After the Genesis Particle Release Device completed its mission, although there was no longer any external Genesis Energy injected into the experimental area, the ecological processes that had already started inside did not stop.
With the existing water bodies, the initial changes in atmospheric composition, and the pre-existing primitive life-giving materials scattered throughout, a self-sustaining primitive ecosystem embarked on a journey of self-sustaining succession.
Osiris activated the energy generation network that had been pre-deployed at the edge of the experimental area.
An invisible energy barrier was instantly activated, forming a hemispherical shield covering the entire experimental area with a radius of one thousand kilometers.
The core function of this shield is to limit the outward escape of water vapor within the area to maintain a relatively stable humidity environment inside, while effectively isolating external cosmic radiation and potential interstellar dust interference, thereby ensuring that the evolutionary process takes place in a controlled "pure" environment.
Once all arrangements were complete, Osiris withdrew all surface work units, completely ending any form of human intervention.
His role thus underwent a fundamental transformation—from an operator who personally controlled the experiment to a silent, purely observant observer.
The orbital and upper-altitude monitoring platform continuously transmits massive amounts of real-time data, clearly outlining the formation process of local climate within the experimental area.
Within the enclosed environment formed by the energy shield, basic climate processes such as water evaporation, atmospheric circulation, and precipitation cycle have established a complete closed loop and are showing early signs of self-regulation.
Different topographic units give rise to different climatic characteristics: the areas around vast lakes maintain high humidity due to continuous evaporation, while newly formed hilly areas are relatively dry due to orographic uplift.
As the timescale extends from "day" to "month", the evolution of ecosystems accelerates.
In the water, native single-celled organisms and introduced Gamma-7 microorganisms engage in fierce competition for nutrients and space.
Gamma-7 microorganisms, thanks to the excellent radiation protection provided by their biofilms, rapidly form dominant communities in waters with high radiation background.
However, its exponential rapid proliferation leads to a sharp depletion of nutrients in the water, and this inherent self-inhibition mechanism effectively curbs the unlimited expansion of its population size.
Introduced, genetically engineered ferns have spread rapidly along the coast and in moist valleys, firmly establishing themselves as primary producers in the ecosystem thanks to their efficient carbon sequestration capabilities and resilient morphology.
Its dense root network acts like a natural anchoring system, effectively stabilizing the loose sediment; while the constantly accumulating leaf litter injects the first batch of precious organic matter into the originally barren topsoil.
A complex network of interactions is quietly being woven among the various biological communities.
Some native microbial communities have evolved the ability to establish symbiotic relationships around the roots of ferns, cleverly utilizing their root secretions to sustain their own survival.
At the same time, some mobile single-celled predators began to emerge, feeding on dying Gamma-7 colonies or other vulnerable microorganisms, marking the initial formation of a simple food chain.
The emergence of these new ecological niches has greatly enriched the functional diversity of the system and driven the entire ecosystem to evolve towards a more complex and stable structure.
Osiris' processor calmly recorded the establishment and breaking of this dynamic balance.
Beneath the energy shield, a dynamic, competitive, and collaborative primitive world is operating, adjusting, and evolving on its own.
What he captured was a valuable, pure data stream about the self-organizing processes of life and the early formation of ecosystems, after excluding the vast majority of external variables.
The future of the system has been entirely entrusted to the ceaseless interaction between its countless individuals and the environment.
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Under the absolute isolation of the energy shield, the experimental area has become an isolated ecological laboratory.
As the timescale is extended further, the energy flow and material cycle within the system begin to exhibit more sophisticated and complex patterns.
The water circulation system was the first to enter a highly stable operating mode.
The continuous evaporation from the vast lakes and water bodies keeps the humidity inside the protective shield at near saturation.
Water vapor rises with the thermal circulation to the top of the shield, where it condenses into clouds upon cooling, eventually turning into periodic precipitation that returns to the earth's surface.
New topography has a redistributive effect on precipitation distribution: windward slopes receive abundant rainfall due to airflow lifting, while leeward areas experience a significant rain shadow effect and exhibit arid characteristics.
Surface runoff converges along a network of gullies formed by natural erosion, eventually flowing into lakes in low-lying areas, completing a near-perfect, self-sustaining water cycle loop.
The enormous heat capacity of water bodies has a significant moderating effect on regional climate.
Monitoring data clearly shows that the diurnal temperature range around the lake is 12 percent lower on average than in arid regions, forming a habitable microclimate zone with gentle temperature fluctuations.
This gradient distribution of temperature and humidity acts like an invisible designer, shaping the ecological development rhythm of different regions and providing a diverse stage for the survival of biological communities with different adaptive strategies.
The process of ecosystem succession continues to deepen and begins to exhibit its inherent rhythm.
The strong fern communities that initially expanded rapidly due to their powerful vitality have entered a new stage dominated by natural selection.
On nutrient-rich lake shores and valleys, they form dense, canopy-like thickets; while on barren slopes or in highly competitive areas, their growth slows significantly.
This resource-driven differentiated development has resulted in a distinct spatial heterogeneity in vegetation distribution, laying the groundwork for a more complex ecological pattern in the future.
The distribution of Gamma-7 microbial communities also tends to be dynamically stable, forming irregular patchy and network-like distribution patterns in water bodies.
In waters with high radiation intensity and abundant nutrients, they still hold an absolute advantage; while in areas with weak radiation background, they are caught in a long-term tug-of-war and competitive equilibrium with native microbial communities.
The special biofilm it secretes continuously alters the physicochemical parameters of the local water body, inadvertently creating unique ecological niches for other microorganisms that can adapt to this new environment.
The interaction networks among biological communities are becoming increasingly intricate.
Some native microorganisms have successfully evolved the ability to decompose the cellulose cell walls of ferns, marking the emergence of key decomposers and propelling the system's carbon cycle into a new, more efficient phase.
At the same time, microscopic food webs gradually took shape: the number of single-celled predators with mobility increased, they specialized in preying on other microorganisms, and even preliminary dietary differentiation appeared.
Even more noteworthy is the increasingly clear coupling effect between the climate system and the ecosystem.
Densely vegetated areas absorb more stellar radiation due to reduced surface albedo, resulting in a detectable slight increase in local temperature.
This warming, in turn, promotes plant transpiration and increases the humidity of the surrounding atmosphere, creating a self-reinforcing positive feedback loop.
This active "bio-atmosphere" interaction is continuously and profoundly reshaping the energy balance and material cycle pathways within the experimental region.
Osiris continuously receives the endless torrent of data transmitted back by the monitoring system.
The subtle changes in temperature, humidity, radiation flux, biomass distribution, and atmospheric composition in every corner of the energy shield are recorded and analyzed simultaneously.
The entire system is transitioning from an initial period of dramatic change to a more mature stage where it seeks balance in a dynamic process.
Its numerous internal processes interact and constrain each other, revealing the profound internal logic of the self-organization of natural ecosystems.
All these changes have been transformed into precisely quantified time-series data, becoming an invaluable original case for understanding the mechanisms of co-evolution between life and the environment.