BackworldTraveller
SOC-13
When looking at a given region of space, it seems to me that there are 4 key stages of ecological development
1) Pre-Ancients: The ecology of planets is isolated. What you see is all local
2) Post-Ancient: The Ancients may (or may not) have adjusted the ecology of a world. (1) They introduced it from scratch; (2) They introduced it over a much less sophisticated base effectively displacing it (3) They enhanced (disrupted) the existing sophisticated example deliberately or accidentally or (4) they effected a change that was killed off since. In each of these cases, they could transplant species as-is or genetically change them. Additionally, in the next 300,000 years, the ecology can evolve the transplants. Hominids doubled in size in that time; new variants can fill new niches; etc. Just note that the modern agricultural staples were not agricultural staples 300,000 years ago!
3) Modern: Starting with the Geonee/Vilani, (and possibly with some Droyne communities in the meantime) and thereafter, the arrival of regular and persistent interstellar communication thoroughly mixes ecologies. There are settlers taking basics for their colony; traders taking pretty, useful or both items between worlds as trade items; but also pumping out waste and water and fuel which may contain things. Given the examples in Human trade, almost anything living can get transported and then loose wherever a touchdown occurs. Mice in the station where the local (outside) environment is vacuum is not impossible. Civilisations breed stuff to better fill civilisation's needs. Ears of Corn get bigger; Potatoes get less poisonous; Cattle get beefier; etc. Dogs become domesticated. The 10,000 years of selective breeding just on earth has changed much.
Given these three stages of ecological evolution, how is the current Traveller universe reflecting these? I'd argue that this is not a topic that has been part of the input of the design flow other than the fact that terran flora and fauna seem to be everywhere! What did the humans that were transported by the Ancients eat? (Most human agricultural plants weren't agriculturally useful in -300,000) Why were Humans the only non-Droyne group that got widely transplanted (especially given the explosion of NILs in the last decade's re-writes)?
Has anyone pondered these questions recently, and - if so - what were your conclusions?
1) Pre-Ancients: The ecology of planets is isolated. What you see is all local
2) Post-Ancient: The Ancients may (or may not) have adjusted the ecology of a world. (1) They introduced it from scratch; (2) They introduced it over a much less sophisticated base effectively displacing it (3) They enhanced (disrupted) the existing sophisticated example deliberately or accidentally or (4) they effected a change that was killed off since. In each of these cases, they could transplant species as-is or genetically change them. Additionally, in the next 300,000 years, the ecology can evolve the transplants. Hominids doubled in size in that time; new variants can fill new niches; etc. Just note that the modern agricultural staples were not agricultural staples 300,000 years ago!
3) Modern: Starting with the Geonee/Vilani, (and possibly with some Droyne communities in the meantime) and thereafter, the arrival of regular and persistent interstellar communication thoroughly mixes ecologies. There are settlers taking basics for their colony; traders taking pretty, useful or both items between worlds as trade items; but also pumping out waste and water and fuel which may contain things. Given the examples in Human trade, almost anything living can get transported and then loose wherever a touchdown occurs. Mice in the station where the local (outside) environment is vacuum is not impossible. Civilisations breed stuff to better fill civilisation's needs. Ears of Corn get bigger; Potatoes get less poisonous; Cattle get beefier; etc. Dogs become domesticated. The 10,000 years of selective breeding just on earth has changed much.
Given these three stages of ecological evolution, how is the current Traveller universe reflecting these? I'd argue that this is not a topic that has been part of the input of the design flow other than the fact that terran flora and fauna seem to be everywhere! What did the humans that were transported by the Ancients eat? (Most human agricultural plants weren't agriculturally useful in -300,000) Why were Humans the only non-Droyne group that got widely transplanted (especially given the explosion of NILs in the last decade's re-writes)?
Has anyone pondered these questions recently, and - if so - what were your conclusions?