>>5412868In a development far beyond the Flounder Feeder’s comprehension, a major supervolcano on the surface has erupted. Unluckily, this supervolcano was gargantuan in size and located on a critical fault-line, one already rendered unstable by deeper turmoil. This caused a runaway escalation that, over the course of the next handful of local years, leaves the lower atmosphere saturated with ash and makes the precarious narrow band ecosystem even more tectonically unstable than it already was. To make matters worse, the frozen planet has almost nothing in the way of precipitation and with the harsh sun so far away, wind is sparse, so rather than disperse over a few Terran years or decades, the ash stays stagnant. This serves to block most of the sunlight reaching the narrow band ecosystem for several Terran centuries.
Eventually, the ash dissipates to stain the ice and sunlight returns, giving the ocean a much-needed reprieve. It is for naught, the rampant tectonic plates below have been set into motion and a millennia later, possibly two, rarely three, a volcano erupts again and sets off another cascade with equally ruinous effect. This ash too, passes in time, but its return is never more than a few thousand generations away. Where jagged stone pierces glowing ice, volcanic eruptions have gone from somewhat rare to somewhat common, and in some regions, magma flows have started to disrupt the monotony of the endless sheets. It’s unlikely for this state of affairs to stay eternal but it’s almost certain the tectonic melee won’t cease for the next epoch or so.
What this means for the narrow band ecosystem is a hellish cycle of starvation. Once omnipresent Growth Strands and Growth Lumps have dwindled to scattered, sickly, sick excuse for greenery, and the bold Stone Moss has receded to a fraction of its former holdings. The Lump Grazers that depend on them to survive have suffered accordingly, plummeting in number. Their predators have no recourse and are brought even lower, their populations beaten and mutilated to a tenth of their former numbers, at best. Then, as the ash disperses, life returns and dares to renew itself despite the toxins and earthquakes, only to be cut back down to scarcity in a haze of delirious gore. The Flounder Feeders are no exception, however, with their functioning brain, rough filter organ, and newly exacting stomach, they fare far better than their blubber should indicate. In summation, the Flounder Feeder population is endangered and the threat of extinction weighs heavy on their cartilage, though they remain the undeniable apex predator, not in the least for their personal resilience.
>How should the Flounder Feeders evolve?>3/3 