for these videos! I love the detail you go into, especially the sketches of flora and fauna with classification information. I hope to see the fruits of your labor in book format someday, (either as a guide to worldbuilding or as a novel--preferably both, lol).

[@digitalhermit8928]

That chair looks like a comfy bit of personal world building haha

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Absolutely! I had it in mind long before I started the channel, hoping the aesthetic suits the channel. It's quite comfy!

[@digitalhermit8928]

@@WorldbuildingCorner Low key envious. A comfy chair is nothing to sneeze at

[@andresmarrero8666]

How would gravity severance work given that gravity is connected to density? I can see cultures cultivating these gaint trees for the anti gravity sap. That in of itself would be a valuable and versatile resource.

[@larrylollar3171]

I have found these videos so useful and inspiring. You’ve set me on a project where I’m building along with each video starting from scratch. I’ve run into a couple road blocks though. First, what program do you recommend using for your map? And second, my continents are much wider than yours and I’m having a hard time not just filling everything in with desert. I think there should be areas similar to the American mid-west. Any suggestions? Thanks again for making these. They are amazing!

[@powerofanime1]

I also like checking the fossil record of historical biomes.

[@Lusa_Iceheart]

I love the murder otters.

[@Ninjaananas]

Oceanic climate does not only have temperate rainforests. Especially when the climate reaches more inland like in western Europe, it also has deciduous forests. Otherwise, Western Europe would not experience the typical autumn leaves since the temperate rainforests are evergreen, or are they not? Wetlands are of course also a thing there.

[@Ninjaananas]

@@Me-yq1fl That's what I said.

[@sproge2142]

Uhm, eastern Norway? I seem to recall from my scout years that left is west on a normal map! 😛 Very fun goof from a world builder! ❤️

[@Rei_geDo]

Great video as always! I like how subtle the editing is in them, how long does it take for you to make these videos? Also, how long did/does it take for you to research the topics for the videos and how did you come by them? Lastly, do you plan on making videos about ocean climates and it's subsequent potential fauna and flora for Worldbuilding? Thanks for the content!

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Editing takes at least a few hours, I am trying to streamline the process but it's all new to me. I don't have any prior experience with video editing (or filming at all!) so I'm learning as I go. The research I do as I am scripting, which I have not timed because I honestly thoroughly enjoy writing the scripts and doing the research! I already had an understanding of many of the concepts I've covered so far, but I have learned so much from researching for putting together this series so far, it's been so enjoyable to continue to further my knowledge. I would say researching and writing takes about a full day? The hardest part is condensing it into what I hope is digestible portions for the video! And thanks as always for the positivity! Sorry for delayed reply, just returned from a holiday, more content to come soon :)

[@bernadmanny]

The problem with anti-gravity trees that grow that high is that they would be ripped out of the ground at the first stiff breeze. They have far too much surface area for the wind to push against, that isn't held in place by its own weight.

[@sophiejones3554]

Not if they grow from enormous ancient root systems like quaking aspen do.

[@Liethen]

@@sophiejones3554 and maybe then the root knot gets ripped free creating a floating island, held down enough by all the dirt to not get too high

[@Lilas.Duveteux]

Now, another reason that being small is beneficial in those types of climates, beside from human activity, is that the trees and mountains make predators and prey who use gravity to help themselves a huge adventage. For example, a defense used by many species of birds is to put their nests on branches that are thick enough to support their weight, but too thin to support the weight of a cat or ferret let's say. Given that the Americas are blessed with hummingbirds, which are absolutely tiny, and most cats tend to attack birds when they are feeding as opposed to nesting. Being small, for many prey species, means being able to sneak into the crevaces of trees and tall roots, a good hiding spot from many predators. For many predators, they don't necessarely have to be big, either being small enough to surconvent the hiding strategies of their prey or be just medium-smallish and adopt ambush strategies that require them to hide in trees until a buck, human or sometimes a small moose comes by the tree, and as the lynx is hidden in the neddles of pines and spruce, would bounce once the angle is right, using the momentum of gravity to generate the force necessary to break the neck of these larger preys. Also, bunnies don't need to be big, as the muscle strengh they need to hop are not only effective for flight, but also they can kill predators larger than themselves by playing dead, and then when the hunter least expects it, deliver a powerful kick and make a run for it. So again, large sizes aren't necessarely. Also, once humans are into the area, not only habitat loss is a thing, but sometimes, larger animals can be easier kills than the smaller ones, because they are easier to aim at by virtue of their body size, and humans have rather weak jaws and necks in comparison to many other animals, thus maximizing the gravity adventage.

[@fatmagicrat3341]

Very good and helpful video! I'm also like n° 1K btw

[@unciuncia420]

So there is certainly some iconic fauna. You listed the redwood, but that's in Northern California. You got most of the Western U.S Coast (San Francisco at the very southern edge), that under west coast Marine. We've still got some pretty iconic fauna, especially in the form of Pacific salmon. For starters because of all the rain, the lower temps and all the plants, our soil is crap. All the nutrients get washed out real fast. So all of our have massive ties with mycorrhizal fungi to help uptake nutrients. With those fungus, the large Doug-fir and other temperate rain forests of the west coast U.S would die out. Then Pacific Salmon migrate up large rivers, capable of going well over 800km upstream to reproduce. They die after spawning and their body brings in critical nutrients that our forests need in order to live.

[@BanValsimot]

All right. I am not settling here thanks to Inumbra. Getting my coat and going north

[@jonathanthomas8736]

Let me direct your attention to the Northwestern American Tree Octopus, a cryptid mollusk which leverages the thin line between air and water in oceanic environments to become an arboreal ambush predator.

[@khayyin359]

I didn't see the link for the Severance video, and I don't see it in the description either. Or sounds like an interesting concept. Could you share it here, and/or put that link in? Thank you 🙏🏻

[@MerkhVision]

It’s probably in his “The Rules of Physics (and how to break them)” video on his channel!

[@jadenforsman9089]

What are you using to draw this map

[@CGrahamWorks]

I feel like you missed a big opportunity with south western British Columbia. A land that is temperate rainforests that is no as heavily populated with large fauna and diverse cultures

[@gibbhartin643]

Inumbra upon hearing a human "Hello? is someone there?"

[@wafflingmean4477]

I only have one question. What is the climate of Old Zealand?

[@gabrielsilva-pl3dx]

Various climates

[@trollunderbridge2292]

Arguably, one of the largest temperate rainforests is the Pacific Northwest in the US-Canada.

[@DavidGlenn]

I thought some local fauna included animals like deer, wolves, and bears

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Absolutely, though they aren't unique to oceanic climate zones, so it's hard to pinpoint oceanic 'specific' traits. Especially with wolves and bears which tend to be found more in adjacent continental zones, with traits specialised for other climate zones rather than oceanic ones. Oceanic climates tend to be 'mild' enough for most creatures from adjacent climate zones to settle in easily without needing to change.

[@Droid6689]

Yea. They just punted

[@lukasnelson8328]

He forgot about Oregon. Best Marine West Coast in the World.

[@xKeeganxxx]

What was that country you added? That was the real world map, not your map of Locus. You can't just go making up islands.

[@kiyannareynard1850]

Hi fellow world builder, I'm a fellow resident of SE Australia. Once I've got my online presence more active, perhapps we could colaborate in some way. Let me know if you'd like to chat

[@WorldbuildingCorner]

Always great to hear from fellow worldbuilding creators! Good luck with establishing your online presence :)